Outdoor Lighting in Lakewood, WA

If you live in Lakewood or are thinking about moving there, outdoor lighting are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Lakewood has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of outdoor lighting, and some of them might surprise you.

Billboard Lighting

Lakewood, Washington restricts billboard illumination under LMC 18A.100.080(D)(6)(c). Billboards may not carry flashing, intermittent or moving lights, and any illumination must be shielded so light hits only the billboard face, never the traveled way of a highway. The City can order fixes for excessive glare at its sole discretion.

Key details: Governing section: LMC 18A.100.080(D)(6)(c). Flashing/moving lights: Banned; existing ones only removable. Shielding standard: Light must hit billboard face only. Excessive glare: City has sole discretion to order fix. Cross-referenced code: Must also meet LMC 18A.60.095.

Noncompliant lighting is enforced through the Planning and Public Works Director under LMC 18A.100.080(F). A billboard the City finds excessively illuminated must be modified per the City's instructions; failure to bring it into compliance, or failure to remove a nonconforming sign once ordered, is deemed a public nuisance. The City may then remove the sign itself and recover removal costs, including administrative and indirect costs, by placing a lien on the property.

Light Trespass & Shielding

Lakewood's outdoor lighting code caps how much light a fixture can throw onto a neighbor's property. Under LMC 18A.60.095(C)(3), every installation must be designed to keep light trespass within the numeric limits set by Table 1 and Table 2, tied to the property's assigned Lighting Zone. The Planning and Public Works Department enforces the standard through the lighting permit process.

Key details: Governing section: LMC 18A.60.095(C)(3). Zone 1 trespass limit: 0.1 footcandle at property line. Zone 3 trespass limit: 0.5 footcandle at property line. Enforcing agency: Planning and Public Works Department. Max civil infraction: $500 per day, LMC 1.48.010.

Installing or operating outdoor lighting that exceeds the Table 1 or Table 2 trespass limit, or that skips the required plan review, is a violation of LMC Title 18A. Under LMC 18A.20.105(B), a violation of any Title 18A development standard is a Class 2 civil infraction, and LMC 1.48.010 caps a Class 2 civil infraction at $500.00, with each day, location and violator counted as a separate infraction.

Dark Sky Rules

Lakewood requires every outdoor luminaire to be fully shielded so no light escapes into the sky, and bans upward-aimed 'uplighting' in its two lowest-intensity zones. LMC 18A.60.095(C)(1) and (E)(2)(b) set the shielding and BUG-rating standard that protects both the night sky and Joint Base Lewis-McChord's pilot training missions.

Key details: Shielding rule: LMC 18A.60.095(C)(1). BUG rating rule: LMC 18A.60.095(E)(2)(b). Zone 1/2 uplight limit: BUG uplight value (U) of zero. Color temperature cap: 4,000 Kelvin maximum citywide. Max civil infraction: $500 per day, LMC 1.48.010.

Installing an unshielded fixture, or a nonresidential luminaire with a nonzero BUG uplight rating in Lighting Zone 1 or 2, violates LMC 18A.60.095 and is a Class 2 civil infraction under LMC 18A.20.105(B). LMC 1.48.010 sets the penalty ceiling at $500.00, with each day the noncompliant fixture remains in place, and each separate fixture, counted as its own infraction.

The Bottom Line

Lakewood'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 Lakewood is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Lakewood's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.