To: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
From: County Counsel
Meeting Date: April 7, 2026
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Department Contact: |
Katharine L. Elliott |
Phone: |
707-234-6885 |
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Item Type: Consent Agenda |
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Time Allocated for Item: N/A |
Agenda Title:
title
Adoption of an Ordinance Adding Chapter 8.100 to the Mendocino County Code Regulating Noise
End
Recommended Action/Motion:
recommendation
Adopt an ordinance adding Chapter 8.100 to the Mendocino County Code regulating noise; and authorize the Chair to sign same.
End
Previous Board/Board Committee Actions:
On September 24, 2024, the Board gave direction to staff to work on creation of a noise ordinance. On March 24, 2026, the Board of Supervisors introduced and waived the first reading of the ordinance.
Summary of Request:
Both Code Enforcement and the Sheriff’s Office receive complaints concerning excessive and disturbing noise. Currently, the County has no mechanism to issue citations for such noise. The proposed ordinance would allow Code Enforcement or the Sheriff’s Office to issue infraction citations, impose administrative penalties, or take other enforcement action, when individuals create or allow excessive and disturbing noise.
The proposed ordinance would prohibit “disturbances”, which include playing or operating of any radio, loudspeaker, sound amplifier, or other musical device or instrument, or noise produced by any machine, or device, or by any other means, occurring between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., which impacts any residential property and exceed sixty (60) dBA, constant or seventy-five (75) dBA intermittent, as measured from an adjacent residential property line.
The proposed ordinance would make it a violation of County Code to create or allow a disturbance and make any such violation an infraction. The proposed ordinance would also allow for the issuance of administrative penalties to any person who continues to allow or cause a disturbance after receiving a warning to cease the disturbance. Additionally, any property cited under the proposed ordinance more than three (3) times during a ninety (90) day period could be deemed a public nuisance.
Memoranda from County Counsel and Planning and Building Services summarizing and providing a consistency review for the proposed ordinance are attached with this item.
Alternative Action/Motion:
Provide alternate direction.
Strategic Plan Priority Designation: A Safe and Healthy County
Supervisorial District: All
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supplemental Information Available Online At: N/A
Fiscal Details:
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source of funding: N/A |
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current f/y cost: N/A |
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budget clarification: N/A |
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annual recurring cost: N/A |
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budgeted in current f/y (if no, please describe): N/A |
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revenue agreement: No |
AGREEMENT/RESOLUTION/ORDINANCE APPROVED BY COUNTY COUNSEL: Yes
CEO Liaison: Executive Office
CEO Review: Yes
CEO Comments:
FOR COB USE ONLY
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Executed By: Deputy Clerk |
Final Status: Item Status |
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Date: Date Executed |
Executed Item Type: item |
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Number: |
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