Noise Element
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NOISE ELEMENT DEPARTMENT OF CITY PLANNING LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Noise Element of the Los Angeles City General Plan City Plan Case No. 97-0085 Council File No. 96-1357 Adopted by the City Council February 3, 1999 Approved by the City Planning Commission November 12, 1998 An Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability, and upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services and activities. i ii City of Los Angeles Richard Riordan, Mayor City Council 1st District — Mike Hernandez 2nd District — Joel Wachs 3rd District — Laura N. Chick 4th District — John Ferraro 5th District — Michael Feuer 6th District — Ruth Galanter 7th District — Richard Alarcón 8th District — Mark Ridley-Thomas 9th District — Rita Walters 10th District — Nate Holden 11th District — Cindy Miscikowski 12th District — Hal Bernson 13th District — Jackie Goldberg 14th District — Richard Alatorre 15th District — Rudy Svorinich City Planning Commission Peter M. Weil, President Robert L. Scott, Vice President Marna Schnabel Nicholas H. Stonnington Jorge Jackson Los Angeles City Planning Department Con Howe, Director of Planning Franklin P. Eberhard, Deputy Director Gordon B. Hamilton, Deputy Director Robert H. Sutton, Deputy Director Citywide Planning Division R. Ann Siracusa, ACIP, Principal City Planner Noise Element Revision Staff Anne V. Howell, City Planner Graphics Services Section Rey Hernandez, Graphics Designer III Louie Angeles, Cartographer Joyce Odell, Cartographer iii iv Table of Contents Introduction___________________________________________ xiii Chapter I - Background _________________________________ 1-1 Planning Area ______________________________________________ 1-1 Demographics ______________________________________________ 1-1 California State Noise Element Requirements _____________________ 1-1 CONTENT NOISE MEASUREMENT AND STANDARDS INSULATION STANDARDS GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY IMPLEMENTATION Element Scope _____________________________________________ 1-2 ISSUES NOT ADDRESSED Chapter II - Existing Conditions, Noise Impact Issues __________ 2-1 and Noise Management History Introduction ________________________________________________ 2-1 Building Sound Insulation and Nuisance Noise ___________________ 2-2 CALIFORNIA AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION_________________________________ 2-2 CITY NOISE ORDINANCES _____________________________________________ 2-3 ZONING AND LAND USE_______________________________________________ 2-3 BUILDING SOUND INSULATION REGULATIONS ____________________________ 2-5 NUISANCE NOISE ____________________________________________________ 2-5 Building Mechanical Equipment Disturbing The Peace City Park Facilities Barking Dogs Commercial Vehicles Emergency Vehicles v vi Automotive Vehicles _________________________________________ 2-6 VEHICLE EMISSIONS STREET NOISE FREEWAY NOISE Rail Systems _______________________________________________ 2-8 RAILROADS _________________________________________________________ 2-8 Jurisdictional Authority Noise Issues Alameda Corridor Project NEW RAIL SYSTEMS __________________________________________________ 2-9 Train And Light Rail Noise Subway Noise And Vibration Aircraft and Airports ________________________________________ 2-11 JURISDICTIONAL AUTHORITY _________________________________________ 2-11 Federal State Local Airport Land Use Commission City Of Los Angeles Summary REGULATIONS AND PROGRAMS _______________________________________ 2-12 Environmental Assessment Federal Aviation Regulations Part 36 (FAR Part 36) California Airport Noise Standards Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 (FAR Parts 91 and 161) Federal Aviation Regulations Part 150 (FAR Part 150) California Noise Insulation Standards Local Noise Compatibility Programs HELICOPTERS ______________________________________________________ 2-15 Planning Commission And Fire Department Permits Helicopter Noise AIRPORTS IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA __________________________________ 2-16 LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (LAX) ___________________________ 2-18 LAX Zoning LAX Noise Management LAX - FAR Part 150 And LAWA Compatibility Programs LAX - Community Plan Noise Issues LAX Plan vii viii VAN NUYS AIRPORT (VNY) ____________________________________________ 2-23 VNY Zoning VNY Noise Management VNY - Community Plan Noise Issues VNY Plan BURBANK-GLENDALE-PASADENA AIRPORT (BUR) ________________________ 2-25 BUR Noise Management BUR - Community Plan Noise Issues BUR Plan SANTA MONICA AIRPORT (SMO) ______________________________________ 2-27 SMO - Community Plan Noise Issues SMO Noise Management WHITEMAN AIRPORT ________________________________________________ 2-31 Whiteman Noise Management Whiteman Zoning And Community Plan ENDNOTES ________________________________________________________ 2-31 Chapter III - Goals, Objectives and Policies __________________ 3-1 Definition of Noise-Sensitive Uses Goals, __________ Objectives And Policies Chapter IV - Implementation Programs _____________________ 4-1 ix x Exhibits Exhibits (within text): Exhibit A: Airports Within/Adjoining ___________________________ 2-16 the City of Los Angeles (Freeways, Etc.) Exhibit B: Los Angeles International Airport Noise Contour _________ 2-17 Exhibit C: Van Nuys Airport Noise Contour_______________________ 2-18 Exhibit D: Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Noise Contours _____ 2-19 Exhibit E: Santa Monica Airport Noise Contour ___________________ 2-20 Exhibit F: Whiteman Airport Noise Contour ______________________ 2-21 Appendix and Exhibits (at end of text): Appendix A: Evolution Of Transportation Systems In Los Angeles: ____ A-1 A Context For Los Angeles Noise Issues Exhibit G: Glossary of Terms And Acronyms_______________________ G-1 Exhibit H: Common Noise Levels _______________________________ H-1 Exhibit I: City Guidelines for Environmental (Exterior) _______________ I-1 Noise Compatible Land Use xi xii Introduction California State Government Code Section outside the authority of municipal government. 65302g mandates that noise elements be Primary municipal authority relates to regulation included as a part of city general plans and that of land use, implementing federal and state cities adopt comprehensive noise ordinances. regulations and enforcing nuisance noise. This The city’s 1975 Noise Plan and ordinance element describes noise management programs of achieved compliance with state law. This element each jurisdictional entity, as they relate to the City revises and updates the 1975 plan and references of Los Angeles. the city’s noise standards, which are contained The exhibits contained herein include examples of in Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 111 et noise commonly experienced by city dwellers, local seq. In addition to addressing issues, such as airport noise contours, state environmental airport related noise, which were addressed in guidelines and a history of Los Angeles the 1975 plan, the element addresses noise transportation and associated noise issues. sources and noise mitigation strategies and regulations that came into existence after 1975, Chapters III and IV set forth noise management including new fixed rail systems. goals, objectives, policies and programs of the City of Los Angeles. Implementation programs include The noise element applies to the city as a whole. noise mitigation guidelines for community plan- It addresses noise mitigation regulations, strategies ners and permit processors, noise management and programs and delineates federal, state and city activities in which the city is engaged and jurisdiction relative to rail, automotive, aircraft and affirmation of the Alameda Corridor Project which nuisance noise. will consolidate freight rail lines, thereby reducing Regulation of noise relative to vehicles is largely noise impacts on local neighborhoods. xiii xiv Chapter I — Background Planning Area The Noise Element relates to the entire City of Los State law intended that noise elements guide policy Angeles. Within the city’s boundaries are approxi- makers in making land use determinations and in mately 467 square miles of land area, including ap- preparing noise ordinances that would limit expo- proximately 214 square miles of hills and mountains. sure of their populations to excessive noise levels. The San Gabriel and Santa Susana Mountains bound The law required that local jurisdictions prepare the city on the north, the Santa Monica Mountains noise ordinances that would help manage noise. In extend across the middle of the city and the Palos 1984, state noise element provisions were revised Verdes Hills and Pacific Ocean are on the south and to shorten the list of noise element requirements, west. Some noise impacts are generated by sources, encourage local jurisdictions to design their own such as rail, highway and freeway systems, which are noise control approaches and to eliminate the re- within the purview of other governmental entities. quirement that general plan noise and circulation Noise generated by aircraft associated with Los Ange- elements be consistent with each other. les-based air facilities potentially impact people out- Under the 1984 provisions, a noise element is re- side the city. Therefore, the element takes into account quired to “recognize” guidelines prepared by the Of- other jurisdictions and governmental entities. fice of Noise Control of the California Department of Health Services