Welcome to the City of Asheville's Development Services Department (DSD) online Sound Exceedance Permit application. 

Use this online form to apply for a new annual permit or amend an existing permit to exceed sound level limits in Asheville's Central Business (CBD) and Commercial disticts. Click here to review Asheville's updated noise ordinance.

A Sound Exceedance permit may be applied for beginning January 1 for events occurring between January 1 - December 31. Please only include events for the calendar year in the application.

This application may be used to apply for the following annual sound exceedance permit types: 

Type 1: 1 - 2 sound exceedance events/years ($100 for annual permit)
Type 2: 3 - 8 sound exceedance events/year ($200 for annual permit)
Type 3: 9 - 30 sound exceedance events/year* ($500 for annual permit)            *Available to permitted Performance Centers only

Before beginning, click here to verify that the applicable property is located in a CBD or Commercial district.

Please note that a sound exceedance permit can not be issued for:

• Property in a residential district;
• Property in an industrial district;
• Events held on city-owned public property, like a public park, requiring a Outdoor Special Event (OSE) permit; or
• Property located outside of city limits

New annual permit applications require the following time for review and approval:

Type 1 and 2 permits: 14 calendar days prior to event date
Type 3 permit: 30 calendar days prior to event date

Applicants will be notified by email of nexts steps for permit payment and issuance. Please monitor your email for these communications. 

Review the information sheet on the next page before beginning your application. Incomplete applications will not move forward in the review process and will require additional time for administration and approval. 

For questions about sound exceedance permits, contact the City of Asheville Development Services Department Noise Compliance Division at noise@ashevillenc.gov or 828-259-5668.

The Permit Application Center (PAC) is located at 161 S. Charlotte St. Staff is available to assist you on Monday through Friday from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.

 

Review the information sheet below before beginning the application on the next page.

Use the download arrow in the grey bar above the document to download a .PDF version. 

For questions about sound exceedance permits, contact the City of Asheville Development Services Department Noise Compliance Division at noise@ashevillenc.gov or 828-259-5668.

The Permit Application Center (PAC) is located at 161 S. Charlotte St. Staff is available to assist you on Monday through Friday from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.

Tip: To open links in the embedded .PDF below in a new browser window, right click each link and select "Open link in new tab".

Applicants will receive separate automated email notifications with instructions when:

1. Permit fees have been assessed and can be paid online or in person at 161 S. Charlotte St. from Monday - Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm; and 
2. The permit application has been approved and the permit has been issued and is ready for pick up online or in person at the address above

Optional: Enter email addresses below for additional contacts who should receive automated email notifications for this permit. 

Use the blue "Upload" buttons below to upload this application's required forms and plans.

Materials should be submitted in .PDF format.

Tip: Desktop software, like Adobe Acrobat, or free online programs, like www.ilovepdf.com, are helpful for converting images into .PDF, merging individual pages into one .PDF document, and organizing .PDF pages.

 

All permit applications (Types 1/2/3) require the following materials:

1. Site Plan (name file: siteplan.pdf): 

• Location of any stages or performance zones
• Location and direction of orientation of any loudspeakers to be used
• Location of any audience seating or assembly area
• Point(s) of ingress and egress for the site
• Land Use and zoning district of all abutting properties
• Any other information deemed necessary by Noise Control team

2. Schedule of events requiring a sound exceedance permit in calendar year 2021 (name file: eventschedule.pdf)

• Event date
• Event name
• Estimated start/end time(s) for sound exceedance
• On-site contact for each event 

Note: Make a copy of this spreadsheet template to document your schedule of events. Save the spreadsheet on your computer to later amend your annual permit as events are added/changed. 

3. Notification template for 1-week written advance notice to addresses within 500’ of subject property (name file: neighbornotification.pdf)

4. List of addresses that will receive advance notice of sound exceedance events (name file: address.pdf)

Tip: Follow these steps to use the MapAsheville online tool to generate a list of address within 500' from any property: 

1. Enter the property address in the blue field marked "Address, PIN, Owner, Street" in the lower left side of the screen. Then click the blue magnifying glass icon to search for the property. 
2. Click the envelope icon in the lower right corner of the screen.
3. Click the checkbox next to "Buffer Graphic" and change the default from 5 to 500 feet.
4. Under the "Select Features By" section, click the "Point" icon, the click the point in the location of the event property. 
5. Mapped results should appear. To download a .csv list of resulting address, click the three dots in the top right corner of the "Results" tab, then click "Export to CSV file". A spreadsheet list should download automatically. 

Submit this application to amend a current annual sound exceedance permit for events occuring between January 1 to Dec. 31, 2021. 

Please submit a new permit application if you are applying for an annual permit application for events in the next calendar year.

You may amend an annual permit to remove, add or update a subject property's annual schedule of sound exceedance events or submit updated permit application elements, like a site plan.

Amended permit applications that maintain the same permit type (ex.: a Type 2 permit remains a Type 2 permit) require no additional permit fees and will be reviewed within 5 business days.

Amended permits that require a change in permit type (ex.: a Type 2 permit that becomes a Type 3 permit) may require additional permit fees and will be reviewed within 10 business days. Please see below for more information.

Applicants will be notified by email of amendment issuance and directed to pick up a copy of the amended permit online. Please ensure your contact email is correct. 

 

Please submit an updated schedule of events detailing the following information for sound exceedance events in 2021 (name file: event-schedule.pdf):

• Event date
• Event name
• Estimated start/end time(s) for sound exceedance
• On-site contact for each event

Note: Make a copy of this spreadsheet template to document changes to your schedule of events. Save the spreadsheet on your computer to later amend your annual permit as events are added/changed. 

Amended permit applications that maintain the same permit type (ex.: a Type 2 permit remains a Type 2 permit) do not require additional information. Please move to the next page.  

Amended permit applications that require a change in permit type (ex.: a Type 2 permit that becomes a Type 3 permit) must include the following updated documentation for approval: 

 

TYPE 1 ---> TYPE 2 AMENDED PERMIT APPLICATIONS

1. Pay the permit fee of $100. This fee will be invoiced by email for online payment within 10 business days.
2. Provide a Sound Impact Plan that details: 

• Performance area layout and sound orientation, including size and technical specifications of sound amplification equipment
• Sound-mitigating design features, including description of any permanent or temporary sound barriers or sound mitigation devices
• Location and proximity of nearby residential dwelling units
• Method of managing anticipated off-site decibel impacts
• Prescribed decibel levels, expected duration of sound exceedance, and hours of operation
• Availability and use of decibel meters on-site including provisions for the monitoring of meters

* This Sound Impact Plan may be developed by the event host without outside professional support.  

 

 

TYPE 2 ---> TYPE 3 AMENDED PERMIT APPLICATIONS

1. Fees are covered by the original permit cost. No additional fees are required. 

2. Provide a Sound Impact Plan developed in consultation with an acoustical professional that details:

   - Performance area layout and sound orientation, including size and technical specifications of sound amplification equipment

   - Sound-mitigating design features, including description of any permanent or temporary sound barriers or sound mitigation devices

   - Location and proximity of nearby residential dwelling units

   - Method of managing anticipated off-site decibel impacts

   - Prescribed decibel levels and hours of operation

   - Availability and use of decibel meters on-site including provisions for the monitoring of meters

3. Provide a noise model performed by an acoustical engineer that demonstrates the comprehensive management and reduction of off-site decibel impacts.

I certify that Sound Exceedance events hosted on the subject property will adhere to the following permit conditions:

• Sound exceedance events will not occur outside the following times:
        Sunday - Thursday: 10 am - 10 pm 
        Friday - Saturday : 10 am - 11 pm
• Sound exceedance events will not exceed 8 hours sound exceedance for each event.
• Sound exceedance will not exceed 85 dBA for an average of 1 minute when measured from a neighboring property with an occupied dwelling unit.

I certify that: 

• I am authorized to submit this paperwork on behalf of the financially responsible party. 
• I understand that incomplete information may delay the processing of the submittal. Furthermore, I agree to be available at the email address and phone number that I've provided to respond to questions and concerns. 
• I understand that any payment due as a result of this submittal will prohibit permit issuance until the balance is paid.

If you clicked "Submit" and the form did not proceed to the next page, please scroll up to complete required fields.