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Noise Program: Response to Noise in San Francisco
The San Francisco Health Department understands that noise pollution is a pervasive health problem in our urban society. Noise is responsible for annoyance, sleep disturbance, and a variety of health problems associated with the stress response, including; heart disease, high blood pressure, colitis, ulcers, depression, and helplessness. It is a continuous challenge for San Francisco to minimize and reduce the noise impacts of transportation, construction, mechanical equipment, entertainment, and human and animal behavior. The General Plan for San Francisco identifies noise as a serious environmental pollutant that must be integrated and addressed in the planning and development process. The San Francisco Noise Control Ordinance, Article 29, San Francisco Police Code provides an acoustical safety net for those noise sources that cannot be minimized through informed planning. It is an unfortunate fact of urban life that oftentimes what is seen as progress and development results in the degradation of the acoustical environment. Increasing truck and automobile traffic elevates the ambient street noise, while expanded use of air conditioning invades the quiet of neighborhood backyard. The rear yards of San Francisco often function as acoustical sanctuaries from the urban turmoil. It is important to protect them from the intrusion of new and unnecessary noise sources. In order to protect and respond to the residents of San Francisco, the responsibility for noise control activities is assigned to various City Departments whose primary function most directly involves them in the noise source. These agencies and their responsibilities are as follow:
Additional Resources:
WHO Guidance for Community Noise (1999)
Noise Effects Handbook - A Desk Reference to Health and Welfare Effects of Noise By Office of the Scientific Assistant
Noise, Sirens, and Health - a Presentation from SFDPH
SF Chronicle Noise Article - S.F. traffic noise risks health of 1 in 6
Fixed Mechanical Noise and Garbage Collection Noise
The Department of Public Health has the primary responsibility for enforcing the provisions of the San Francisco Noise Control Ordinance that address fixed mechanical noise and garbage collection noise. Ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration noise associated with restaurants, markets, stores, banks, and other commercial facilities are a common source of complaint to the Health Department. The Health Department proactively evaluates all plans for new restaurant and markets and requires compliance with the ordinance before opening. In addition health inspectors respond to complaints and measure noise levels associated with mechanical equipment. Modern building codes require increased use of mechanical equipment for ventilation and air conditioning. Rooftop and rear yard noise associated with this equipment often intrudes into quiet backyards and bedroom locations resulting in annoyance and sleep disturbance. Health Inspectors enforce noise standards to protect the public from these intrusions. The Health Department regulates noise associated with the collection of garbage and proactively inspects garbage collection vehicles for noise levels associated with hydraulic compaction systems. In addition, the program regulates hours of collection to minimize community noise impacts while still assuring the safe and efficient removal of solid waste and recycling.
Mixed Use Zoning
Perhaps the most problematic noises in San Francisco are those associated with such mixed-use conflicts as residential uses next to restaurants, automobile repair shops, or hospitals. Historically, zoning regulations were implemented to avoid the incompatible proximal location of residential and commercial uses. However, many new residential condominiums have been built in close proximity to existing commercial and industrial uses. These conflicts include mechanical equipment noise, early morning delivery noise, loading and unloading of delivery vehicles, heavy truck backup beepers, and refrigeration equipment. Restaurant ventilation and refrigeration units are frequently installed close to apartment windows resulting annoyance and sleep disturbance. These conflicts can be mitigated through thoughtful planning and enforcement of building code acoustical standard. New residential construction must be acoustically designed and constructed to reduce the intrusion of transportation noise and local fixed noise sources. The California Building Code, Section 1208A, Sound Transmission, requires acoustical evaluation and insulated building design and construction when exterior noise levels exceed 60 Ldn. The Department of Building Inspection oversees the implementation of these requirements.
Construction Noise
Pounding hammers, screaming saws, and relentless heavy truck backup beepers are a common occurrence in many residential areas of San Francisco due to the flood of remodeling and new construction that is occurring in San Francisco. Construction projects can continue over many years and are permitted to operate between 7am and 8pm, seven days per week. Any work that occurs at night between the hours of 8pm and 7am requires a special permit from the Department of Building Inspection. San Franciscans that sleep during the day or have young children that rest during the day are particularly vulnerable to this intrusive noise. The Department of Building Inspection responds to complaints regarding construction hours and excessive noise from jack hammers on private property. The Department of Public Works, Street Division responds to complaints regarding construction on the public streets, sidewalks, and public right of ways.
Traffic is the single greatest contributor to ambient noise levels in San Francisco. Streets with high volumes of trucks and busses are heavily impacted by elevated ambient noise. The acoustical energy in a heavy truck is often twenty times greater than that of a personal automobile. Elevated traffic volumes expose residents that live near highways and arterial streets to the highest noise levels in San Francisco and also to air pollutants that are associated with traffic. Noise associated with modified motorcycle mufflers is a significant problem for residents in San Francisco that live in nightclub areas that are visited by motorcyclists on the weekend. Traffic noise can be decreased by slowing vehicle speeds, reducing number of vehicles, reducing trucks, increasing the use of overhead electric busses, and increasing the use of public transit, bicycles, and walking. In addition, the enforcement of motor vehicle noise regulations can dramatically improve noise associated with defective and modified muffler systems. Click on the adjacent map to see City-wide noise levels.
Entertainment Noise
In 2004 the Entertainment Commission was created to oversee noise associated with amplified music in Places of Entertainment. There are five main considerations when evaluating entertainment noise problems:
Article 1, Section 47, 47.2, and 48 of the Police Code all regulate entertainment noise. These code sections are enforced by staff members of the Entertainment Commission. The Entertainment Commission and its staff may require acoustical insulation of Places of Entertainment and respond to complaints regarding entertainment noise. Noise associated with entertainment in the many San Francisco Parks is regulated by the Park and Recreation Commission. Permits for entertainment in the parks establish noise limits and hours of operation.
Noise and Population Density.
According to Demographia, San Francisco is the second most densely populated city over 400,000 people after New York. A study by the EPA in 1972 directly linked population density to noise levels. As we continue to increase density in order to accommodate more residential development we can expect the noise level to steadily increase. This is especially true when density is linked to automobile use as transportation is the number one contributor to ambient noise levels.
Unregulated Noise Sources
The San Francisco noise ordinance was written in 1972 and a wide variety of new specialized noise sources have come on the market since that time.
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