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.
Ordinance 655 protects Palomar Observatory and was modeled on the San Diego County companion ordinance. Zone A (within 15 miles of Palomar) and Zone B (15 to 45 miles) cover most of western Riverside County including Temecula, Murrieta, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Hemet, Perris, Moreno Valley, Menifee, and Anza. All new outdoor fixtures over a low lumen threshold must be fully shielded (light emitted only below the horizontal plane). Permitted lamp types historically emphasized low-pressure sodium; more recent amendments allow filtered or narrow-band amber LEDs with correlated color temperature generally at 3000K or lower, with stricter limits in Zone A. Non-essential commercial, decorative, and sports lighting must be turned off between 11 p.m. and sunrise. Permits from Building & Safety require a photometric plan showing compliance. Near Joshua Tree National Park (eastern county) additional dark-sky sensitivity applies for parcels within visual range of the International Dark Sky Park. Retrofits of legacy fixtures are triggered by remodels exceeding 50 percent of parcel improvement value. Violations are enforced by Code Enforcement under Ord. 725 nuisance provisions with administrative fines.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Riverside County code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Riverside County.
See how other cities in Riverside County handle dark sky rules.
See how Anza's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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