§ 9-116. Vessels operated on waters in the unincorporated area of the county.

(a)

Noise pollution and exhaust regulation.

(1)

No person shall operate or give permission for the operation of any vessel on the waters within the unincorporated area of the county in such a manner as to exceed the following sound levels at a distance of fifty (50) feet from the vessel. For all vessels, a maximum sound level of ninety (90) dB A.

(2)

Any person who refuses to submit to a sound level test when requested to do so by a law enforcement officer is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in F.S. § 775.082, or as provided in F.S. § 775.083.

(3)

The exhaust of every internal combustion engine used on any vessel operated on the waters of unincorporated Osceola County shall be effectively muffled by equipment so constructed and used as to muffle the noise of the exhaust in a reasonable manner. The use of cutouts is prohibited, except for vessels competing in a regatta or official boat race, and for such vessels while on trial runs.

(4)

The following words and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in this subsection:

a.

dB A means the composite abbreviation for the A-weighted sound level and the unit of sound level, the decibel.

b.

Sound level means the A-weighted sound pressure level measured with fast response using an instrument complying with the specification for sound level meters of the American National Standards Institute, Inc., or its successor bodies, except that only a weighting and fast dynamic response need be provided.

(b)

Enforcement. The provisions of this section may be additionally enforced as a noncriminal infraction by the division of law enforcement of the state department of environmental protection and its officers, the state game and fresh water fish commission and its officers, the sheriff and deputy sheriffs, and any other authorized law enforcement officer, pursuant to the provisions of F.S. §§ 327.65 and 327.73.

(Ord. No. 94-14, § 10, 5-10-94)