Baldwin Park, CA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

020 applies to all new construction, renovation and alteration of uses or structures in every zone district. Subsection (F), Lighting orientation and shielding, is the shielding mandate: all lights shall be directed, oriented and shielded to prevent light from shining onto adjacent properties, onto public rights-of-way, and into driveway areas in a manner that would obstruct motorists' vision. The section pairs that with a height cap in subsection (B): lighting support structures cannot exceed the maximum building height allowed in their zone, and in no case may exceed 40 feet regardless of the zone's height limit.

Subsection (D), Constant light, bars flickering or flashing fixtures outright and requires that any light that does change intensity or color hold each setting for at least 30 minutes. Subsection (E) keeps light sources out of required buffer areas except where needed to illuminate a pedestrian walkway, and subsection (G) extends the no-glare rule to illuminated advertising signs, which cannot cast light or glare onto surrounding properties. Subsection (C) sets the baseline standard that lighting intensity be the minimum required to accomplish the purpose of the light, with a candle-power diagram in the code as a design guide, so a lighting plan that exceeds what a use needs is itself noncompliant even before shielding is considered.