3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 6 cities in Riverside County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Riverside County Ordinance 655, the Mount Palomar Light Pollution Ordinance, imposes some of the strictest outdoor-lighting rules in California. Within approximately 45 miles of Palomar Observatory (Zones A and B) all new exterior lighting must be shielded, low-pressure or filtered low-color-temperature sodium, and most decorative lighting must be extinguished after 11 p.m.
Riverside County Ordinance 655 and nuisance code Ordinance 725 jointly prohibit outdoor lighting that shines directly onto neighboring property or into bedroom windows. Any fixture that casts more than 0.5 foot-candles at a residential property line may be cited as both a lighting-code violation and a nuisance.
Riverside County Ord. 655 protects Mt. Palomar Observatory through one of the strongest dark-sky lighting laws in the United States, restricting outdoor lighting type, intensity, and curfews across western Riverside County.
6 cities in Riverside County have their own outdoor lighting rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
2 verified rules β’ Dark Sky Rules, Light Trespass
2 verified rules β’ Dark Sky Rules, Light Trespass
2 verified rules β’ Dark Sky Rules, Light Trespass
2 verified rules β’ Dark Sky Rules, Light Trespass
2 verified rules β’ Dark Sky Rules, Light Trespass
2 verified rules β’ Dark Sky Rules, Light Trespass
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Riverside County Ordinance Hub β