San Bernardino County, CA Noise Ordinances: Industrial Noise (2026)

San Bernardino County Code Title 8 Division 3 sets exterior noise limits based on the receiving land use, not the source. When a manufacturing, warehouse, trucking, or industrial operation abuts a residential property, the operator must limit noise crossing the shared property line to the RESIDENTIAL limits (typically 55 dBA day, 45 dBA night), not industrial limits. This is why logistics and e-commerce warehouses in the Inland Empire corridor (Fontana, Ontario, Rialto, Bloomington, Mira Loma area) face strict nighttime sound control even when zoned industrial. Diesel truck yards, intermodal rail noise (BNSF and UP lines through Colton and San Bernardino), reefer units, and backup alarms are frequent complaint sources. Impulsive sounds (hammering, metal-on-metal) typically have a -5 dB penalty applied. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rules 1401-1466 address air quality but do not directly set noise limits; the county noise ordinance remains the controlling instrument. Recent County Warehouse Ordinance amendments (2022-2024) added truck-idling limits and buffer-zone requirements for new warehouse construction near sensitive receptors (schools, homes, hospitals).