Colusa County, CA Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Farmer's markets
- Max 3 days/week (§44-4.80.030(G))
- Seasonal outdoor sales
- Max 35 consecutive days
- Seasonal sales frequency cap
- No more than 3x/year per property
- Seasonal sales on residential land
- Not permitted at all
- Permit required
- Temporary Use Permit
- Decision authority
- Zoning Administrator
Summary
The Zoning Code has no provision named 'street fair,' but its temporary-use rules govern the same kind of outdoor vendor gathering: farmer's markets need a Temporary Use Permit and are capped at three days a week under Section 44-4.80.030(G), while seasonal outdoor sales top out at 35 days and three occurrences a year on one property.
44-4.80.030 Temporary Uses Requiring Temporary Use Permits. The following temporary uses are permitted subject to issuance of a Temporary Use Permit upon a determination by the Zoning Administrator that the use is compatible with the applicable zone and surrounding uses: A. Seasonal sales (e.g., Christmas trees, pumpkins, crops) for a maximum of 35 consecutive calendar days, no more than 3 times per year on a single property. Seasonal sales shall not be permitted on any residentially-zoned property. ... G. Farmer's markets, for a maximum of three days per week.
Full Breakdown
Section 44-4.80.030 lists the 'Temporary Uses Requiring Temporary Use Permits,' issued only after the Zoning Administrator determines 'the use is compatible with the applicable zone and surrounding uses.' Subsection G addresses recurring outdoor markets directly: 'Farmer's markets, for a maximum of three days per week.' Subsection A covers seasonal vendor sales such as Christmas tree lots, pumpkin patches, or crop stands: these run 'for a maximum of 35 consecutive calendar days, no more than 3 times per year on a single property,' and the same subsection adds that 'seasonal sales shall not be permitted on any residentially-zoned property.' Together these are the closest analogs the Zoning Code has to a street-fair or festival vendor event: a multi-vendor outdoor sales gathering on a fixed schedule, reviewed and time-limited by permit rather than banned or left unregulated.
Once a Temporary Use Permit issues, the same chapter-wide rules apply as to any other temporary use: Section 44-4.80.050 requires the site cleared of debris and temporary structures removed at the end of the approved period, and Section 44-4.80.060 bars extending that period 'unless otherwise permitted under this chapter.' Permit decisions are made by the Zoning Administrator, with appeal rights to the Planning Commission and then the Board of Supervisors under Table 44-1.70-1.
Violations & Fines
Running a farmer's market beyond three days a week, or a seasonal vendor sale beyond 35 consecutive days or more than three times a year on the same property, exceeds the Temporary Use Permit's terms and is a Zoning Code violation. Section 44-1.130.030 makes any such violation a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, up to six months in jail, or both, and the county may also revoke the permit or pursue abatement under Chapter 42.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Colusa County have a specific 'street fair' permit?
How many days a week can a farmer's market run?
Can I hold a seasonal sales event, like a holiday tree lot, on my residential lot?
Who decides whether my vendor event gets a Temporary Use Permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Colusa County
California rules heatmap·Compare Colusa County to another location·View the California special events & permits overview
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