Quiet hours in Bonsall, CA — also called the noise ordinance, nighttime noise rules, or residential quiet time — define the hours during which excessive noise is prohibited.
Bonsall is an unincorporated community in San Diego County, so noise is governed by County Code Title 3, Division 4, Chapter 4 (Sec. 36.401-36.435) rather than a city ordinance. The county sets a 50 dBA daytime / 45 dBA nighttime limit at residential property lines (10 p.m.-7 a.m.) and restricts construction and other loud activities before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, with stricter rules on Sundays and holidays.
Under San Diego County Code Sec. 36.404, the one-hour average sound level at any residential property line may not exceed 50 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. or 45 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sec. 36.408 separately prohibits construction, demolition, and grading noise outside 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and entirely on Sundays and federal holidays except for emergencies. Bonsall, a 4,500-resident CDP in north San Diego County, falls fully under these unincorporated rules; there is no separate Bonsall municipal noise ordinance. The County's Department of Planning & Development Services Code Enforcement Division and the Sheriff's Department share enforcement. Common Bonsall complaints involve equestrian facilities, agricultural equipment, and rural residential construction.
Violations of Sec. 36.404 are infractions with fines up to $100 (first), $200 (second), and $500 (third) within a year, and may be charged as misdemeanors with fines up to $1,000 and/or six months in jail under Sec. 36.435.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in San Diego County.
See how other cities in San Diego County handle quiet hours.
See how Bonsall's quiet hours rules stack up against other locations.
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