The County shall require discretionary development and County-initiated projects to comply with adopted noise standards through proper site and building design features, such as building location and orientation, setbacks, natural barriers and vegetation, and building construction. The County shall only consider sound walls if noise mitigation measures have been evaluated or integrated into the project and found infeasible.
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HAZ-9.6 Airport Noise Compatibility
The County shall use the aircraft noise analysis prepared for local airports or the noise contours from the current NBVC-Point Mugu Air Installations Compatible Use Zones (AICUZ) study, as most appropriate for a project location, as an accurate mapping of the long-term noise impact of the airport’s aviation activity. The County shall restrict new discretionary residential land uses to areas outside of the 60 decibel Community Noise Equivalence Level (dB CNEL) aircraft noise contour unless interior noise levels can be mitigated to meet a maximum 45 dB CNEL.
HAZ-9.7 Noise Control Priorities
The priorities for noise control for discretionary development shall be as follows:
1. Reduction of noise emissions at the source.
2. Attenuation of sound transmission along its path, using barriers, landform modification, dense plantings, building orientation and placement, and the like.
3. Rejection of noise at the reception point using noise control building construction, hearing protection or other means.
HAZ-9.8 Implement Noise Control Measures for Traffic Noise
The County shall require noise control measures to be implemented along roadways for new discretionary development generating traffic noise if either of the following circumstances would exist:
- The discretionary development would result in traffic noise levels above a County noise compatibility standard stated in Policy HAZ 9.2 in an area where traffic noise levels, under existing conditions, do not exceed the County noise compatibility standard; or,
- The discretionary development would result in an increase in traffic noise levels of 3 dBA or greater in an area where traffic noise levels under existing conditions exceed a County noise compatibility standard stated in Policy HAZ 9.2.
Noise control measures may include increased vegetation, roadway pavement improvements and maintenance, and site and building design features. If such measures are not sufficient to reduce a new discretionary development’s fair-share of traffic-generated noise at sensitive receptors, a sound wall barrier may be constructed. All feasible1 noise reduction measures shall be implemented to ensure the development’s fair-share of traffic-generated noise is reduced, consistent with Policy HAZ 9.2.
1 “Feasible” means that this mitigation measure shall be applied to future discretionary projects under the 2040 General Plan when and to the extent it is “capable of being accomplished in a successful manner within a reasonable period of time, taking into account economic, environmental, legal, social, and technological factors” as determined by the County in the context of such future projects based on substantial evidence. This definition is consistent with the definition of “feasible” set forth in CEQA (Pub. Res. Code, § 21066.1) and the CEQA Guidelines (§ 15164). The County shall be solely responsible for making this feasibility determination in accordance with CEQA.
HAZ-10.1 Air Pollutant Reduction
The County shall strive to reduce air pollutants from stationary and mobile sources to protect human health and welfare, focusing efforts on shifting patterns and practices that contribute to the areas with the highest pollution exposures and health impacts.
HAZ-10.2 Air Quality Management Plan Consistency
The County shall prohibit discretionary development that is inconsistent with the most recent adopted Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP), unless the Board of Supervisors adopts a statement of overriding considerations.