Placer County, CA Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)

300(B)(1)(b), outdoor festivals and concerts, arts and crafts fairs, and similar short-term events may be authorized in any zoning district, but only after a minor use permit is approved for the event. The county carves out a faster path: a one-time event lasting six days or less can be approved with a temporary outdoor event permit issued directly by the planning director instead of going through the full minor use permit hearing process. Either way, organizers must submit detailed event information: the time, date, and location of the event, the estimated number of participants, security measures including control of alcohol consumption and prevention of drug use, and sanitation plans.

The planning department circulates that information to the sheriff's office, the county health director, the chief building official, the department of public works, the California Highway Patrol, the assistant emergency services director, and the applicable state, federal, and local fire jurisdictions before the planning director decides on the permit. If alcohol will be served, organizers must give the planning department a copy of the required license from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control before the event. 300(B)(4) layers on site standards that regularly apply to street fairs: at least two unobstructed vehicle access points at least 18 feet wide, off-street parking sized at 400 square feet per car (or one space per 12 square feet of seating for spectator events, one per 75 square feet for exhibits), fire protection required by the serving fire agency or CAL FIRE, and water supply and sanitation facilities approved by the Placer County Environmental Health Division. 190.