Mesa County, CO Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Illumination method allowed
- Downward-facing, downcast light only
- Zoning districts permitted
- C-2, I-1, I-2
- Max sign height
- 40 feet above street/ground level
- Max sign face area
- 300 square feet
- Signs per parcel
- 1
Summary
Mesa County requires outdoor advertising signs lit by indirect or external illumination to use only downward-facing, downcast light that keeps beams confined to the sign face and out of drivers' and neighbors' direct line of sight.
Outdoor advertising signs that are illuminated by indirect or external illumination shall use only downward facing, downcast light to confine direct light beams to the sign and out of the direct vision.
Full Breakdown
11 of the Land Development Code governs outdoor advertising signs, limiting them to one per parcel on land zoned C-2, I-1 or I-2, capped at 40 feet in height and between 15 and 300 square feet of face area under subsection A. Subsection C, Illumination, addresses lighting directly: signs illuminated by indirect or external light sources must use only downward-facing, downcast fixtures that confine the light beam to the sign itself and keep it out of direct vision, preventing glare toward roadways and adjacent properties.
05 where applicable. B, requiring two feet of separation from adjacent outdoor advertising signs for every square foot of sign face, further limits how many illuminated billboards can cluster along a single corridor, reducing cumulative light impact from the outdoor advertising sign inventory in the county's commercial and industrial districts.
Violations & Fines
An outdoor advertising sign lit with upward-facing, glare-producing, or otherwise non-downcast fixtures violates Section 9.11.C's illumination standard, and the Director can require repair or removal of the offending fixture under Section 9.12.A, with immediate removal authority in cases of danger to the public.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a billboard in Mesa County use floodlights?
Which zones allow illuminated outdoor advertising signs?
Do electronic billboards face extra lighting rules beyond the downcast requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mesa County
Compare Mesa County to another location·View the Colorado outdoor lighting overview
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