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"Good Neighbors Keep Their Noise to Themselves"

Howard County, MD Noise Ordinance
(NPC posted this April 2004)



SUBTITLE 9. NOISE

Sec. 8.900 Noise affecting residential areas.

(a) Definitions.

(1) "dBA" has the meaning indicated in COMAR 26.02.03.01.

(2) "Daytime hours" means 7:00 a.m. to 10:oo p.m., local time.

(3) "Nighttime hours" means 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., local time.

(b) Noise Standards for Residential Areas as Receiving Property.

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection and in subsection (d) of this section, a person may not cause or permit noise levels emanating from any property, suchthat the levels received on residential property exceed the levels contained in table 2 of COMAR 26.02.03.03A.(1).

(2) A person may not cause or permit noise levels emanating from construction or demolition site activities that exceed:

(i) During daytime hours, 90 dBA; or
(ii) During nighttime hours, the levels specified in table 2 of COMAR 26.02.03.03A.(1).

(c) Measurement of noise levels

(1) The measurement of noise levels undr this subsection shall be conducted at points on or within the property line of the receiving property or the boundary of a zoning district, and may be conducted at any point for the determination of identity in multiple source situations.

(2) Sound level meters used to determine compliance with this section shall meet or exceed the specifications of the National Standards Institute or its successor bodies ANSI S1.4-1971, ot type II sound level meters.

(d) Exemptions. The provisions of this section do not apply to:

(1) Devices used solely for the purpose of warning, protecting, or alerting the public, or some segment thereof, of the existence of an emergency situation;

(2) Household tools and portable appliances in normal usage;

(3) Lawncare and snow removal equipment during daytime hours, when used and maintained in accordance with manufaturer's specifications;

(4) Agricultural field machinery when used and maintained in accordance with manufacturer's specifications;

(5) Blasting operations for demolition, construction, and mining or quarrying, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.;

(6) Motor vehicles on public roads;

(7) Aircrafts and related airport operations at airports licensed by the state aviation administration;

(8) Boats on state waters or motor vehicles on state lands under the jurisdiction of the department of natural resources;

(9) Emergency operations;

(10) Pile driving equipment, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.;

(11) Sound not electronically amplified created by sporting, amusement, and entertainment events and other public gatherings operating according to terms and conditions imposed by the county, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight;

(12) Rapid rail transit vehicles and railroads;

(13) Construction and repair work on public property; and

(14) Air conditioning or heat pump equipment used to cool or heat housing on residential property. For this equipment, a person may not cause or permit noise levels which exceed 70 dBA for air conditioning equipment at receiving residential property, and 75 dBA for heat pump equipment at receiving residential property.

(e) Penalties.

(1) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction is subject to a fine of up to $100, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both.

(2) The police department may enforce the provisions of this section with civil penalties under title 24 of the Howard County Code.

(3) The health department may enforce the provisions of this section with civil penalties under title 24 of the Howard County Code if the noise complained of originates from commercial or industrial property.

(4) A first violation of this section is a class E civil offense A subsequent violation is a class D civil offense.

(C.B. 49, 1997)

Editor's note-C.B. 49, 1997, repealed § 8.900 in its entirety. Formerly, § 8.900 pertained to noise in residential areas and derived from C.B. 52, 1985. C.B. 49, 1997 enacted new provisions under § 8.900 as herein set out.

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