Outdoor music is regulated under RMC 5-1-18. Sound audible at 25 feet or exceeding ambient by 5 dB at the property line is prima facie excessive. Permitted public events are exempt.
Outdoor music at residences, parks, and private events in Reedley falls under the general noise control ordinance RMC 5-1-18 (Ord. 723, 1989). The ordinance specifically lists radios, phonographs, disc players, tape decks, stereos, and other sound amplification devices among the targeted noise sources. Two prima facie tests apply: audibility at 25 feet from the source (subsection A), and exceeding the ambient level by more than 5 dB at the property line (subsection E). There are no separate outdoor music permits or specific hours for outdoor music in the Reedley code. However, subsection F(4) exempts previously authorized and otherwise lawful public activities including entertainment and music events, which covers city-permitted festivals and park concerts. Reedley's parks, including Camacho Park and Reed Quiet Park, are subject to separate park regulations under Title 7, Chapter 3 of the municipal code, which prohibits possessing or using fireworks in parks (RMC 7-3-4) but does not specifically address amplified music volumes. Private gatherings that generate excessive outdoor music noise and require multiple police responses may trigger cost recovery under Chapter 5-8 (Loud or Unruly Assemblage Expense Recovery).
Outdoor music violation: misdemeanor under RMC 5-1-18. Public nuisance. Repeated police responses may trigger cost recovery under RMC Chapter 5-8.
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