Glendale, CA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

070, the architectural-elements standards that apply to every new building and site plan approved within Glendale's TOD district. Subsection J, 'Architectural Elements: Outdoor Lighting,' pairs two mandatory rules with the fence, canopy, balcony, trash-enclosure and utility-screening standards found earlier in the same section. First, every outdoor light fixture must be fully shielded from the top so the beam is aimed downward and confined to the parcel; light cannot spill over onto adjacent properties or the public realm. Second, fixture height is tied to the district's own building-height limit, and lighting serving uncovered parking areas, vehicle accessways and walkways is separately capped at 16 feet, with compliance also required under the current Glendale Building & Safety Code.

070 sits inside the TOD district development standards, Community Development Department staff review fixture cut sheets and photometric plans for compliance during design or development plan review before building permits are issued. A project that installs a floodlight or unshielded post-top fixture, or stacks a parking-lot pole above the 16-foot cap, fails plan check and must correct the fixture before final inspection. 040 covering commercial and industrial zones: this shielding requirement applies specifically to property inside the TOD district boundary.