4.13 Noise
Impacts of Alternative 1a
Alternative 1a specifies work 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. However, nighttime and weekend work
is prohibited by local ordinance at the South Oceanside, North Carlsbad, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Mission
Beach and Imperial Beach receiver sites. Night and weekend work at the Torrey Pines site might also be
limited if the Del Mar ordinance prevented the night and weekend operation of a booster pump conveying
sand to Torrey Pines. Implementation of Alternative 1a would be a potential significant impact. In order
to avoid a significant impact, SANDAG would obtain a variance, or equivalent, from each local authority
prior to the commencement of work at each site. As part of the previous sand replenishment project
initiated by the Navy, noise variances were granted, where applicable, to allow construction to proceed
under the 7/24 schedule (Department of Navy 1997a, 1997b). Under this alternative, the local jurisdiction
would issue a variance or construction would proceed under the schedule allowed by that locality, as
applicable (Alternative 1b or 2b). Therefore, there would be no situation where construction would
proceed under the 7/24 schedule but not allowed under special variance or exemption. There would be
no significant noise impact.
Receiver Sites
South Oceanside, North Carlsbad, Moonlight Beach, Cardiff, Del Mar, Mission Beach, and Imperial
Beach - Beach Front Receptors
At each of these receiver sites, except Cardiff, beachfront homes are at or near the same elevation as the
beach restoration area, and within 50 feet of the nearest points of planned sand distribution. At Cardiff,
the sensitive receptors adjacent to the beach are restaurants. The dominant existing noise at each of these
sites is the surf, and ambient surf noise levels range from 63-69 dBA Leq, as described in Section 3.13.
During beach restoration, the principal project noise at the beachfront homes and restaurants would be that
of the construction equipment. When working at that point of the beach closest to the homes, construction
noise levels at the homes would be anticipated to occasionally exceed 75 dBA. Maximum hourly average
noise levels, because of working cycles and changes of location, would be expected to be on the order of
65 dBA Leq. This noise level is of similar magnitude as the ambient surf noise. The peak construction noise
event would be a diesel engine under load, sounding the backup alarm close by a residence. This would
easily be heard by residents. The average noise change would be noticed because of a difference in
Regional Beach Sand Project EIR/EA
Page 4.13-3
99-69\sect-04.13.wpd 7/19/00
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