Kirkland's Outdoor Lighting: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles outdoor lighting a little differently. In Kirkland, Washington, there are 2 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Light Trespass & Shielding

Kirkland requires every development citywide to select, place and direct light sources so glare does not extend onto adjacent properties or the right-of-way. Rose Hill Business District and TL 9A vehicle-sales lighting face added numeric limits capping spillover at the property line.

Key details: Citywide rule: Glare barred from adjacent property, KZC 115.85(1)(c). Boundary limit (Rose Hill/TL 9A): 0.6 fc at boundary, 0.1 fc onto residential land. Curfew: Lights off by 10:00 p.m. except security. Fixture height cap: 20 ft ground-mounted; 12 ft after-hours security. Trigger for compliance: >25% floor area increase, KZC 115.85(2)(c)(2).

Lighting plans that fail to meet the glare-control standard of KZC 115.85(1)(c) can be rejected at permit review; in the Rose Hill Business District and TL 9A, the Planning Official must approve a photometric site plan before development proceeds, and existing nonconforming fixtures must be brought into shielding compliance when replaced, moved, or when a building's floor area expands more than 25 percent.

Dark Sky Rules

New development in Kirkland's NE 85th St. Station Area must shield exterior lighting to cut uplight and light trespass. KZC 57.25.040(1)(d) caps illuminance at the development boundary and requires ASHRAE-compliant lighting controls to protect nighttime habitat.

Key details: Boundary illuminance cap: 0.20 footcandles (2.0 lux). 15 ft beyond boundary cap: 0.01 footcandles (0.1 lux). Uplight lumen limit: 5% max at 90°+ from nadir. Lighting control standard: ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-2007 §9.4.1.3. Where it applies: NE 85th St. Station Area regulating districts only.

Lighting plans that exceed the 0.20/0.01 footcandle thresholds or skip the five-percent uplight documentation are flagged during Planning and Building Department design review for NE 85th St. Station Area projects, and the department can withhold approval of the lighting plan until fixtures are re-shielded or re-aimed to meet the nadir and footcandle limits before permits are finalized.

The Bottom Line

Kirkland'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 Kirkland is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Kirkland can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.