Noise Element
Introduction
The Noise Element is one of the seven required General Plan Elements that must be prepared by California cities and counties (Government Code Section 65302). The California General Plan Guidelines state that the Noise Element of the General Plan provides a basis for comprehensive local programs to control and abate environmental noise and to protect citizens from excessive exposure. The Noise Element is required to identify and appraise noise in the community and follow the guidelines adopted by the Office of Noise Control in the State Department of Health Services. Local governments must analyze and quantify noise levels, and the extent of noise exposure, through actual measurements or the use of noise modeling.
Guiding Principles and Goals.
- Reduce noise at the source.
- Protect City residents from the harmful and disturbing effects of noise through controls on noise-producing activities.
- Promote noise mitigation and attenuation techniques in the design of both noise receptors and noise generators.
- Encourage state-of-the-art land use planning methodologies and acoustic control techniques to reduce existing and potential noise conflicts.
- Encourage cooperative and voluntary action by businesses and industry, to reduce noise emissions from annoying noise sources.
- Promote mediation as a means of reducing noise complaints which result from existing noise sources.
- Educate community residents about good neighbor policies, the benefits of reduced noise levels, and living in a community with a high-quality soundscape.
- Bring all noise sources into compliance with noise guidelines by strongly encouraging voluntary compliance, pursuing funding for noise attenuation measures to mitigate any financial hardships, and through enforcement of a Noise Ordinance.
Available Documents
| Planning Commission Reccommendation July 11, 2023: Noise Element (clean) Download version HERE. | Planning Commission Reccommendation July 11, 2023: Noise Element (tracked changes) Download version HERE. |