Progress on a Model Community Noise Ordinance Standard

Abstract

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Accredited Standards Committee S12, Noise, has charged its Working Group (WG) 41 to develop a model community noise ordinance standard. This ordinance, or group of ordinances, should be suitable for various urban, suburban, and rural communities. This new standard will include, at a minimum, metrics, criteria, and an enforcement methodology. The model ordinance(s) could be used by local authorities around the United States as a basis for their own ordinances or zoning performance regulations. To date, WG 41 has developed a draft ordinance with three sets of criteria. The first set includes familiar A-weighted sound pressure level (SPL) limits for noise emissions at a receiver’s property line. The other criteria sets include additional limits on low frequency noise emitters, such as industrial plants, musical entertainment at night clubs, and noise from automobiles. One criteria set uses C-weighted SPL noise limits. The other places limits on the allowable noise levels in specific octave bands, including the low frequency (bass) octave bands. The relative advantages of each criteria set are discussed and guidance is provided to assist local government officials in selecting the most appropriate approach for their community.