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

Stationary and industrial noise sources in unincorporated Merced County are controlled by the performance standards in Chapter 10.60 and through the land-use review described in the County General Plan. Section 10.60.030 sets exterior limits at the receiving property line of 70 dBA Ldn and 80 dBA Lmax for nonresidential property, dropping to 65 dBA Ldn and 75 dBA Lmax where a use is adjacent to a residential property or residentially zoned land. The County General Plan notes that exterior noise from industrial facilities may exceed locally acceptable standards even where OSHA controls interior worker exposure, so new noise-producing uses are reviewed against these performance standards before approval. The General Plan also observes there are no significant industrial noise sources currently identified within Merced County, reflecting its largely agricultural economy. Agricultural activities and operations on agricultural property are exempt from the noise ordinance (Section 10.60.050), which is significant given the prevalence of food processing and farm operations. Discretionary projects typically must show, through an acoustical analysis, that they will not exceed the Chapter 10.60 limits at neighboring properties. Violations of the standards are enforced through the general penalty provisions of Chapter 1.28.