Alpine County, CA Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Events (2026)

Alpine County Code Section 18.68.090 does not carve out amplified music or sound systems for special treatment; amplified speakers, bands and PA systems are governed by the same parcel-line sound limits as any other source. No activity may produce sound exceeding the zone's Leq(15) maximum measured beyond the parcel boundary — 65 dB(A) in Residential Neighborhood, 60 dB(A) in Residential Estates, 70 dB(A) in Institutional and Planned Development zones, and 75 dB(A) in Commercial and Commercial Recreational zones. The standard applies day and night, and an ambient-adjustment rule allows the limit to float up to the background level plus five decibels where ambient noise already exceeds the cap. For organized events with amplified music, the code routes them through permitting: under the Special Events exception, 'sound levels and duration shall be regulated through the conditions of approval for the special event permit,' so the County can set a project-specific noise ceiling and end time. Short-duration or temporary activities can also receive a conditioned exception. Because every part of Alpine County (Markleeville, Bear Valley, Kirkwood) is unincorporated, the County administers these permits and conditions. The code remains designed to supplement Penal Code Sections 370 and 415, so amplified music that disturbs neighbors can also be addressed as a nuisance or disturbing the peace.