Gardena, CA Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)

Section 18.58.060(D), part of the sign chapter's design standards, states that all lighting and illumination of signs, when allowed, must comply with applicable safety codes, and specifically requires that all external lighting be hooded and directed to the sign face and away from adjacent properties. That standard applies to any illuminated sign, including a digital billboard approved under § 18.58.055, since a digital billboard is a lighted sign facing the design standards of Chapter 18.58 in addition to the photometric study required at approval. The rule adds a targeted protection for nearby homes: on any use where the sign is visible from a residential zone, the illumination must be shielded to minimize light spilling into that residential zone, going beyond the general hooding requirement to address glare and light trespass specifically toward residential neighbors.

Construction of the sign and its lighting fixtures must also meet all applicable safety codes under § 18.58.060(E). The Director is authorized under § 18.58.060(F) to inspect a sign that constitutes a hazard by reason of maintenance or condition and to order repair, with that decision appealable to the Planning Commission under § 18.58.080, giving the City an enforcement path against a lighted sign or billboard whose fixtures degrade and begin casting unshielded light.