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

Tuolumne County has a significant resource-based and industrial history, including mining and timber operations, and its land-use code addresses such uses through Title 17 zoning. However, the county has not adopted a general noise ordinance that sets uniform limits on industrial or commercial noise; the county FAQ confirms the absence of a countywide noise ordinance. Instead, industrial and commercial noise is regulated at the project level. The county FAQ explains that many land-development projects are conditioned to restrict the days and hours of operation and to adhere to specific noise standards, and these conditions are imposed through the discretionary permit process (such as a conditional use permit) and CEQA environmental review. For a manufacturing plant, quarry, processing facility, or similar use, the binding noise limits are therefore found in that project's conditions of approval and mitigation measures rather than in a general code section. Where a use creates noise beyond what its permit allows, enforcement is handled as a county code-compliance matter. Notably, the 2024 proposed countywide ordinance expressly contemplated exemptions for agricultural and mining operations and legal industrial uses, reflecting the county's intent to keep regulating such noise primarily through land-use permitting rather than a flat noise rule. Mobile equipment on public roads remains subject to the statewide California Vehicle Code.