Outdoor Lighting in Arvada, CO

If you live in Arvada or are thinking about moving there, outdoor lighting are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Arvada has 2 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of outdoor lighting, and some of them might surprise you.

Dark Sky Rules

Arvada requires every new or altered exterior light fixture to be a full cutoff, downward-directed fixture with a flat lens under Land Development Code Section 4-8-2-2(A), and bans searchlights, aerial lasers, and flashing lights outright. Section 4-8-2-6 imposes a lighting curfew: most exterior lighting must dim or shut off by at least 70 percent one hour after a business closes until an hour before it reopens.

Key details: Fixture type required: Full cutoff, flat lens (§4-8-2-2.A). Max lumens above 80°: 10% of total lumens. Prohibited lighting: Lasers, searchlights, flashing lights. Pole/fixture color: Dark only (black, gray, green, brown). Curfew reduction: 70% one hour after closing.

Installing non-cutoff fixtures, skipping the required shielding, or ignoring the lighting curfew is an LDC violation under Section 10-1-2-1(A)(1). The Director can require retrofits before issuing a certificate of occupancy, and the City can pursue a misdemeanor case under Section 10-1-2-3 carrying a fine up to the Section 1-5 cap of $2,650 and/or 180 days in jail, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.

Light Trespass & Shielding

Arvada caps how much light can spill onto a neighbor's property, limiting illumination at the lot line to 0.3 foot candles next to single-family and duplex homes, 0.8 next to multifamily property, 1.0 next to mixed-use and non-residential lots, and 1.5 in industrial districts under Land Development Code Table 4-8-2-2A. Decorative lighting within 50 feet of a home must also be shielded and pointed away from it.

Key details: Single-family/duplex line limit: 0.3 foot candles. Multifamily line limit: 0.8 foot candles. Mixed-use/non-residential limit: 1.0 foot candle. Industrial line limit: 1.5 foot candles. Uniformity ratio: 10-to-1 maximum to minimum.

Exceeding the Table 4-8-2-2A spill limits or an unshielded decorative fixture aimed at a neighboring home violates LDC Section 10-1-2-1(A)(1). The City can require a photometric plan correction before occupancy or pursue a misdemeanor under Section 10-1-2-3, carrying a fine up to the Section 1-5 cap of $2,650 and/or 180 days in jail, with continuing violations counted daily after the 14-day cure notice.

The Bottom Line

Arvada's outdoor lighting rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Arvada is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Arvada's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.