REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on a Report on the Noise Monitoring Equipment at Levi’s Stadium
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Promote and Enhance Economic, Housing and Transportation Development
BACKGROUND
The City has contracted with an acoustic engineer, Wilson Ihrig Inc., (Consultant) to maintain four noise monitoring equipment stations located within the neighborhoods to the south and east of Levi’s Stadium. This contract was recently renewed at the October 13, 2020 City Council meeting. At that meeting, the City Council, per a request from Councilmember Chahal, directed staff to explore the possibility of providing a summary report for data collected at the noise monitoring stations to make it readily possible to identify instances where recorded noise levels exceed the City’s noise standards.
DISCUSSION
Per Council direction, staff contacted the Consultant to discuss the requested report. While the report was not included within the specified deliverables of the current contract, the Consultant agreed that it could be provided utilizing the contingency amount in the contract. Summary tables have been provided for the four locations for each month in 2020 for Council reference (Attachments 1-8).
Consistent with the methodology used by the City to determine if noise levels are exceeding the City’s standards, the summary tables present the average noise levels for each hour throughout the day. One table is provided for each month at each location, with a horizontal row for each day of the month and a vertical column for each hour of the day. The data presented in the table is the average noise level (dBA) for the indicated day and hour.
There are two sets of tables for each of the four locations, with one highlighting times when noise levels exceeded 60dBA, the standard applicable to activities conducted within Levi’s© Stadium, and one table highlighting instances where noise levels exceed 50dBA at night or 55dBA during the daytime, which corresponds to the City’s general noise standards but is not applicable to activities at the Stadium. The City has established a noise level standard of 60dBA for the residential neighborhoods adjacent to the Stadium for sounds generated as a result of activities at the Stadium. Recorded noise levels that exceed the City’s general noise thresholds of 50dBA or 55dBA are highlighted on the first set of data for each location. Recorded noise levels that exceed the City’s threshold for Stadium noise levels (60dBA) are highlighted in yellow on the second set of data for each location.
The summary data will be accessible for public use through the City’s Stadium noise monitoring website (Attachment 9) along with the daily recordings and noise levels based on both one hour and five-minute intervals.
The noise monitoring website also provides access to recordings of noise events that exceed the 60 dBA standard over a five-minute duration. By accessing these recordings, it is generally possible to determine the source of the noise that resulted in noise levels greater than 60dBA. Based upon such observation, the typical activities exceeding 60dBA are associated with gardening activities (e.g., operation of a leaf blower) or vehicle traffic (e.g., garbage trucks, unmuffled motorcycles, etc.). Airplane overflights also exceed 60dBA on a somewhat regular basis. Data collected by the noise monitors is analyzed utilizing an algorithm that can filter out the aircraft noise profile and provide data that excludes aircraft noise.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no cost to the City other than administrative staff time and expense.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov>.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Note and file the Report on the Noise Monitoring Equipment at Levi’s Stadium.
Staff
Reviewed by: Andrew Crabtree, Director of Community Development
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2020 Noise Monitoring Summary Data - Hughes Elementary 50-55 dBA
2. 2020 Noise Monitoring Summary Data - Hughes Elementary 60 dBA
3. 2020 Noise Monitoring Summary Data - Ave de los Arboles 50-55 dBA
4. 2020 Noise Monitoring Summary Data - Ave de los Arboles 60 dBA
5. 2020 Noise Monitoring Summary Data - Cheeney and Lennox 50-55 dBA
6. 2020 Noise Monitoring Summary Data - Cheeney and Lennox 60 dBA
7. 2020 Noise Monitoring Summary Data - Cheeney Street 50-55 dBA
8. 2020 Noise Monitoring Summary Data - Cheeney Street 60 dBA
9. Web Link to City’s Stadium Noise Monitoring Website