Moorpark Decibel Limits Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Moorpark's noise control framework establishes receptor-based exterior decibel limits calibrated to the city's predominantly residential and semi-rural suburban character in the eastern Ventura County foothills. For residential receiving zones — which include the established single-family neighborhoods surrounding the downtown core as well as newer master-planned communities east of Moorpark Avenue — the permitted exterior noise level is 55 dBA during daytime hours (7 AM to 10 PM) and 45 dBA during nighttime hours (10 PM to 7 AM). These limits are measured at the property line of the affected parcel, not at the noise source. Commercial and mixed-use zones are held to higher thresholds of 65 dBA daytime and 60 dBA nighttime to reflect the different noise environment expected in business corridors along High Street and Princeton Avenue.

A 5 dB correction applies to noise sources that exhibit a discernible tonal character (a hum, whine, or pure-tone screech), an impulsive or repetitive percussion character, or that include clearly identifiable music or speech content. This correction effectively lowers the allowable threshold for those sources, making the nighttime standard as stringent as 40 dBA at a residential property line for a tonal mechanical source such as HVAC equipment or a pool pump. Moorpark's relatively low ambient noise environment — the city is set back from major freight corridors and lacks significant heavy industry in residential areas — means that nighttime exceedances can be perceptible at modest absolute levels. Ambient baseline measurements may be used in contested enforcement cases to establish the pre-existing noise environment.

Enforcement proceeds on a complaint basis. The Moorpark Police Department handles immediate after-hours disturbance calls, while the Code Enforcement Division manages ongoing commercial or mechanical noise issues. For stationary industrial noise sources such as compressors, generators, or process equipment at fixed commercial facilities, the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD) may assert concurrent jurisdiction. The city's Planning Division can impose project-specific noise mitigation conditions — including noise walls, equipment enclosures, and restricted hours of operation — through the discretionary permit review process for new development projects.