Sound Pressure Limitations.
Grand Rapids City Code § 9.65
in effectSec. 9.65. - Sound Pressure Limitations.
(1) In non-Special Land Use SD-IT Industrial-Transportation Districts, at no point on the boundary of a Residential or Commercial Zone District shall the sound pressure level of any individual operation or plant, or the combined operations of any person, firm, or corporation, exceed the decibel levels in the designated octave bands shown below for the zoning districts indicated as measured using test equipment per ANSI/ASA Standards S1.1, S1.4, S1.11, and S1.15, and SAE J-184, or the latest revisions thereof, and with reference to Section 9.66.1 of this Article.
Octave Band Center Frequency (Hz) | Maximum Sound Pressure Levels (dB) Along District Boundaries (Daytime, Steady Noise) Residential Commercial
31.5 | 72 | 79
63 | 71 | 78
125 | 65 | 72
250 | 57 | 64
500 | 51 | 58
1000 | 45 | 52
2000 | 39 | 46
4000 | 34 | 41
8000 | 32 | 39
Maximum repetitive impulse noise sound pressure levels to be 10 (dB) lower than the values shown for steady noise.
For monitoring purposes, the A scale levels (slow response) of 55 dB(A) and 62 dB(A), respectively, for Residential or Commercial Zone Districts may be used. Any noise level exceeding these values constitute a violation of this subsection of the Article. Where noise levels below the abovementioned 55 dB(A) and 62 dB(A) are measured, the octave band test is to be applied to determine compliance with this subsection.
For purposes of this subsection, maximum nighttime sound pressure levels (between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.) are to be 7 (dB) lower than the values shown for daytime steady noise for each octave band center frequency.
(2) For Special Land Uses within SD-IT Industrial-Transportation Districts, at no point either on the boundary of a Residential or Commercial Zone District, or at one hundred twenty-five (125) feet from the nearest property line of a plant or operation, whichever distance is greater, shall the sound pressure level of any individual operation or plant, or the combined operations of any person, firm, or corporation, exceed the decibel levels in the designated octave bands shown below for the zoning districts indicated, as measured using test equipment per ANSI/ASA Standards S1.1, S1.4, S1.11, and S1.15, and SAE J-184, or the latest revisions thereof, and with reference to Section 9.66.1 of this Article.
Octave Band Center Frequency (Hz) | Maximum Sound Pressure Levels (dB) Along District Boundaries (Daytime, Steady Noise) Residential Commercial
31.5 | 75 | 80
63 | 74 | 79
125 | 69 | 74
250 | 64 | 69
500 | 58 | 63
1000 | 52 | 57
2000 | 47 | 52
4000 | 43 | 48
8000 | 40 | 45
Maximum repetitive impulse noise sound pressure levels to be 10 (db) lower than the values shown for steady noise.
For monitoring purposes the A scale levels (slow response) of 61 dB(A) and 66 dB(A), respectively, for Residential and Commercial Zone Districts may be used. Any noise levels exceeding these values constitute a violation of this subsection of the Article. Where noise levels below the abovementioned 61 dB(A) and 66 dB(A) values are measured, the octave band test is to be applied to determine compliance with this subsection.
For purposes of this subsection, maximum nighttime sound pressure levels (between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.) are to be 7 (dB) lower than the values shown for daytime steady noise for each octave band center frequency.
(3) In Commercial Zone Districts, all activities involving the production, processing, cleaning, servicing, testing, repair of materials, goods or products, or any property use shall conform with the performance standards stated in subsection (1), above, provided that performance standards shall in every case be applied at the boundaries of the lot on which any such activities take place.
(4) In Residential Zone Districts, any property use shall conform with the performance standards stated in subsection (1) above, for Residential Zone District boundaries, provided that performance standards shall in every case be applied at the boundaries of the lot on which such use is established.
(5) The maximum sound pressure levels established in subsections (1), (2), (3) and (4) to be applied to the boundaries of a lot shall not apply to construction sites. Construction site noise level shall be regulated by section 9.63(5) above.
(6) In all instances in which a Special Land Use within an SD-IT Industrial-Transportation District does not adjoin a Residential or Commercial Zone District, the performance standards governing noise for the non-Special Land Use SD-IT Industrial-Transportation Districts shall apply at the nearest Residential or Commercial Zone District boundary line, as these districts are defined and designated under the provisions of the Grand Rapids Zoning Ordinance.
(7) Any property uses established in an Industrial-Transportation or Commercial Zone District shall be so operated as to comply with the following performance standards governing vibrations:
(a) In a Special Land Use within an SD-IT Industrial-Transportation District, any property use creating intense or shaking vibrations such as are created by drop forges or heavy hydraulic surges shall be set back at least three hundred (300) feet from the zoning district line of any Residential or Commercial Zone District and at least one hundred fifty (150) feet from the zoning district line of any non-Special Land Use SD-IT Industrial-Transportation District unless such operation is controlled in such manner as to prevent such transmission beyond the zoning district line of earth shaking vibrations perceptible without the aid of instruments.
(b) In a non-Special Land Use SD-IT Industrial-Transportation District or Commercial Zone District, any property use creating earth-shaking vibrations such as are created by drop forges or hydraulic surges shall be controlled in such manner as to prevent transmission beyond the lot lines of earth-shaking vibrations perceptible without the aid of instruments.
(Ord. No. 2019-71, § 2, 11-19-19)
Source: City of Grand Rapids, Michigan, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mi/grand_rapids/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIOLRE_CH151NU_ART5NOCO_S9.65SOPRLIFetched: 11/7/2026