Mendocino County planning commission approves Gather Events permit with 60 dB property-line limit and 10 p.m. music cutoff

The Mendocino County Planning Commission voted unanimously May 21 to approve an administrative permit for Gather Events, allowing outdoor weddings and events for up to 300 guests across four on-site venues at 4800 Burke Hill Drive.

Planning and Building Services project planner Mark Kaiser told the commission staff had completed site visits and sound tests and added a new condition requiring that “music and other noise generated by the project shall not exceed 60 dBA as measured at the property line of the subject parcel.” Kaiser also noted the county’s new noise ordinance enables enforcement and fines (cited in the staff presentation as California code section 25132) and that the permit may be revoked if conditions are violated.

The permit allows four venue areas — the White Barn (4,200 sq ft plus 450 sq ft patio), Pavilion Gardens (6,450 sq ft outdoor area), Oak Tree Courtyard (21,032 sq ft with a stage) and Willow Tree Plaza (2,500 sq ft) — with on-site parking for approximately 100 vehicles and an additional off-site lot of about 50 spaces to be served by shuttle vans. Staff recommended limiting events of 100–300 guests to no more than five in any six-month period; events under 100 guests are not limited by that condition.

Applicant Yasmin Mendoza said her team always has staff on site with decibel meters and a sound engineer during live music, and that they ask musicians and DJs to limit amplification. “We always have staff on site and we all each staff member has a decibel reader,” Mendoza said in her presentation. She described operational measures — parking attendants, shuttle vendors, speaker orientation and a public calendar on the venue website — intended to minimize neighborhood impacts and to manage circulation.

Neighbors raised concerns. Katrina Bartle, who lives at 4500 Burke Hill Road, told the commission she has lived in the area more than 30 years and that she has called the sheriff’s office about noise and parking. “There are evenings when we do hear them,” Bartle said, adding she had experienced windows shaking at an early event and opposed moving amplified music to 11 p.m.

Staff reported four noise complaints to the sheriff’s office from January 2022 through May 20, 2026; those complaints were recorded but, staff said, were not verified because callers did not leave contact information. Commissioners asked how exceedances would be verified; staff said the sheriff has decibel readers and can verify readings in response to complaints, and the applicant said on-site meters include time stamps and are used during events.

Commissioners framed the decision around balancing neighborhood impacts and local economic benefits. Commissioner Johnson, who made the motion to approve, cited the venue’s site management practices and the role events play in supporting local hotels, restaurants and vendors. Commissioner Jones, who seconded, urged continued attention to neighbors and said the 60 dB limit is not trivial and should be enforced.

The commission approved the resolution as modified and attached the conditions of approval, including the 60 dB property-line limit, the event-frequency cap for larger gatherings, a requirement that amplified music end at 10 p.m., parking and shuttle provisions, annual review requirements noted by staff, and a revocation mechanism for condition violations. The motion carried on a unanimous roll call vote.