Seattle, WA

Seattle's noise ordinance is time-and-zone based with some of the more detailed breakdowns in the Pacific Northwest. Residential quiet hours are 10 PM to 7 AM on weekdays and 10 PM to 9 AM on weekends. The nighttime limit is 45 dB in residential zones, which is remarkably low — that's about the volume of a library. Daytime goes up to 55 dB. Seattle measures at the receiving property, not the source, which means the listener's location matters more than where the noise comes from. The Department of Construction and Inspections handles enforcement.

Seattle is famously chicken-friendly. You can keep up to 8 domestic fowl (chickens, ducks, etc.) on any residential lot without a permit. Roosters are allowed — one of the few major cities that permits them — but they have to stay below noise ordinance limits, which effectively means you'll get complaints. Goats are permitted (up to 3 miniature goats on lots under 20,000 sq ft). Bees are also allowed with no cap on hive numbers. The main restriction is a 10-foot setback from neighboring structures for coops and animal shelters.