2009-011 - Adopting Airport Environs Element and Amending the Land Use

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Noise Noise has many sources, including industrial processes, vehicular transportation. use of amplified sound, construction, and human speech. Through careful land use planning, Santa Ana can ensure that the activilies which produce result in minimal interference with the activities which are aensitivG to noise. The City's goal is to minimize noise problems in areas sensitive to noise because Santa Ana is almost fully developed, the main focus of the Noise section is on remedial measures to deal with eXisting noise problems. prevention of new noise problems through proper arrangement of noise sensitive land uses in relationship to circulation systems and establishment of appropriate noise emission or insulation standards for the various land uses. Plannina Factors Definition of undesirable or unhealthful noise levels must precede the goal at minimizing noise problems. The City adopts the following standards and guidelines for noise levels for land USGS: TABLE 1 Interior and Exterior Noise Standards land use Categorle~ Categones Uses Intenor' Extenor1 Residential Single-family, duplex multi-family 45' 65 Institutional Hospital, school classroom/playgrounds 45 65 Church, library 45 .. Open Space Parks .. 65 Notes: 1- Interior areas (to include but are not bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, Ii....ing rooms, dining rooms, c1ose1s, limited to: corridors/hallways, pri....ate offices, and conference rooms. 2. Exterior areas shall mean: private yards of single family homes park picnic areas school playgrounds common areas private open space, such as atriums an balconies, shall be excluded from exterior areas provided sufficient common area is included within the project 3. Interior noise le....el requirements contemplate a closed window condition. Mechanical ventilation system or other means of natural ventilation shall be provided per Chapter 12, Section 1305 of the Uniform Building Code. All Residential uses should be protected with sounds insulation over and above that provided by normal building construction when constructed in areas exposed to greater than 60 dB CNEL The above standards and guidelines represent an appreciation that higher intensity land uses bring with them higher noise levels simply because more people are using these areas. Insuring low noise levels will help to insure that housing is kept will4maintained and keeps value over time, reducing municipal expenditures and maintaining revenues. Noise Abatement Some areas of Santa Ana are exposed to levels of freeway or rail noise that are considered unacceptable for new residential development. Noise conflicts in such casas can be mitigated by providing barriers between the noise source and the residential use, or by providing sound insulation in existing residences. Generally, barriers should be provided to protect residential uses. Figure 2.19 illustrates transportation noise sources in the City and classifies arterial streets by the expected distance from the arterial where the noise level will exceed 60 dB CNEl or ldn and sound insulation or barriers should be provided to protect residential uses. Noi sa Prevention Potential noise probkJms may be prevented by ensuring that planning for residential uses carefully considers proximity to major transportations corridors and other noise generators. Adherence to proper noise-related setbacks tor noise sensitive uses can reduce noise to acceptable or desirable levels for those uses. The distance required varies with the expected volume of traffic. The distance may be reduced by providing walls or berms between the noise source and the use. The graph below indicates Ihe required distance from Iransportation noise sources to achieve desired noise levels for a range of traffic flows. At the time development takes place. developments proposed in zones that would be incompatible under standards of the noise abatement plan are required to include a report indicating how these standards will be achieved. (Revised February 2. 2009) 34 Resolution No. 2009-011 Page 42 of 42