General Plan - Moreno Valley

CHAPTER 6 – SAFETYalso promoted by way of educationalprograms.Between July of 2004 and June of 2005,animal services staff responded to 17,077calls for service. Animal services alsoreturned 1,290 lost pets to their owners andarranged for the adoption of 2,034 pets.6.3.2 Issues and OpportunitiesIrrespective of the efforts of Animal Servicesand other organizations dedicated toreducing the population of unwanted pets, alarge number of unwanted pets areproduced every year. Unfortunately, thenumber of unwanted animals far surpassesthe capacity of the shelter and the numberof good homes available for adoption.The need for animal services is expected togrow in proportion to the rate of growth inthe local community.B. ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY6.4 NOISEMoreno Valley Animal Shelter6.4.1 BackgroundNoise has long been an accepted part ofmodern civilization, but excessive noise hasbecome an important environmentalconcern. Excessive noise can disturb thepeace and quiet of neighborhoods.MORENO VALLEY GENERAL PLANExcessive noise can cause physical andpsychological responses. Temporaryreactions include, but are not limited to,constriction of blood vessels, secretion ofsaliva and gastric fluids, changes in heartrate and a feeling of anxiety and discomfort.Three effects of noise that are of particularconcern are interference with speech,interruption of sleep and hearing loss. Sleepinterruption can occur when the intrudingnoise exceeds 45 decibels. Speechinterference becomes a problem when theintruding noise is above 60 decibels.Hearing loss can begin to occur withsustained noise levels above 75 decibels.Section 1092 of Title 25, Chapter 1,Subchapter 1, Article 4, of the CaliforniaAdministrative Code includes noiseinsulation standards for new multi-familystructures (hotels, motels, apartments,condominiums, and other attacheddwellings) located within the 60 CNELcontour adjacent to roads, railroads, rapidtransit lines, airports or industrial areas. Anacoustic analysis is required showing thatthese multi-family units have been designedto limit interior noise levels with doors andwindows closed to 45 CNEL in anyhabitable room. Title 21 of the CaliforniaAdministration Code (Subchapter 6, Article2, Section 5014) also specifies that noiselevels in all habitable rooms do not exceed45 CNEL.6.4.2 Noise FundamentalsNoise levels are measured on a logarithmicscale in decibels. The measurements arethen weighted and added over a specifiedtime period to reflect not only the magnitudeof the sound, but also its duration,frequencyand time of occurrence. In thismanner, various acoustical scales and unitsof measurement have been developed suchas: equivalent sound levels (Leq), day-nightaverage sound levels (Ldn), CommunityNoise Equivalent Levels (CNEL's), andPage 6-13 July 11, 2006