[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Florida 12-12-2006 by L.L. No. 6-2006. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Dog barking — See Ch. 55, Art. II
Explosives and blasting — See Ch. 61.
Zoning — See Ch. 119.
The Village of Florida recognizes that excessive noise is detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare and is inimical to the predominantly residential character of the Village. The creation of any unreasonable loud, disturbing or unnecessary noise is hereby prohibited.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
DECIBEL (dB)
A unit for measuring the loudness of sounds.
HOLIDAYS
Those days recognized as holidays by New York State.
REPETITIVE SOUND
A non-constant sound that recurs with some degree of regularity.
SOUND LEVEL
The sound-pressure level measured in decibels with a sound-level meter set to A-weighting; expressed in dB(A).
SOUND-LEVEL METER
An instrument for the measurement of sound levels that conforms to Type 1 or Type 2 standards under ANSI Specifications S1.4-1971 or the latest approved revision thereof.
SOUND-PRODUCTION DEVICE
Any device that is used for the production of sound, including, but not limited to, any loudspeaker, radio, television, tape recorder, phonograph or any other sound-producing or sound-amplifying equipment.
UNREASONABLY INTRUSIVE
Any sound that either annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of a reasonable person of normal sensitivities under the circumstances.
ZONING DISTRICT
Any zone as defined in Chapter 119, Zoning.
No person shall operate or permit to be operated in the Village of Florida any sound source that produces a sound level exceeding the limitations in this section. The measurement of any sound or noise shall be made with a sound-level meter using the A-weighted scale and slow response, except for sounds or noises which occur in single or multiple bursts with a duration of less than one second for which fast response shall be used. The sound level determination or measurement shall be conducted not nearer to the sound source than the closest property line or, in the case of multifamily housing, the dwelling unit of the parcel in or on which such noise is received, except where otherwise specified.
A. 
Customary residential activities. Customary residential activities on properties within any residential zoning district, including social gatherings, deliveries of home heating oil, and pickup of residential garbage, shall not be regulated by this chapter except for specific activities or noise sources that are subject to and governed by §§ 83-4 and 83-5.
B. 
Other activities within residential zones. Sound produced by other activities on properties within any residential zoning district shall not exceed a sound level of 65 dB(A) during the hours of 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and 45 dB(A) during the hours of 9:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. on Mondays through Saturdays and 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Sundays, unless otherwise permitted in § 83-5.
C. 
Other activities within nonresidential zones. Sound produced by other activities on properties within any nonresidential zoning district shall not exceed a sound level of 70 dB(A) during the hours of 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. or 55 dB(A) during the hours of 9:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. on Mondays through Saturdays and until 9:00 a.m. on Sundays and holidays, unless otherwise permitted in § 83-5.
A. 
The following acts, among others, are declared to be loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises in violation of this chapter, but any enumeration herein shall not be deemed to be exclusive:
(1) 
Sound reproduction devices. No person shall operate or use or cause to be operated loudspeakers or other sound reproduction devices so as to produce sounds which are audible between the hours of 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m., or are audible and unreasonably intrusive at any other times on any other property used for residential purposes within any residential zoning district. At no time shall these sounds exceed the limitations imposed in § 83-3B. In addition, loudspeakers and other sound equipment must face into the property on which they are located. Nothing in this subsection is intended to prohibit incidental sounds emanating from public sporting events or public entertainment events.
(2) 
Animals. It shall constitute a violation of this section if the howling or barking occurs continually and is audible beyond the property line of the premises on which the dog is located:
(a) 
For more than five minutes between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.;
(b) 
For more that 15 minutes between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.; or
(c) 
For a shorter duration than cited above, but on more than five occasions within a given ten-day period if attested to by complainants from two or more separate properties.
(3) 
Honking of horns. The honking of horns on motor vehicles, for other than emergency purposes, is hereby prohibited between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. on Mondays through Saturdays and 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Sundays and holidays.
(4) 
The continuous running of diesel- or gas-powered engines on vehicles parked within the Village is hereby prohibited between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:30 a.m.
(5) 
The making, creation or maintenance of any unnecessary noise is prohibited if it is of such character, intensity, duration or repetition as to annoy, disturb, injure, or endanger the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others.
(6) 
Unnecessary repetitive sounds which are determined to be of an annoying or disturbing nature are hereby prohibited, regardless of decibel level.
B. 
For the purpose of this section, "continuously" shall mean constant, with few, if any, brief periods of silence.
A. 
Air-conditioning and air-handling equipment. No person shall operate or permit to be operated an air-conditioning or air-handling device on any property within a residential district or adjacent to a residential district that produces a sound level greater than 55 dB(A) or exceeds the limits established in § 83-3.
B. 
Loading of commercial vehicles. The loading or unloading of commercial vehicles is not permitted within a residential district or adjacent to a residential district between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. on Mondays through Saturdays and 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Sundays and holidays.
C. 
Construction activities. Any building or construction activity, including the clearing and removal of trees or other site preparation work, which is audible outside of a building or structure is permitted only as follows:
(1) 
Monday through Friday, except holidays, during the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
(2) 
Saturdays, except holidays, during the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
D. 
Domestic tools and equipment; vehicle repair.
(1) 
In addition to the restrictions of § 83-5C, no person shall operate or permit to be operated any hand tool or power tool or equipment, including, but not limited to, saws, hammers, sanders, drills, grinders, lawn or garden tools, mowers, tractors, chain saws, leaf blowers or gatherers or similar devices or wood chippers of any kind or cause or permit vehicle repair or engine tune-up activities so as to create noise in excess of the following limits. This prohibition includes equipment used by lawn care or landscape services.
(2) 
Noise levels from domestic tools and equipment and from vehicle repair during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to sundown Monday through Friday, except holidays, and 9:00 a.m. to sundown Saturday, Sunday and holidays, shall not be restricted by this subsection. At all other times, such noise levels shall not exceed 45 dB(A) on any other property used for residential purposes within any residential zoning district.
(3) 
However, uses of snowblowers, chain saws and other domestic tools and equipment are exempted from these limits when they are being used to clear driveways, streets or walkways during and within 24 hours after snowfalls, rainstorms, ice storms, windstorms or similar emergencies.
A. 
Noise emanating from the operation of motor vehicles on public highways is regulated by the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law. The maximum noise levels set forth in the Vehicle and Traffic Law for the operation of motor vehicles on public highways, as they may be amended from time to time, are hereby designated to be the maximum permissible noise levels for the operation of motor vehicles on all other property in the Village of Florida.
B. 
Noise emanating from motor vehicles other than from their operation, including, but not limited to, the noise of radios, is regulated by this chapter and must not be audible more than 50 feet from the vehicle from which the noise emanates.
A. 
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the production of music in connection with any military or civic parade, funeral procession or religious service.
B. 
This chapter shall not be construed to prohibit the use of any organ, bell, chimes or any other similar instrument or device by any church, synagogue or school on or within its own premises in connection with religious rites or ceremonies of such church or synagogue or in connection with a school education program.
Upon the trial of any person charged with creating unreasonably loud, disturbing and unnecessary noise in violation of this chapter, the court may admit evidence of sound-pressure levels in decibels as shown by a standard calibrated sound meter. For the purpose of this section, evidence that noise exceeding the maximum sound-pressure levels in decibels, as provided in § 83-3 hereof, may be admitted as prima facie evidence that the noise was unreasonably loud, disturbing and unnecessary.
A. 
Both the owner of any instrumentality exceeding permissible noise levels and its operator shall be deemed violators of this chapter.
B. 
Every violation of any provision of this chapter or any condition, rule or regulation imposed or promulgated under the authority of this chapter shall be a separate and distinct offense, and in the case of a continuing violation, every day's continuance thereof shall be deemed a separate and distinct offense. A conviction of any such violation shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed $250 for each violation or imprisonment for a term not to exceed 15 days, or both.