Commercial noise in Dutchess County is governed by municipal zoning and noise codes. Industrial zones in Poughkeepsie, Beacon, and Wappinger set dBA limits at the property line, typically 65-70 dBA day and 55-60 dBA night. Rural Dutchess towns (Stanford, Washington, Pine Plains) rely on NY Penal Law 240.20. Mixed-use areas near Metro-North Hudson Line stations receive heightened site-plan review.
Commercial noise is primarily regulated through each municipality's zoning code and site-plan review rather than a countywide standard. City of Beacon Code Chapter 157 sets 65 dBA day / 55 dBA night at residential property lines and 70 dBA / 60 dBA at commercial boundaries. City of Poughkeepsie Code Chapter 14 uses a plainly-audible standard plus 65 dBA daytime at residential receivers. Town of Wappinger Zoning Code includes noise performance standards for Industrial and Highway Business districts with 70 dBA daytime cap. Rural towns such as Stanford and Washington lack specific dBA standards and fall back on NY Penal Law 240.20(2) unreasonable noise as a violation-level offense. Planning boards often impose project-specific noise conditions through SEQR review; the Dutchess County Department of Planning coordinates 239-m referrals for projects near municipal boundaries.
Beacon Ch. 157: $250-$1,000 per day. Poughkeepsie Ch. 14: $150-$500 plus up to 15 days jail for repeat. Penal Law 240.20 violation: up to $250 or 15 days. Site-plan condition violations can trigger stop-work orders.
Dutchess County, NY
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See how Dutchess County's industrial noise rules stack up against other locations.
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