Oconee County, SC Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)

Sec. 12-35 lists noises exempt from the general prohibition in Sec. that emanates from lawn and yard maintenance activities, tree harvesting or clearing, or explosives for construction and land clearing. That window mirrors the daytime exemption given to construction machinery under Sec. 12-35(2), and both stay subject to the county administrator's administrative stop-order power under Sec. 12-38, which can temporarily halt or reschedule an otherwise-exempt activity that imposes great hardship or substantial, aggravating inconvenience on nearby residents. window, yard equipment loses its exemption and falls back under the general nuisance standard of Sec.

12-32 and the specific equipment list in Sec. 12-34(a), which covers mechanical devices such as pneumatic tools; Sec. 12-39's numeric standard, 70 dB(A) by day and 60 dB(A) overnight, or Sec. 12-33's complaint-based route, three or more independent complaints or one complaint plus an officer's observation, would then apply. Sec. 12-40 gives officers discretion to warn first before citing.