Amplified outdoor music in Chico is bounded by the dBA limits in §§9.38.030–9.38.050 unless the public works director issues a special-event permit under CMC §9.38.080. Applications must be filed at least 14 days before the event, and permitted noise cannot exceed the public-property baseline (60 dBA at 25 ft).
Three pathways: (1) Event stays under §9.38.050's 60 dBA at 25 ft on public property or §9.38.030/040 limits on private — no permit needed. (2) Event will exceed those limits on public property using mechanical/amplifying equipment — requires §9.38.080 permit from the public works director. (3) Persistent commercial source on private property needing temporary exceedance — requires §9.38.070 conditional noise permit (up to 6 months, city manager approval, ratified by city council). Section 9.38.080 conditions: event must be of interest to a substantial number of city residents, open to all subject to a reasonable fee, and compliance would unreasonably interfere with the event. The director may impose dates/times, dB caps (no more lenient than the public-property baseline), and mitigation conditions. CSU Chico south-campus party noise typically falls outside the permit pathway and is enforced as residential or unreasonable-noise violations under §§9.38.030 and 9.38.052.
Operating outdoor amplified equipment without a permit when limits will be exceeded is an infraction: $250 / $500 / $1,000 (§9.38.130). Public-property events at Bidwell Park are additionally subject to the park rules in CMC Title 12R.04 (per §9.38.015(A)).
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