Pico Rivera, CA Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)

Section 18.20.120(D) of the Pico Rivera Municipal Code sets separate operational lighting standards for digital billboards beyond the general sign illumination rules in Section 18.20.050. Under Subsection D(3)(a), each static message on a digital billboard cannot include flashing lights or a change in light intensity. Subsection D(3)(c) sets the core brightness ceiling: a digital billboard cannot operate at brightness levels of more than 0.3 foot candles above ambient light, measured with a foot candle meter at a pre-set distance tied to the sign's face size under Table 18.20.120.A, which runs from 150 feet for a 12-by-25-foot face up to 350 feet for a 20-by-60-foot face.

Subsection D(3)(e) requires every digital billboard to carry a light-sensing device that automatically adjusts brightness as ambient light conditions change through the day and night. Subsection D(8) adds a safety-driven color restriction: a digital billboard cannot incorporate red, blinking or intermittent lighting that could be mistaken for warning or danger signals, and its illumination cannot impair the vision of travelers on the adjacent freeway or roadway. Subsection D(4) backs this up operationally, requiring each billboard to be designed to shut off or show a full black screen if it malfunctions, and Subsection D(2) requires every digital billboard to connect to the National Emergency Network so it can display Amber Alerts and other emergency information.