Las Vegas committee approves change to construction-noise hours to match state law

A recommending committee in Las Vegas voted Sept. 2 to approve a bill amending Las Vegas Municipal Code (LVMC) 9.16.030 to align the city's construction-noise hours with a recent change in state law.

Michael Cunningham, deputy community development director, told the committee the change implements state options that allow construction to begin at 5 a.m. during the period from April 1 through Sept. 30 where work is in a “declarant-owned community” or where the work site is more than 300 feet from an occupied residence. “If you have a construction noise ordinance, it must allow construction within a declarant-owned community, which essentially is your larger builders building out subdivisions to start at 5 a.m. during the summer months, so from April to September 30,” Cunningham said. He added the state’s recent modification adds “another option, which is a declarant owned or if you're further away than 300 feet from an occupied residence.”

Under the amendment discussed at the committee meeting, projects that do not meet the 300-foot separation must default to the standard 7 a.m. start time. Outside the April 1–Sept. 30 period, the committee was told the city’s construction-noise hours remain 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Committee members asked how the rule would be enforced and which department would handle complaints. “Usually, if we have an issue, we try to reach out and just get it corrected. If we can't, then we bring in code enforcement to actually issue a notice,” Cunningham said. He also clarified the ordinance applies to construction noise in residentially zoned districts and noted some work that does not require a permit still falls under the local construction-noise rules; commercial districts are not covered by this provision.

There was no public comment during the item. A committee member moved to approve the bill; the motion passed. The committee chair announced the item will be eligible for adoption by the Las Vegas City Council at its Sept. 17, 2025 meeting.

The committee also approved the final minutes from its Aug. 18, 2025 meeting; one committee member abstained from that vote.

The change follows a state legislative directive to allow earlier starts under limited conditions intended in part to address worker safety and heat-related concerns during summer months while offering protections for nearby occupied residences.