§ 2-21-31. Definitions.

All words or phrases used in this article which are not defined below and are of a technical nature shall be defined according to applicable publications of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or their successor bodies, where same have been defined.

Adjacent: Shall mean to have property lines, or portions thereof, in common or facing each other across a street, or right-of-way.

A-weighted sound level (dBA): The sound pressure level in decibels as measured using A-weighting network on a sound level meter that meets the standards set forth in ANSI Standard S1.4-1983 (or more recent version). The level so read is designated "dBA."

Agricultural area: Any area within unincorporated Manatee County that is zoned agricultural pursuant to the county's land development code. For any municipality in which this article applies, any area that is zoned agricultural pursuant to that municipality's land development code.

Agricultural use: Any area within unincorporated Manatee County that is designated for agricultural use pursuant to the county's land development code. For any municipality in which this article applies, any area that is designated for agricultural use pursuant to that municipality's land development code.

Ambient sound: The surrounding or steady background sound in a particular location as distinct from the specific noise being measured.

C-weighted sound level (dBC): The sound pressure level in decibels measured using the C-weighting network on a sound level meter that meets the standards set forth in ANSI Standard S1.4-1983 (or more recent version). The level so read is designated "dBC."

Commercial use: Any area within unincorporated Manatee County that is designated for commercial use pursuant to the county's land development code. For any municipality in which this article applies, any area that is designated for commercial use pursuant to that municipality's land development code.

Construction activity: Any site preparation, assembly, erection, substantial repair, alteration, or improvement of realty, whether publicly or privately owned, and whether above ground or below ground.

Continuous sound: A sound which remains essentially constant in level during a period of observation.

Decibel (dB): The practical unit of measurement for sound pressure level; the number of decibels of a measured sound is equal to twenty (20) times the logarithm to the base ten (10) of the ratio of the sound pressure of the measured sound to the sound pressure of a standard sound (twenty [20] micropascals); abbreviated "dB."

Emergency: Any occurrence or set of circumstances involving actual or imminent physical trauma to human beings or living creatures or property damage which necessitates immediate attention.

Emergency work: Any work performed for the purpose of preventing or alleviating the physical trauma or property damage threatened or caused by an emergency, including work necessary to restore property to a safe condition following an emergency.

Impulsive sound: Any sound or vibration that has an abrupt increase immediately followed by an abrupt decay.

Industrial use: Any area within unincorporated Manatee County that is designated for industrial use pursuant to the county's land development code. For any municipality in which this article applies, any area that is designated for industrial use pursuant to that municipality's land development code.

Leq: The average sound level.

Noise: Any sound which annoys or disturbs a reasonable person of ordinary sensibilities or causes or tends to cause an adverse physical or psychological effect on humans. "Noise" includes, but is not limited to, low frequency sounds that can induce vibration in structures or human beings.

Noise disturbance: Any sound or vibration which:

(a)

May disturb, annoy, or be harmful or injurious to the health or welfare of a reasonable person of ordinary sensibilities; or

(b)

Exceeds the maximum allowable limits set forth in this article.

Person: A natural person, any corporation, firm, association, joint venture, partnership, or any other entity whatsoever or any combination of such, jointly and severally.

Public right-of-way: Any street, avenue, boulevard, highway, sidewalk or alley or similar place normally accessible to the public which is owned or controlled by a governmental entity.

Public space: Any real property or structure thereon normally accessible to the public which is owned or controlled by a governmental entity.

Real property line:

(a)

The imaginary line along the ground surface, including its vertical extension that separates one parcel of real property from another; or

(b)

The vertical and horizontal boundaries of a dwelling unit that is one unit in a multi-dwelling-unit building.

Receiving land: The property which receives the transmission of sound.

Residential area: Any area within unincorporated Manatee County that is designated for residential use pursuant to the county's land development code. For any municipality in which this article applies, any area that is designated for residential use pursuant to that municipality's land development code.

School: This term shall have all of the same meanings as set forth in chapter two of the county's land development code.

Short duration and non-repetitive: Any sound with a duration of less than thirty (30) seconds.

Sound: A temporal and spatial oscillation in pressure, particle displacement, particle velocity or other physical parameter, in a medium with internal forces that causes compression and rarefaction of that medium. The description of sound may include any characteristic of such sound, including duration, intensity and frequency.

Sound analyzer: A device for measuring the octave band level of a sound as a function of frequency.

Sound level: The conversion of sound pressure to a logarithmic measure called the decibel.

The criteria required to properly define the sound level limits include the following:

1.

The actual sound level limit with the frequency weighting to be used, such as A-weighting or C-weighting (i.e. 55 dBA, 60 dBC, etc.).

2.

The acoustical metric to be used, such as real time measurement using fast/slow time constant, an average sound level (Leq), a maximum sound level (Lmax), etc. or a combination of multiple metrics.

3.

The time duration of the measurement (i.e. instantaneous, time average, percentage of time sound level is not to be exceeded, etc.).

Sound level or noise meter: An instrument which includes a microphone, amplifier, RMS detector, integrator or time average, output meter, and weighting networks used to measure sound pressure levels. The output meter reads sound pressure level when properly calibrated, and the instrument is of type 2 or better, as specified in the American National Standards Institute publication S1.4-1983 or its successor publication.

Sound pressure: The instantaneous difference between the actual pressure and the average or barometric pressure at a given location.

Sound pressure level: Twenty (20) times the logarithm to the base ten (10) of the ratio of the RMS sound pressure to the reference pressure of twenty (20) micronewtons per square meter (20 x 10 N/m ). The sound pressure level is expressed in decibels.

Vibration: A temporal and spatial oscillation of displacement, velocity and acceleration in a solid material.

(Ord. No. 13-05, § 1, 6-4-13; Ord. No. 16-08 , § 1, 9-13-16)