What renting a venue with a Use Permit
for Special Events means to You:

Every wedding season, we receive phone calls from couples who are suddenly left without a venue just weeks or days before their weddings. These couples spent countless hours finding the perfect spot for their weddings. They sent out invitations, their guests planned and paid for travel and they paid their vendors. Then, the illegal venue they booked has been shut down by Code Enforcement. Unfortunately, they reserved and paid for an illegal venue that is operating without a Use Permit for Special Events. If your event is big or small—all venues in Sonoma County require a Use Permit for Special Events.

Renting a rural property or winery for events is a business—property owners are required to have a Use Permit for Special Events. Venues with a Use Permit for Special Events are operating legally. Neighbors, the city and/or Sonoma County Bureau of Zoning Adjustments, Code Enforcement and the Permit Resource Management Department are aware of these permitted businesses. They have established conditions under which each legal venue must operate.

Venues with Use Permits for Special Events:

• operate openly without fear of being discovered by zoning officials. They are never “secret or private venues” that only caterers and/or wedding planners know about.
   
• honestly enter into a site rental agreements because they are operating legally. Your wedding will not be cancelled because neighbors call in complaints causing Code Enforcement to close the venue.
   
• have met essential public health, fire safety and highway safety requirements.
   
• can show you their Use Permit for Special Events. If they can't show you a permit, they probably don't have one.

You do not have to be operating legally to advertise. Publishers of wedding books, magazines and websites are in the business of selling advertising. Buyer beware—it is easy for you to verify that the site you want to rent is operating legally. You will need the street address of the facility. Then, call Sonoma County Code Enforcement at 707 565-3717 to verify that the venue at that address holds a Use Permit for Events. The legal status of properties who claim to be “getting permits” or “grandfathered in” can easily be verified with Sonoma County Code Enforcement. Owners of legal venues never object to customers verifying the legal status of the property with Code Enforcement.

I hope this information helps you make an informed choice. Your wedding venue is the backdrop for one of the most important days in your lives.

 
Healdsburg Country Gardens ~ Gorgeous Wine Country Weddings