Outdoor Lighting in Skagit County, WA (2026)
2 rules for unincorporated Skagit County, Washington.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
In unincorporated Skagit County, the Unified Development Code requires full cutoff outdoor lighting fixtures within 250 feet of a residential zone in the Bayview Ridge Light Industrial (BR-LI) area. The rule sits inside SCC 14.15.300(5), the buffering standard between industrial and residential zoned land, and is enforced by Planning and Development Services.
Full Cutoff Lighting Buffer in Skagit County
Some RestrictionsSkagit County Code § 14.15.300(5)(b)
(5) Buffering Between Industrial and Residential Zoned Land. The following measures are intended to minimize impacts from noise, vibration, dust, other industrial impacts, and to maintain privacy and aesthetic compatibility: ... (b) Within 250 feet of a residential zone, all outdoor lighting must be full cutoff.
Light Trespass & Shielding
SCC 14.20.040 caps light spilling onto a neighbor's land at one foot-candle at the property boundary and requires full cut-off fixtures aimed away from adjoining properties. The standard applies to every use in every zone in unincorporated Skagit County unless another section says otherwise.
Outdoor Lighting Trespass Limit in Skagit County
Some RestrictionsSkagit County Code § 14.20.040
(1) Any activity producing steam, heat, or glare must be carried on in such a manner that the steam, heat, or glare does not create a nuisance beyond the boundary lines of the property within which the use is located. (2) Building materials with high-light reflective qualities may not be used in construction of buildings where reflected sunlight would throw intense glare on adjacent area...
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