Can Neighbors Complain About Noise During the Day? Atlanta Noise Ordinance Explained

When you’re at home, you expect to be able to peacefully enjoy your time without having to deal with noise issues and other disturbances. But what happens if suddenly, in the middle of the day, you hear your neighbors blasting music enough to shake your walls, or someone has just started doing construction work so loud that you can’t hear yourself think? Can neighbors complain about noise during the day? Luckily, Atlanta has a noise ordinance specifically meant to address such concerns. So, let’s find out!

Key Takeaways

• Neighbors in Atlanta can legally complain about excessive noise during the day if it disrupts their right to peacefully enjoy their homes.
• Atlanta’s noise ordinance considers factors such as volume, duration, time of day, and distance when determining whether noise qualifies as a disturbance.
• Common violations may include loud music, yelling, party noise, amplified sound systems, and excessive noise from shared-wall properties like apartments and condos.

Can Neighbors Complain About Noise During the Day?

If you ask Atlanta property management companies, we know that noise and disturbances are some of the most common concerns in residential neighborhoods. In fact, Atlanta ranks as one of the loudest cities in the country, making noise a prevalent concern for residents. But the question is, can neighbors complain about noise during the day?

Generally, people think that noise and other disturbances only need to be managed at night, when most people are at home and sleeping. However, that is not the case. You see, while reasonable everyday noise is generally expected in residential communities, there is a level of noise that is considered a disturbance, regardless of the time of day. In particular, the Atlanta noise ordinance describes noise disturbance as:

“…any sound that endangers the health, safety or welfare of any person, is detrimental to the peaceful enjoyment of private property, or endangers personal or real property.”

Now, what this means is that noise can become a point of issue or concern when it unreasonably disrupts other residents’ right to quiet enjoyment of their homes. So, even if noise related to daytime activities (pets, gatherings, or household noise) is considered normal, these can still trigger noise complaints if the sound is considered unreasonable, excessive, continuous, and/or a repeated occurrence.

What Legally Counts as Noise and Disturbance

Let’s say that you live in an apartment building with neighbors left, right, up, and down. How do you know if your neighbor is being unreasonably loud? Or, how do you know if your activities are creating a disturbance to people next door? Can neighbors complain about noise during the day if the noise is temporary?

Given how the Atlanta noise ordinance defines noise, it’s important to understand what may be considered excessive and what parameters are used to determine nuisance or disturbance to others.

Generally, there are several factors that come into play when it comes to determining acceptable and unreasonable noise levels. This usually includes noise volume and intensity, the type of noise, duration, location, and the time of day. Atlanta’s noise control regulations follow the same concept by establishing time and day restrictions (daytime vs. nighttime) and determining the types of noise and activities that are allowed or prohibited.

To understand this better, here’s a summary of what legally counts as noise and disturbance following the Atlanta Code Section 74-131:

• Mechanical sound-making devices: Covers the unreasonably loud use of radio, television, stereo, musical instruments, amplifiers, and other similar machines.
• Human-produced sounds: Includes yelling, shouting, singing, hooting, and the like on public streets or on private property.
• Commercial advertising: Prohibits the use of radio receiving devices, musical instruments, loudspeakers, sound amplifiers, and other sound production devices on public property meant to draw the attention of the public.
• Party noise: Parties or any other social event occurring on private property are not allowed to produce noise that emanates beyond property limits.

Rules Regarding Noise Restrictions

So, can neighbors complain about noise during the day if the sound becomes excessive or disruptive? Atlanta’s noise ordinance provides specific restrictions that help determine what may qualify as a disturbance. Now, for daytime noise restrictions, the rule is that noise may be considered excessive or a disturbance if it is plainly audible from 300 feet away from the source. This applies from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM from Sunday to Thursday, and 7:00 AM to 12:00 midnight on Friday and Saturday.

As for the nighttime restrictions, residents are prohibited from making noise that is plainly audible from 100 feet away or beyond the property limits. This is implemented during the wee hours of 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM from Sunday to Thursday, and 12:00 midnight to 7:00 AM on the weekends.

The city also has specific guidelines for properties with shared walls, such as apartments, condominiums, townhouses, and the like. Here, residents are prohibited from making noise (mechanically or human-produced) that is audible to any person from 5 feet beyond the adjoining walls.

But aside from these, the city imposes several other noise control rules, particularly regarding construction noise, motorized landscaping and maintenance tools, and commercial establishments near residential zones. At the same time, the city also identifies specific circumstances where the stated noise control prohibitions are exempt or do not apply.

In case you have any questions, you can consult with the concerned agencies or departments, such as ATL311, local code enforcement, or the Atlanta Police Department’s non-emergency services.

Who Do I Call for a Noise Complaint?

We’ve answered the question of whether neighbors can complain about noise during the day. But what happens if you do need to file a complaint about excessive noise and disturbances? Who do you call? While responses can vary depending on the situation, here are tips and reminders to consider.

First, if you live in a multi-unit rental property and you have noisy neighbors, the first step is to reach out to your landlord or property manager to let them know about the noise issue. The management may investigate the complaint and address any lease violations in accordance with community policies and local regulations.

For excessive, ongoing noise control violations during restricted hours, you can contact the non-emergency police line to investigate the disturbance and help address the situation. Depending on the situation, residents may also submit complaints through ATL311 or local code enforcement channels.

How Bay Property Management Group Can Help

So, can neighbors complain about noise during the day when the sound becomes excessive or disruptive to others? Noise issues are a persistent concern that residents may struggle with. That is why the Atlanta noise ordinance is designed to protect people’s right to quiet enjoyment in their homes. This helps qualify what unreasonable noise is, as well as who to contact to help handle such situations.

Now, if you’re a tenant or a landlord, handling noise complaints and disputes can be challenging. So, this is where we at Bay Property Management Group can step in. Our team of experienced property managers can help address resident concerns, enforce community policies consistently, and handle lease-related issues professionally. Sounds interesting? Contact us today to learn more!