A copy of the current municipal Thought Proximity Zone ordinance, applicable to Class B designated establishments. Third revision.
1. Definitions
Thought Proximity Zone (TPZ): any publicly accessible space designated by the Office to maintain ambient sound levels sufficient to limit involuntary thought-speech reception between persons in proximity.
Class B Designation: a minimum maintained ambient level of 62 decibels (A-weighted), sufficient to reduce clear reception in approximately 80% of the adult population. Class A designation (44 dB minimum) provides near-complete reception reduction. Class C provides no guaranteed reduction.
Note: Reception thresholds vary by individual. The 62dB minimum was established following the Carver-Osei panel review of 2041, which found that 62dB reduced reportable involuntary reception incidents by 79.3% across tested populations. The remaining 20.7% are referred to as “high-sensitivity receivers” and may apply for enhanced accommodation under §31(a).
2. Consent and Liability
Voluntary entry into an undesignated space with ambient levels below 45dB, without posted Class A or Class B signage, constitutes implicit consent to proximity exposure under §29(c) of the Proximity Act. Proprietors of undesignated spaces bear no liability for incidental reception by patrons.
Persistent deliberate reception of another person's thought-speech without consent is designated a Class 2 Proximity Violation under §34(b). Consent is defined as the other party's voluntary entry into a sub-45dB environment without posted TPZ signage, or written prior consent.
Note: The Proximity Act does not distinguish between incidental and deliberate reception. The burden of non-reception rests with the recipient. The Office acknowledges that this standard has been contested on equity grounds since the Second Revision. The matter remains under review.
3. Exemption Categories
The following uses are exempt from ambient level requirements and may operate at sub-45dB levels without TPZ designation: clinical and therapeutic environments (§12), approved grief-processing facilities (§13(b)), licensed creative practice spaces (§14), religious observance spaces (§15), and personal transition counseling offices (§16).
Operators of exempt spaces must post clear signage at all entry points. Patrons are deemed to have been informed upon crossing any posted threshold.
4. Enforcement
Violations of ambient level minimums by Class B designated operators are subject to administrative review and suspension of designation. A space that loses its designation reverts to Class C status and must remove all TPZ signage within 48 hours of notification.
Note: The Office does not monitor thought content. The Office monitors decibel levels only. What is heard, and by whom, and what is done with it, falls outside the scope of this ordinance.