Good Neighbor Guidelines for Outdoor Noise
The City of Upper Arlington regulates noise in the community in two ways:
Noise Ordinance
In general, Section 517.14 of City Code prohibits anyone from making “unreasonably loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises of such a character, intensity and duration as to disturb the peace and quiet of the community…” Without an Outdoor Entertainment Permit, the City considers noise above 60 decibels, 100 feet from the property line, to be in violation of the code.
Outdoor Entertainment Permits
City Code has additional regulations for the hiring of “outdoor entertainment,” such as DJs or musical performers.
If you wish to hire any form of outdoor entertainment for an event at your home, you must apply for an Outdoor Entertainment Permit from the City Manager’s Office and obtain written permission from more than 50% of residents within 400 feet of your property.
The Outdoor Entertainment Permit allows your event to generate up to 80 decibels of noise at the property line. The City may issue permits for events running no later than 10 pm on Sundays through Thursdays, and 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, as well as on Federal holidays and the day prior to each holiday. Once you have collected signatures, bring the form back to the City Manager’s Office, and within three business days, we will determine if you have reached the 50% threshold. At that time, you will be required to pay a $50 permit fee to receive your completed permit, which will clearly state the hours and decibel level allowed for your event.
Failure to obtain a permit, violation of these noise levels or falsification of any element of the application is subject to a fine of $200.
If you plan to have an event, but do not intend to hire outdoor entertainment, you must abide by the City’s Noise Ordinance. As such, your event cannot make “unreasonably loud, disturbing and unnecessary noises of such a character, intensity and duration as to disturb the peace and quiet of the community…” As noted above, the City considers noise above 60 decibels 100 feet from the property line to be in violation of the City code if you do not have an Outdoor Entertainment Permit.
Even if you aren’t planning to hire outdoor entertainment, you may choose to apply for an Outdoor Entertainment Permit and complete the above-listed process, to allow your event to generate noise higher than the normally acceptable levels. There is no charge for an Outdoor Entertainment Permit without paid entertainment.