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G <br />A RESOLUTION AND ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONTROL OF NOISE <br />IN ORANGE COUNTY <br />WHEREAS, excessive noise is a serious hazard to the public health and welfare <br />and the quality of life in rural and developing areas of Orange Ccunty; and, <br />WHEREAS, a substantial body of science and technology exists by which <br />excessive noise can be substantially abated without serious inconvenience to the <br />public; and, <br />WHEREAS, certain ncise producing equipment in this community is essential tc <br />the quality of life in a rural environment and should be allowed to continue at reasonable <br />levels and hours with moderate regulation; and, <br />WHEREAS, each person has the right to an environment reasonably free from <br />noise which jeopardizes health, welfare, or which unduly interferes with a property <br />owner's right to the use or enjoyment of their property; and, <br />WHEREAS, it is recognized that residential land uses are more noise-sensitive <br />than commercial and industrial land uses; and, <br />WHEREAS, it is the declared policy of Orange County to promote an <br />environment free from excessive noise, otherwise properly called "noise pollution", <br />which unnecessarily jeopardizes the health and welfare and degrades the quality of the <br />lives of the residents of this community, without unduly prohibiting, limiting or otherwise <br />regulating the function of certain noise-producing sources which are not amenable to <br />such controls and yet are essential to the economy and quality of life of the community. <br />NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority provided in N.C. General Statute § <br />153A-121, § 153A-123 and § 153A-133, the Board of Commissioners of Orange County <br />hereby resclves and ordains as follows: <br />Article I: Definitions <br />In addition to the common meaning of words, the following definitions shall be <br />used in interpreting this Ordinance. <br />{~ ANSI Standards: American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Publication <br />ANSI, S1,4-1997 or the latest approved version thereof. <br />(2) "A" weighting scale: The sound pressure level in decibels as measured with <br />a sound level meter using the "A" weighted network (abbreviated as <br />