Nevada County, CA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Unincorporated Nevada County addresses outdoor lighting through its zoning regulations and General Plan policies rather than a single dedicated dark-sky chapter. The County's site-development standards require that artificial illumination for off-street parking and loading facilities be installed, directed, and shielded to confine all direct rays of artificial light within the boundaries of the facility, and the sign code requires that any external sign lighting be shielded and screened from direct view so it illuminates only the sign face (Section L-II 4.2.12.K.7). The Nevada County General Plan further directs that new and replacement road-system lighting, and new commercial, industrial, and multifamily development, use fixtures and light sources that minimize nighttime light pollution. A lighting plan is generally required with discretionary projects that propose outdoor lighting, showing fixture location, height, and positioning. It is important to distinguish jurisdictions: the well-publicized Dark Skies ordinance requiring fully shielded, full-cutoff fixtures and a maximum 3,000 Kelvin color temperature was adopted by the City of Nevada City (an incorporated municipality), and those specific standards do not automatically apply to the surrounding unincorporated county. Property owners in the unincorporated county should consult the Community Development Agency for the lighting standards applicable to their specific zoning district and project type.