§ 12-231 — Definitions

Sec. 12-231. - Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: A-weighted sound level means the sound pressure level as measured with the sound level meter using the A weighing network. The standard unit notation is dB(A). Ambient noise means background noise. Audible sound means any sound for which the information content of that sound is transferred to the listener, such as but not limited to understanding of spoken speech, comprehension of whether a voice is raised or normal, or comprehension of musical rhythms. Commercial premises means any premises where offices, clinics, kennels, shopping and service establishments exist. Construction means any and all activity incidental to the erection, demolition, assembling, altering, installing or equipping of buildings, structures, roads or appurtenances, including land clearing, grading, excavating and filling. Construction equipment means any equipment or devices, such as but not limited to pile drivers, power shovels, derricks, hoist tractors, loaders, rollers, concrete hauling motor vehicles, pavement breakers, bulldozers, crawler-tractors, rotary drills and augers, cranes, ditchers, trenchers, scrapers, wagons, pumps, compressors and pneumatic power equipment, or other mechanical apparatus operated by fuel or electric power in the construction, repair or demolition of any building, structure, land, street, alley, waterways or appurtenances. dB(A) means the composite abbreviation for A-weighted sound level in decibels. Decibel means a logarithmic unit of measure of 10 used in measuring magnitudes of sound. The symbol is dB. Domestic power equipment means any equipment or device rated at 15 horsepower or less and used for home or building repairs and grounds maintenance. Emergency work means any activities performed for the purpose of preventing or alleviating physical trauma or property damage threatened or caused by an existing or imminent peril. Hard test site means any test site having the ground surface covered with concrete, asphalt, packed dirt, gravel or similar reflective material for more than half the distance between the microphone target point and the microphone location point. Highways means the streets, alleys and highways within the city limits. Industrial premises means any premises where manufacturing, processing or fabrication of goods or products takes place. For purposes of this article, all railroad rights-of-way are considered to be industrial premises. Land use category means the actual existing utilization of the land regardless of its designation by the city zoning board. Microphone line means the unmarked reference line running parallel to the vehicle path and passing through the microphone. Microphone target point means the unmarked location on the center of the lane of travel that is closest to the microphone. Motor vehicle means any self-propelled vehicle. Motorcycle means any motor vehicle having a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three wheels, but excluding a tractor. Motor-driven cycle means every motorcycle and every motor scooter with a motor which does not exceed five brake horsepower, including every bicycle with a motor attached. Muffler means an apparatus consisting of a series of chambers or baffle plates designed for the purpose of transmitting gases while reducing sound emanating from such apparatus. Noise means any sound which annoys or disturbs humans or which causes or tends to cause an adverse psychological or physiological effect on humans. Noise control officer means the director of the air pollution control office of the city. Premises of public access means the outdoor portion of a privately owned parcel of real property which is readily accessible to the general public and onto which the general public is or has been invited to enter on a continuous or recurrent basis. Examples include, but are not limited to, parking areas, gasoline dispensing facilities, and outdoor shopping and dining establishments. For purposes of this definition, roofed structures with open walls, such as parking garages, pavilions and gazebos shall be considered outdoor portions of a parcel of real property. Property line means that real or imaginary line and its vertical extension which separates real property owned or controlled by any person from contiguous real property owned or controlled by another person, or separates real property from the public premises. Public premises means all real property, including appurtenances on the property, which is owned or controlled by any public governmental entity and shall include streets, alleys, parks and waterways. Recreational and educational activity means any game, sport or other activity, whether on public or private property, which a person is pursuing for educational purposes or for the purpose of amusement and enjoyment, but shall not include recreational motorized vehicles or the use of equipment which amplifies sound. Recreational motorized vehicle means all recreational vehicles, whether or not duly licensed and registered, including but not limited to commercial or noncommercial racing vehicles, motorcycles, go-carts, snowmobiles, amphibious craft, campers and dune buggies, but not including motorboats. Residential premises means any premises where single or multiple dwelling units exist and shall include schools, churches, hospitals, nursing homes and similar institutional facilities. Soft test site means any test site having the ground surface covered with grass, other ground cover, or similar absorptive material for half or more of the distance between the microphone target point and the microphone location point. Sound means energy that is transmitted by longitudinal pressure waves in air or other material and is the objective cause of the sensation of hearing. Sound amplification system means any radio, tape player, compact disc player, loudspeaker or other electronic device used for the amplification of sound. Sound level means a measure of the level of a sound with a weighing network in the measurement chain. Sound level meter means an apparatus or instrument including a microphone, amplifier, attenuator, output meter and frequency weighing networks for the measurement of sound levels. Vehicle means any device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, except devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.

(Ord. No. 86-297, § 2, 5-8-1986; Ord. No. 88-663, § 1(2), 1-12-1988; Ord. No. 93-312, § 1, 5-27-1993; Ord. No. 09-242, § 1, 3-26-2009)