Amador County, CA Noise Ordinances: Industrial Noise (2026)

Amador County's noise ordinance is deliberately narrow. Chapter 9.44 states that it only applies to residential uses, wineries, tasting rooms, and event locations, which means commercial and industrial operations are not subject to its 10 p.m.–7 a.m. prima facie rule or its administrative-fine schedule. Instead, industrial and manufacturing noise in the unincorporated county is managed through land-use controls: the county's Title 19 zoning ordinance, conditional-use permits, and environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), all administered by the Amador County Planning Department. A new or expanding industrial use, surface mine, or similar operation is typically reviewed for noise impacts during the permitting process, and the county can attach conditions of approval that limit hours of operation, require setbacks or buffering, or cap noise at the property line for that specific site. Because Amador County has a mining and aggregate history, the Planning Department also oversees surface-mining permits where noise can be a condition. There is no countywide industrial decibel table in the code, so the operative limits for any given industrial site come from that site's permit conditions and applicable general-plan noise policies rather than the nuisance ordinance. Neighbors concerned about an industrial noise source should raise it with the Planning Department, which regulates Title 19, and review the facility's use permit and environmental documents.