§ 15-180. Terminology, standards, and definitions.

(a)

Terminology and standards . All technical acoustical terminology and standards used in this article that are not defined in subsection (b) shall be read or construed in conformance with the American National Standards Institute, Inc., ("ANSI") publication entitled "Acoustical Terminology," designated as ANSI standard 1.1-1994.

(b)

Definitions . The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

(1)

A-weighted sound pressure level shall mean the sound pressure level, in decibels, as measured on a sound level meter using the A-weighting network. The level so read shall be designated as dB (A-wt).

(2)

ANSI shall mean the American National Standards Institute, Inc.

(3)

Background noise level shall mean the sound pressure level of the all-encompassing noise emanating from a given environment, usually being a composite of sounds from many sources.

(4)

Breach of the peace shall mean as defined in F.S. § 877.03.

(5)

Construction shall mean any site preparation, assembly, erection, substantial repair, alteration, or similar action, for or on public or private thoroughfares, structures, utilities or similar property.

(6)

Decibel or dB shall mean a unit for describing the amplitude of sound, equal to twenty (20) times the logarithm to the base ten (10) of the ratio of the pressure of the sound measured to the reference pressure, which is twenty (20) micronewtons per square meter.

(7)

Development permit shall have the meaning as described in F.S. § 163.3164.

(8)

Demolition shall mean any dismantling, destructing or razing of structures, utilities, public or private thoroughfares, or similar property.

(9)

Emergency shall mean any occurrence or circumstance involving actual or imminent physical death or trauma, environmental harm, or property damage, demanding immediate emergency work or service.

(10)

Emergency work or emergency service shall mean any labor performed for the purpose of preventing or alleviating, or attempting to prevent or alleviate, an emergency, or work by private or public utilities when restoring utility service.

(11)

Environmental protection officer shall mean the county environmental protection officer, as defined in this chapter, or his/her designee.

(12)

Equivalent sound pressure level (Leq) shall mean a sound level descriptor based on the average acoustic intensity over time. Leq is intended as a single number indicator to describe the mean energy or intensity level over a specified period of time during which the sound level fluctuated, Leq is measured in dB and must be A-weighted.

(13)

Impulsive sound shall mean a sound of short duration, usually less than one (1) second and of high intensity, with an abrupt onset and rapid decay. Examples of sources of impulsive sound include explosions, or pile driver impacts.

(14)

Intermittent sound shall mean a sound of greater than one (1) second duration and less than fifteen (15) minutes. Examples of sources of intermittent sound are air compressors, heating and air conditioning units and PA speakers.

(15)

Investigating officer shall mean the Orange County Sheriff or duly authorized Orange County Deputy Sheriff.

(16)

Motor vehicle shall mean any vehicle defined as "motor vehicle" by F.S. § 320.01(1).

(17)

Noise or noise disturbance , for purposes of this article, shall mean any sound produced in such quantity and for such duration that it annoys, disturbs or injures a reasonable individual of normal sensitivities, and exceeds the sound level limits set forth in this article or is plainly audible.

(18)

Noise-sensitive zone shall mean a quiet zone where serenity and quiet are of extraordinary significance, which is open or in session. Noise-sensitive zones include schools, public libraries, churches, hospitals, nursing homes, and other areas defined as such pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board of county commissioners.

(19)

Person shall mean an individual, association, partnership, or corporation, including any officer, employee, department, agency or instrumentality of the United States, the state or any political subdivision thereof.

(20)

Plainly audible shall mean any noise or noise disturbance produced by any source, or reproduced by a radio, tape player, television, CD player, electronic audio equipment, musical instrument, sound amplifier or other mechanical or electronic sound making device that can be clearly heard by a person using his/her normal hearing faculties, at a distance as defined in subsection 15-183(b)(1) from the property line or right-of-way line of the source of the noise disturbance. When the particular sound or noise involves words or phrases, sound or noise may be deemed as "clearly heard" even though the investigating officer cannot determine the specific words or phrases being uttered or produced. The detection of a rhythmic bass reverberating type of noise disturbance is sufficient to constitute a plainly audible sound or noise.

(21)

Property line shall mean an imaginary line along the surface of land or water, and its vertical plane extension, which separates the real property owned, rented or leased by a person from the real property owned, rented or leased by another person. Where the real property owned, rented or leased by a person abuts a waterbody, the term "property line" shall mean the established normal high water elevation of the waterbody.

(22)

Public right-of-way shall mean any street, avenue, boulevard, highway, sidewalk, alley, or similar place normally accessible to the public which is owned or controlled by the state, county, or municipality.

(23)

Residential area shall mean an area of unincorporated Orange County that predominantly includes residential properties, i.e., single-family and multifamily dwellings, townhouses or timeshare condominiums.

(24)

Sound shall mean an oscillation in pressure, stress, particle displacement, particle velocity or other physical parameter, in a medium with internal forces. The description of sound may include any characteristic of such sound, including duration, intensity, and frequency.

(25)

Sound level shall mean the weighted sound pressure level obtained by the use of a metering characteristic and weighting A as specified in American National Standards Institute specifications for sound level meters (ANSI standard 1.4-1983). If the weighting employed is not indicated, the A-weighting shall apply.

(26)

Sound level meter shall mean an instrument which includes a microphone, amplifier, RMS detector, integrator or time averager, output meter, and weighting network used to measure sound pressure levels. The output meter reads sound pressure level when properly calibrated. The sound level meter shall be of Type 2 or better, as specified in the American National Standards Institute publication entitled "Specifications for Integrating-Averaging Sound Level Meters" designated as ANSI standard S1.43-1997 and any subsequent revision thereof.

(27)

Sound pressure shall mean the instantaneous difference between the actual pressure and the average or barometric pressure at a given point in space, as produced by the presence of sound energy.

(28)

Sound pressure level shall mean a twenty (20) times the logarithm to the base ten (10) of the ratio of the root mean square sound pressure to the reference pressure of twenty (20) micronewtons per meter squared. The sound pressure level is denoted Lp (or SPL) and is expressed in decibels.

(Code 1965, § 21B-6; Ord. No. 86-26, § 6, 10-27-86; Ord. No. 95-31, § 1, 9-26-95; Ord. No. 2008-19 , § 4, 9-30-08; Ord. No. 2014-17 , § 1, 6-24-14)

Cross reference

Definitions and rules of construction generally, § 1-2.