Chapter 18.12 Noises Prohibited

It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully make, continue, cause or permit to be made or continued any noise disturbance within the City of Portland.

(Amended by Ordinance Nos. 159276, 166951, 181539, 184101, 186216 and 189078, effective July 18, 2018.)  The following acts are declared to be violations of this Title, but this enumeration shall not be deemed to be exclusive, namely:

A.  Noisy animals.

1.  It shall be a violation for any animal to unreasonably cause annoyance, alarm, noise disturbance at any time of the day or night by repetitive barking, whining, screeching, howling, braying or other like sounds which may be heard beyond the boundary of the owner’s property or keeper’s property under conditions wherein the animal sounds are shown to have occurred either as an episode of continuous noise lasting for a minimum period of ten minutes or repeated episodes of intermittent noise lasting for a minimum period of thirty minutes.  This provision is not applicable to any animals located in a Specified Animal Facility or to livestock owner or keeper, kennel or similar facility, wherein the presence of livestock or the operation of a kennel or similar facility is authorized under the applicable land-use and zoning laws and regulations.  Enforcement of this Subsection shall be the responsibility of Multnomah County Animal Control.

2.  Animals located in a Authorized or Permitted Animal Facility.  It shall be a violation for any animal located in a Specified Animal Facility, as defined in Portland City Code 13.05.005 G., or to any lawful livestock owner or keeper, kennel or similar facility, wherein the presence of livestock or the operation of a kennel or similar facility is authorized under the applicable land-use and zoning laws and regulations to unreasonably cause annoyance, alarm, noise disturbance at any time of the day or night by repetitive barking, whining, screeching, howling, braying or other like sounds which may be heard beyond the boundary of the owner’s or keeper’s property under conditions wherein the animal sounds are shown to have occurred either as an episode of continuous noise lasting for a minimum period of ten minutes or repeated episodes of intermittent noise lasting for a minimum period of thirty minutes.  Enforcement of this Subsection shall be the responsibility of the Office of Community & Civic Life or another City entity designated by Council.

B.  Sound producing or reproducing equipment.  Operating or permitting the use or operation of any device designed for sound production or reproduction in such a manner as to cause a noise disturbance; or operating or permitting the operating or use of any such device between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. so as to be plainly audible within any dwelling unit which is not the source of sound; or operating any such device on public property or on a public right of way so as to be plainly audible 100 feet or more from such device provided that a person operating any such device in a City park pursuant to a permit granted by the Commissioner In Charge of the Park Bureau shall be in violation only if the device is plainly audible at any point along the park boundary.

C.  Parked motor vehicles.  The parking of any motor vehicle of 10,000 pounds GCWR, or more, with the motor or attached auxiliary equipment in operation:

1.  On a public right‑of‑way, except for reasons of an emergency nature, or

2.  On private property in such a manner as to be plainly audible within any dwelling unit between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

3.  This Subsection C shall not apply to: commercial construction equipment, the normal operation of vehicles designed and used for commercial transportation of passengers, and vehicles being loaded or unloaded.

If measurement is taken of a sound source, the provisions of Chapter 18.10 shall supersede this Section and shall be used to determine if a violation of this Title exists.