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Board approves amended special-use permit for Rancho Viejo event venue with 85 dB noise limit
Summary
After years of complaints and enforcement activity, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors approved an amended special-use permit for Rancho Viejo, allowing amplified music under new restrictions and a process to rapidly pursue revocation if violations occur.
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted 4–1 to approve an amended special-use permit for Rancho Viejo, a private outdoor event venue in the Goodyear area, lifting some prior restrictions while adding new enforceable noise and permitting conditions.
The vote follows years of enforcement action and public complaints. The amendment allows amplified music under specified conditions, increases permitted attendance, and requires the operator to complete required construction permits, parking and drainage work, perimeter walls and restrooms before continued operation.
Staff said the amendment was intended to reconcile ongoing violations of the prior 2019 permit and to provide a clear, enforceable set of conditions for future events. Bill Lally, attorney for the applicant, told the board the new package “has reasonable accommodations to allow for a wedding venue to happen, reasonable safeguards to prevent, too much noise too late in the night.” He and the owners agreed to limit live bands and to rely primarily on DJs using house speakers oriented to reduce off-site sound.
Opponents told the board the venue has a lengthy history of violations and nuisance calls to law enforcement. Residents submitted police logs, photos, and videos and said repeated earlier efforts to secure compliance had failed. One neighbor said the venue had been “tortured” by ongoing noise for years and urged revocation rather than an amended permit.
The board’s approval included a new, written condition limiting amplified sound to 85 decibels as measured at the property boundary and other site-specific hours and operational limits. Staff and the applicant also agreed on language instructing county staff to initiate revocation proceedings promptly if verified noncompliance occurs rather than routinely negotiating a new compliance agreement. County staff told the board that verified violations would be handled through established enforcement channels, including referral to the civil hearing officer for per‑day fines of up to the statutory maximum and expedited remand to the Planning & Zoning Commission and Board when required.
Supervisor comments showed differing views: some supervisors said they were persuaded by the amended conditions and the additional monitoring language, while one supervisor voted no, citing persistent enforcement concerns and past noncompliance.
The board directed staff to track compliance closely and said that any verified violation would prompt rapid enforcement steps. The motion carried 4–1.
