Hendersonville, TN Noise Ordinances: Industrial Noise (2026)

Section 11-403(3) (Supplemental excessive noise regulations) is the operative business/commercial noise rule, added by Ord. #2005-13 (August 2005) and amended by Ord. #2022-21 (November 2022). The verbatim text reads: 'No person or persons owning, operating, or having the care, custody, or control of any business or commercial facility shall be permitted to operate any equipment (musical or otherwise), vehicles, or heavy machinery incident to performing business or commercial functions, or engage in any other business or commercial activity which would emit, cause to be emitted, or permit the emission of any noise in excess of sixty-five (65) Db(A) as measured from a point as close as possible to the outside walls of any residential structure located within a residential zoning district affected by the noise at a height of four feet above the immediate surrounding surface. The provisions of this paragraph shall be in effect between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., Sunday night through Thursday night, and between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., Friday night and Saturday night. At all other times, no person or persons owning, operating, or having the care, custody, or control of any business or commercial facility shall be permitted to operate any equipment (musical or otherwise), vehicles, or heavy machinery incident to performing business or commercial functions, or engage in any other business or commercial activity which would emit, cause to be emitted, or permit the emission of any noise in excess of seventy-five (75) Db(A) as measured from a point as close as possible to the outside walls of any residential structure located within a residential zoning district affected by the noise at a height of four feet above the immediate surrounding surface.' Note: the threshold is measured AT THE RESIDENTIAL WALL, not at the industrial property line - which gives the standard real teeth when a commercial use abuts a residential lot. Hendersonville's industrial base is light - retail and commercial along Highway 31E (Gallatin Pike) and Indian Lake Boulevard, distribution on East Main Street, and lake-tourism uses on Sanders Ferry / Lower Station Camp areas. Heavy manufacturing is concentrated in nearby Gallatin (Sumner County's industrial center, with Gap Inc., Servpro, RR Donnelley) and Portland, not Hendersonville itself. Use-compatibility for new commercial/industrial siting is administered through the Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance and Regional Planning Commission.