Petaluma, CA Noise Ordinances: Outdoor Music (2026)

Sonoma County is wine country, and outdoor concerts, festivals and winery events are a recognized noise issue in the General Plan Noise Element. The Noise Element specifically lists 'concerts, special events and other activities generating amplified outdoor sound' and notes that special events 'can produce unacceptable noise levels, especially during evening hours.' Rather than banning outdoor music or setting a single curfew, the County manages it case by case: 'noise will continue to be considered in the review process for proposals which allow special events.' That means outdoor music at wineries, event centers and similar venues is typically governed by the conditions of a use permit issued by Permit Sonoma, which can limit hours, sound levels, speaker orientation and the number of events. The underlying yardstick is Table NE-2's exterior performance standards (daytime median 50 dBA, nighttime 45 dBA at an adjacent noise-sensitive property line), reduced by 5 dBA under Policy NE-1c for noise consisting primarily of music. A qualified acoustical analysis may be required before a discretionary event use is approved. For unpermitted or spontaneous outdoor music — a backyard party, for example — enforcement falls to the Sheriff under California Penal Code section 415. Neighbors with ongoing concerns about a specific venue should contact Permit Sonoma and reference the venue's use-permit conditions.