Caldwell's outdoor lighting standards require fixtures over 15 feet tall to use a full cutoff shield, restrict uplighting to fixtures shielded from the sky by a roof or similar structure, and require floodlights to be sensor-activated and shut off within 5 minutes. The rules limit glare and skyward light, functioning as the city's dark-sky-style standards.
Caldwell addresses light pollution through its Standards for Outdoor Lighting in City Code 10-08-09. The rules aim to control glare and skyward light rather than impose a formal International Dark-Sky designation. All fixtures over 15 feet in height shall be fitted with a full cutoff shield, which directs light downward and limits light cast above the horizontal. Uplighting is allowed only where the fixture and any light it emits are shielded from the sky by a roof overhang or similar structural shield, sharply limiting decorative or architectural lighting aimed at the sky. Floodlight fixtures are prohibited downtown except within alleys, and floodlights must be set to activate only when triggered by activity on the property (sensor-activated) and to switch off within 5 minutes after activity ceases. These provisions reduce nighttime glare, energy waste, and the loss of the night sky in residential and downtown areas. The city's separate subdivision-improvement standards also govern street lighting, requiring streetlights at intersections and pole spacing not exceeding 350 feet. Property owners installing new exterior lighting should choose full-cutoff or shielded fixtures, avoid aiming light upward, and put floodlights on motion sensors to comply.
Installing a fixture over 15 feet tall without a full cutoff shield, aiming uplighting at the sky without a shielding roof or structure, running floodlights continuously instead of on a sensor that shuts off within 5 minutes, or using floodlights downtown outside of alleys violates the outdoor lighting standards and can require fixture replacement or modification.
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See how Caldwell's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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