§ 22a-73 — Municipal noise regulation programs; ordinances subject to commissioner's approval.

(a) To carry out and effectuate the purposes and policies of this chapter it is the public policy of the state to encourage municipal participation by means of regulation of activities causing noise pollution within the territorial limits of the various municipalities. To that end, any municipality may develop and establish a comprehensive program of noise regulation. Such program may include a study of the noise problems resulting from uses and activities within its jurisdiction and its development and adoption of a noise control ordinance. (b) Any municipality may adopt, amend and enforce a noise control ordinance which may include the following: (1) Noise levels which will not be exceeded in specified zones or other designated areas; (2) designation of a noise control officer and the designation of an existing board or commission, or the establishment of a new board or commission to direct such program; (3) implementation procedures of such program and the relation of such program to other plans within the jurisdiction of the municipality; (4) procedures for assuring compliance with state and federal noise regulations; (5) noise level restrictions applicable to construction activities, including limitation on on-site hours of operation. (c) Any such municipal noise control ordinance shall be at least as stringent as any state noise control plan, including ambient noise standards, adopted pursuant to section 22a-69 or any standards or regulations adopted by the administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to the Noise Control Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-574) or any amendment thereto. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, any municipality may adopt more stringent noise standards than those adopted by the commissioner.

Legislative History

(P.A. 74-328, S. 7, 12; P.A. 22-143, S. 3.) History: P.A. 22-143 amended Subsec. (c) to delete provision re commissioner approve such ordinance and add provision re such ordinance be as stringent as any state noise control plan, effective May 31, 2022. Town zoning regulation that differentiates between distinct land uses that produce different noise levels for purposes of determining whether a specific use is appropriate for a property does not, ipso facto, specify “noise levels which will not be exceeded in specified zones or other designated areas” under Subsec. (b)(1) and therefore does not constitute a municipal noise control ordinance for purposes of Noise Pollution Control Act. 335 C 606.