TL;DR (generated, confidence: high)

The City of Portland is amending its Noise Control Code (Title 18), unchanged since 2001, to address modern challenges from population growth and evolving industries. The collaborative project launched in 2023 with a final draft targeting City Council submission in 2026.

Key points:

Noise Control Code (Title 18) establishes noise limits for specific activities at particular times of day and night. (Noise Control Code Amendment Project ↗)
Last significant code revision occurred in 2001; modernization project launched fall 2023. (Noise Control Code Amendment Project ↗)
Final draft will be shared publicly for feedback before City Council consideration in 2026. (Noise Control Code Amendment Project ↗)
Amendment process involves City staff, community members, businesses, Noise Review Board (NRB), and Noise Advisory Workgroup (NAW). (Noise Control Code Amendment Project ↗)
Under consideration: eliminating indoor/outdoor noise level distinctions and standardizing daytime/nighttime equipment regulations. (Noise Control Code Amendment Project ↗)
Code Section 18.10 (Maximum Permissible Levels) simplification proposed to improve public understanding. (Noise Control Code Amendment Project ↗)
Noise Review Board composition being reviewed to ensure stakeholder and district representation with multicultural, multigenerational, and BIPOC diversity. (Noise Control Code Amendment Project ↗)

Entities: regulation: Noise Control Code | code_reference: Title 18 | code_section: Code Section 18.10 | organization: Noise Review Board · Noise Advisory Workgroup · City of Portland

Noise Control Code Amendment Project

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Source: Noise Control Code Amendment Project ↗ Last modified: Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:04:39 GMT

The City of Portland’s Noise Control Code (Title 18) ↗ sets noise limits for certain types of activities at particular times of the day and night. The aim of the noise code is to protect residents from the harmful effects of noise while providing allowances for events, construction and other noise-generating activities that support the growth of our communities and the economy.

The current Noise Control Code has not undergone significant changes since 2001. With a growing population, expanding urban areas, and evolving industries, the noise landscape has become more complex. Managing noise is crucial for a healthy urban environment. This is why the Noise Program is working to amend and update the city's Noise Control Code, and we invite your participation in this effort.

Timeline

This project launched in the fall of 2023, with the goal of collecting public input throughout this project. A final draft of the proposed changes will be shared publicly for additional feedback before being submitted to the City Council for consideration in 2026.

Amending the Noise Control Code is a collaborative process between City staff, community members, businesses, the Noise Review Board (NRB), and industry experts and stakeholders who make up the Noise Advisory Workgroup (NAW). We will collect community input, feedback, and support throughout this effort.

What is being proposed

Some key questions under consideration for updating the Noise Control Code include:

Should noise level distinctions between indoor and outdoor environments be maintained, or are they unnecessary?
Why are there different daytime and nighttime noise regulations for multiple types of equipment? Could these be standardized?
How can we simplify the Code Section 18.10 Maximum Permissible Levels ↗ to improve public understanding?
Does the composition of the Noise Review Board ↗ represent all stakeholders and districts within the City of Portland, while also ensuring diversity, including multicultural, multigenerational and BIPOC representation? If not, what changes should be recommended?