Knox County zoning bars any use from creating a sound level at or beyond its lot boundary exceeding the octave-band performance-standard limits. Short bursts, safety signals, railroads, and construction are exempt; measurement uses a slow-response sound meter.
Knox County's Zoning Ordinance imposes industrial performance standards for noise (Appendix A, 4.10.01): 'No person shall operate, cause to operate or allow to operate any source of sound in such a manner as to create a sound level at any point on or beyond the boundary of any lot or tract which exceeds the limits set forth in these standards.' Exemptions include safety signals and warning devices, railroads, noise lasting under five seconds (not repeated more than ten times per hour), limited mobile-equipment operation, and construction/maintenance noise. The specific octave-band decibel table (see decibel-limits) sets the numeric caps. Enforced through the county's zoning administration.
Zoning violation under the Knox County Zoning Ordinance; the county may require abatement and pursue civil penalties against the offending use.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Knox County does not prohibit backyard composting for households. The zoning code only regulates commercial-scale composting facilities, which are solid-wast...
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Knox County has no ordinance regulating artificial turf on residential property. Synthetic lawns are neither required nor banned; large installations should ...
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Knox County has no rule requiring native plants in home yards, but its zoning ordinance requires native shade trees in new parking lots and along streets in ...
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Knox County has no ordinance prohibiting or specially regulating residential rain barrels or rainwater collection. Tennessee does not restrict rainwater harv...
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Knox County does not impose a general ordinance restricting lawn or garden watering days or hours. Any watering limits come from your individual water utilit...
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Knox County treats vines, grass, weeds and other vegetation that reaches 12 inches or more as a presumed public nuisance on residential property. Owners must...
See how Knox County's industrial noise rules stack up against other locations.
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