What are Bellaire's noise rules?

Quiet hours

The code splits the week into two sets of hours. Quiet hours are: - Sunday through Thursday, except the day before a city holiday: before 7:00 a.m. or after 9:30 p.m. - Friday, Saturday and the day before a city holiday: before 7:00 a.m. or after 11:00 p.m.

The hours outside those windows are "non-quiet hours": 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on the first set of days, and 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on the second. Rule: City Code Sec. 22-4.

Leaf blowers, mowers and yard equipment

During quiet hours, the code lists "Sound made by leaf blowers, lawnmowers, and other lawn and garden equipment" as a prohibited noise. So the safe time to run them is after 7:00 a.m. and before the evening cutoff above.

Outside quiet hours, the code lists that same sound, and sound from tree trimming or tree removal, as an exception to the decibel limits. We did not find a separate decibel number just for blowers. Rule: City Code Sec. 22-4.

Construction and trash service

Two more things are barred during quiet hours: "Dumpster servicing" and "Construction, except as otherwise approved by the building official per Code of Ordinances section 9-17." The code also excepts "properly permitted construction, grading, repair, remodeling, or demolition/building activities during additional hours the city's building official specifically authorizes in writing." Rule: City Code Sec. 22-4.

Separately, work that needs a building permit (other than a homeowner permit) is limited to 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday, unless the building official approves an exception in writing. That rule is in Sec. 9-5(m). See our page on construction hours.

Decibel limits

Noise is measured in "dB(A)" at the property line of the site where the noise is audible, unless the code says otherwise. The limits are: - Residential zoning: 75 dB(A) outside quiet hours, 60 dB(A) in quiet hours. - Non-residential zoning: 80 dB(A) outside quiet hours, 67 dB(A) in quiet hours.

The code adds that "the most restrictive maximum noise decibel level shall apply at the property where the noise is audible and the noise must be audible at the complainant's property." Rule: City Code Sec. 22-4.

Music and amplified sound

We did not find a rule written only for amplified sound, car stereos or loudspeakers. The general rule covers them: "It shall be unlawful for any person to make, continue, permit or cause to be made or continued any loud, unnecessary or unusual noise or any noise which disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others, within the limits of the city." The decibel limits also apply. The code mentions amplified sound in the exceptions for organized youth sports in city parks and similar places, and those exceptions leave amplified sound out. The short-term rental rules also name "amplified sound during quiet hours" (Sec. 22-155). Rule: City Code Sec. 22-4.

Barking and noisy animals

Chapter 6 makes it unlawful to keep an animal that causes "frequent, long continued, excessive or unusual noise which is audible by persons on adjoining property or public rights-of-way." The noise must disturb "the comfort or repose of persons of ordinary temper, sensibility or disposition." The code gives no number of minutes or decibels for barking. Rule: City Code Sec. 6-3.

Exceptions

Quiet-hour limits do not apply to "Emergency and repair activities of any public entity or a utility," emergency service vehicles, "Noises of safety signals, warning devices and emergency pressure relief valves," emergency generators when normal power is not available, and city public works facilities such as lift stations and water wells. Rule: City Code Sec. 22-4.

We did not check other chapters for special noise rules beyond those named above. Your deed restrictions or HOA may be stricter.

What happens if you don't

For Sec. 22-4, a violation is a misdemeanor, and the fine "shall not be less than $150.00 for the first offense" and "not less than $500.00 for any subsequent offense." The code says "Each hour or portion thereof in which any violation shall occur shall constitute a separate offense." Sec. 22-4 also declares a violation a public nuisance. State law caps a fine for a rule like this at $500 (Texas Local Government Code Sec. 54.001; see also Sec. 1-10).

For noisy animals, violators are "punished by fine to the maximum extent provided for by law" (Sec. 6-108).

Who to call

Bellaire Police Department. For barking animals, the City's animal control officer.

Sources

• City of Bellaire Code of Ordinances, Sec. 22-4 (noise) and Sec. 22-155 (short-term rental permitting). library.municode.com/tx/bellaire
• City of Bellaire Code of Ordinances, Sec. 9-5(m) (construction hours). library.municode.com/tx/bellaire
• City of Bellaire Code of Ordinances, Secs. 6-3 and 6-108 (animal noise and penalty). library.municode.com/tx/bellaire
• City of Bellaire Code of Ordinances, Sec. 1-10 (general penalty). library.municode.com/tx/bellaire
• Texas Local Government Code, Sec. 54.001 (maximum fines for city ordinances). statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/LG/htm/LG.54.htm

En español

Bellaire tiene horas de silencio: antes de las 7:00 a.m. y después de las 9:30 p.m. de domingo a jueves, y antes de las 7:00 a.m. y después de las 11:00 p.m. los viernes, sábados y la víspera de un día festivo de la ciudad. En esas horas no se permiten sopladoras de hojas, cortadoras de césped, otros equipos de jardín, la recolección de contenedores de basura ni la construcción (salvo lo que apruebe el funcionario de construcción). El trabajo que requiere un permiso de construcción (que no sea un permiso de propietario) también se limita a las 7:00 a.m. a 7:00 p.m., de lunes a domingo (Sec. 9-5(m)).

El código fija límites en decibeles, medidos en el límite de la propiedad donde se oye el ruido: zona residencial, 75 dB(A) fuera de las horas de silencio y 60 dB(A) en ellas; zona no residencial, 80 y 67 dB(A). Además, prohíbe cualquier ruido fuerte, innecesario o inusual que perturbe la paz de otros. No encontramos una regla separada para música amplificada o estéreos de autos; se aplica la regla general.

Los animales que causan ruido frecuente, prolongado o excesivo, audible en propiedades vecinas, también están prohibidos (Sec. 6-3). No hay un número fijo de minutos para los ladridos.

Hay excepciones para emergencias, vehículos de emergencia, generadores durante cortes de luz y las instalaciones de obras públicas de la ciudad. La multa es de al menos $150 la primera vez y al menos $500 después; cada hora cuenta como una infracción distinta. La ley estatal limita la multa a $500 para una regla como esta (Sec. 54.001 del Código de Gobierno Local de Texas). No revisamos otros capítulos más allá de los mencionados. Para reportar, llame al Departamento de Policía de Bellaire.