Bothell, WA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Pole height, Lighting Zone 2
- 15 feet above city-approved finish grade
- Pole height, Lighting Zone 3
- 20 feet above city-approved finish grade
- Office and industrial lot curfew
- 25 percent maximum output, 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Mixed use with residential curfew
- 50 percent maximum output
- Single-family pole fixtures
- Maximum 12 feet above finish grade
- Governing section
- BMC 12.14.240
Summary
BMC 12.14.240 regulates exterior lighting in the City of Bothell, Washington to cut light trespass, glare, and sky glow. It sets curfews that dim parking lot lighting to 25 or 50 percent of normal output, caps pole heights at 15 to 25 feet, and requires house-side shields on fixtures near neighboring property.
A. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to regulate exterior lighting by promoting the principles of good lighting design, including: ... 2. Minimize adverse off-site impacts including light trespass, glare, and night glow; ... 4. Curtail light pollution and preserve the night-time environment. ... “Fully shielded luminaire” means a luminaire typically with opaque top and sides, capable of only emitting light in the lower photometric hemisphere as installed. ... d. Parking structures or garages and other types of covered parking areas – no curfew; provided, that all light fixtures are fully shielded or obscured by building components such that the fixture is not visible from surrounding properties. ... (3) All light fixtures within two mounting pole heights of any adjacent property (excluding public rights-of-way) that are not building mounted must be facing in toward the project and have house-side shields consistent with Figure 12.14-25 installed on the side of the fixture nearest the adjacent property.
Full Breakdown
The City of Bothell states the purpose of BMC 12.14.240 directly: allow reasonable exterior lighting for safety, security, and commerce, minimize off-site impacts including light trespass, glare, and night glow, conserve energy, and curtail light pollution while preserving the night-time environment. The section applies to exterior lighting installed with development applications, including building, grading, utility, conditional use, and tenant improvement permits. Exemptions cover right-of-way roadway lighting, sign lighting, emergency lighting, traffic signals, holiday lighting of 10 watts or less per lamp, and low voltage landscape lighting on a photoelectric or astronomic switch.
Bothell assigns lighting zones. Residential, neighborhood business, and similar areas fall in Lighting Zone 2, and commercial districts fall in Lighting Zone 3. Maximum pole heights are 15 feet in Zone 2 and 20 feet in Zone 3, rising to 20 and 25 feet for developments classified as large. A fixture within two mounting pole heights of an adjacent property must face in toward the project and carry a house-side shield on the side nearest that property.
Curfews reduce output uniformly rather than switching fixtures off. Office, warehouse, and light industrial parking lots drop to a maximum of 25 percent from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. or 30 minutes before opening. Retail parking lots drop to 25 percent starting two hours after closing. Mixed use with residential drops to a maximum of 50 percent. Parking garages have no curfew if all fixtures are fully shielded or hidden from surrounding properties. A fully shielded luminaire emits light only in the lower photometric hemisphere.
Single-family homes get their own limits: fully shielded porch fixtures up to 2,700 lumens, translucent lenses up to 1,220 lumens, and pole-mounted fixtures no higher than 12 feet above finish grade.
Violations & Fines
BMC 1.24.010 makes a violation of the Bothell Municipal Code a misdemeanor unless a different punishment is prescribed, with a fine not to exceed $1,000, imprisonment of not more than 90 days, or both. Each day of a continuing violation is a separate offense under BMC 1.24.020, and administrative and civil remedies stay available.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a fully shielded light under Bothell's code?
Do Bothell parking lots have to dim at night?
How tall can a light pole be in the City of Bothell?
What lighting is exempt from the exterior lighting section?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bothell
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