[HISTORY: Adopted by the Suffolk County Legislature 12-7-1999 by L.L. No.
41-1999 (Ch. 366 of the 1985 Code). Amendments noted
where applicable. Uncodified sections of local laws amending these
provisions are included at the end of this chapter.]
A.Â
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that excessive noise
can endanger the general health of individuals exposed to it and can
actually cause hearing loss.
B.Â
This Legislature further finds that many persons cause excessive
noise through the use of radios and amplifiers and other devices that
play music, including boom boxes, which can be deleterious to the
health, safety and general well being of the public.
C.Â
Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to limit noise on County-owned
properties.
[Amended 5-13-2003 by L.L. No. 18-2003]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
An all-encompassing composite of sounds from many sources
associated with a given environment.
The sound pressure level in decibels, as measured on a sound
level meter using the A-weighting network slow response (dBA).
Any sound that is not an impulsive sound.
A unit for measuring the pressure level of a sound, equal
to 1/10 of a bel.
A sound characterized by brief excursions of peak sound pressure
which significantly exceed the ambient sound.
Any sound that:
The maximum absolute value of the instantaneous sound pressure
level during a specified time interval.
Any natural person, individual, corporation, unincorporated
association, proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint venture, joint-stock
association or other entity or business organization of any kind.
An outdoor range equipped with targets for use with firearms
and shall include, but not be limited to, all rifle, pistol, and shotgun
ranges.
Any variation in ambient barometric pressure.
Any radio device or apparatus or any device or apparatus
for the amplification of sounds from any radio, phonograph or other
sound-making or sound-producing device or apparatus for the reproduction
or amplification of the human voice or other sounds.
When measured in decibels, equal to 20 times the logarithm
to the base 10 of the ratio of the effective pressure of the sound
measured to the standard reference pressure of a sound.
Twenty micronewtons per square foot.
A.Â
No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit to be made mechanically
any noise disturbance on any County highway or within the limits of
the right-of-way of such highway or upon any parcel of real estate
owned by the County of Suffolk, in whatever capacity and for whatever
purpose, or upon buses owned, leased or operated by the County of
Suffolk.
B.Â
No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the operation or playing
of any noise device or apparatus on any County highway or within the
limits of the right-of-way of such highway, in whatever capacity or
for whatever purpose, or upon any parcel of real estate owned by the
County of Suffolk or upon buses owned, leased or operated by the County
of Suffolk in such a manner as to create a noise disturbance.
No person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the operation of any source of sound on any County highway or within the limits of the right-of-way of such highway or upon any parcel of real estate owned by the County of Suffolk or upon buses owned, leased or operated by the County of Suffolk in such a manner as to create a sound level that exceeds the particular sound level limits set forth in Table I of this section, when measured at or within the real property line of the County-owned property, except those acts specifically prohibited in § 618-3 of this chapter for which no measurement of sound is required.
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Table I
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Maximum Permissible A-Weighted Sound Pressure Levels by
Receiving Property Category, in dBA
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Receiving Property Category
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Sound Source Property Category
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Residential, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
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Residential, 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
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Commercial, all times
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Industrial, all times
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County highways or within the limits of the right-of-way of
such highway or upon any parcel of real estate owned by the County
of Suffolk or upon buses owned, leased or operated by the County of
Suffolk
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65
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50
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65
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70
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A.Â
This chapter shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the
effective date of this chapter.
B.Â
Section 618-3 of this chapter shall not apply to the following activities:
(1)Â
The noise from domestic power tools, lawn mowers and agricultural
equipment, when operated with a muffler, between the hours of 8:00
a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on weekdays and 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on weekends
and legal holidays, provided that they produce less than 85 dBA at
any real property line of County-owned property.
(2)Â
The sound from church bells and church chimes when a part of a religious
observance or service.
(3)Â
The noise from construction activity, except for operating or permitting
the operation of any tools or equipment used in construction, drilling,
earth-moving, excavating or demolition work between the hours of 6:00
p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day on weekdays or at any time on
weekends or legal holidays, except:
(4)Â
Noise from snowblowers, snow throwers and snowplows, when operated
with a muffler, for the purpose of snow removal.
(5)Â
Noise from stationary emergency signaling devices owned and operated
by any public utility, municipal subdivision, fire department or ambulance
corps when used in connection with an emergency or for testing purposes.
(6)Â
Noise from a burglar alarm of any building or motor vehicle, provided
that such burglar alarm shall terminate its operation within 15 minutes
after it has been activated and shall not operate more than 15 minutes
in any one-hour period.
C.Â
This chapter shall not apply to:
[Amended 5-13-2003 by L.L. No. 18-2003]
(1)Â
The emission of sound for the purpose of alerting persons to the
existence of an emergency or the creation of sound in the performance
of emergency work.
(2)Â
Noise from noncommercial public-speaking and public-assembly activities.
(3)Â
Noise from municipally sponsored celebrations or events.
(4)Â
Noise emanating from the recreational discharge of firearms at a
County-owned, -operated- or -leased shooting range, the site for which
was being used as a facility for the recreational discharge of firearms
prior to January 1, 1980.
