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Noise Criteria Pertinent to CEQA Guidelines and Sleep Disturbance The previous section of this report addressed adopted San Joaquin County noise standards. This section discusses additional criteria used to evaluate potential noise impacts for this project relative to CEQA considerations and a specific court ruling pertaining to single-event noise. Acoustical Context of Project Area The existing residences in the immediate vicinity of the Munn & Perkins plant and along East River Road are constructed on agriculturally-zoned parcels, and not on residentially-zoned properties. Although the County has stated that the County's Noise level standards applicable to residential uses apply to these residences, for purposes of evaluating impacts relative to CEQA criteria the expectation of occasionally higher ambient noise levels in agricultural zones as a result of normal agricultural activities occurring on neighboring properties is pertinent. The County's Right to Farm Ordinance, although not applicable to aggregate processing facility operations, provides specific information pertaining to the acoustical characteristics of agricultural zones. The following is an excerpt from that ordinance, with emphasis added by BAC: The County of San Joaquin recognizes and supports the right to farm agricultural lands in a manner consistent with accepted customs, practices, and standards. Residents of property on or near agricultural land should be prepared to accept the inconveniences or discomforts associated with agricultural operations or activities, including but not limited to noise, odors, insects, fumes, dust, the operation of machinery of any kind during any twenty-four (24) hour period (including aircraft), the application by spraying or otherwise of chemical fertilizers, soil amendments, seeds, herbicides, and pesticides, the storage of livestock feed and other agricultural commodities, and the storage, application and disposal of manure. San Joaquin County has determined that inconveniences or discomforts associated with such agricultural operations or activities shall not be considered to be a nuisance. Although the proposed occasional nighttime operations of the Munn & Perkins facility required to accommodate nighttime paving projects would not be considered agricultural in nature, the County's Right to Farm ordinance recognizes that persons living on or near agricultural lands should have an expectation for higher noise environments. Environmental Noise Analysis Munn &Perkins Expanded Hours of Operations- San Joaquin County Page 8