Industrial noise in Portland must meet PCC 18.10 receiving-zone limits; industrial sources adjacent to residential cannot exceed 55 dBA night or 60 dBA day at the property line.
PCC Chapter 18.10 establishes receiving-zone standards. Industrial-to-industrial boundaries allow 75 dBA day and 65 dBA night; industrial adjacent to residential drops to 60 dBA day and 55 dBA night at the receiving property line. Best available control measures such as enclosures, mufflers, sound walls, and HVAC silencers are required for new facilities. The Portland Bureau of Development Services can impose stricter conditions through land use entitlements. Violations start at written warning and escalate to civil penalties up to 1,000 dollars per occurrence. Cascadia seismic retrofits can trigger temporary variances.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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See how Portland's industrial noise rules stack up against other locations.
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