Marin County, CA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 22.16.030(G), Lighting, exterior
- Applies to
- Master Plan, Design Review, Site Plan Review projects
- Fixture standard
- Low-wattage, downward-directed, shielded
- Approval authority
- Community Development Agency Director
- Max penalty
- $2,500 per violation per day
Summary
Marin County's Development Code requires exterior lighting on any project that goes through Master Plan, Design Review, or Site Plan Review to stay low-wattage, point downward, and be shielded so it doesn't spill onto neighboring parcels. Section 22.16.030(G) limits off-site-visible fixtures to safety purposes only, and the Community Development Agency's Director signs off on placement before approval is final.
22.16.020 - Applicability. The provisions of this Chapter apply to proposed development subject to Master Plan, Design Review, and Site Plan Review, in addition to all other applicable provisions of this Development Code. ... G.Lighting, exterior. Exterior lighting visible from off-site should be allowed for safety purposes only, shall consist of low-wattage fixtures, and should be directed downward and shielded to prevent adverse lighting impacts on nearby properties, subject to the approval of the Director.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 2026 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
020 makes this chapter control if it conflicts with other provisions. Within that chapter's General Standards, Subsection G, titled 'Lighting, exterior,' is Marin's closest thing to a dark-sky rule: exterior fixtures visible from off the property are allowed only for safety, must be low-wattage, and should be directed downward and shielded so glare and spill don't reach nearby homes, subject to the Director's approval. The same General Standards section folds lighting into a broader site-design package covering clustering of buildings, ridgeline setbacks, and landscaping compatible with the native plant setting, so a lighting plan is reviewed alongside grading and building placement rather than as a stand-alone permit.
Because the standard sits in the discretionary-review chapter, it reaches subdivisions, planned districts (RSP, RMP, RX, RF), and any other project that needs Design Review or a Master Plan, not routine by-right remodels that need no discretionary approval. There's no countywide curfew or lumen cap outside this chapter, and no dedicated dark-sky ordinance elsewhere in Title 22; the Director's case-by-case sign-off, tied to the specific development approval, stands in for one. 42.
Violations & Fines
Because Section 22.16.030(G) is a condition of Design Review, Master Plan, or Site Plan Review approval rather than a separate infraction, the Community Development Agency enforces it as part of that permit. A fixture installed off-plan or without required shielding can trigger a Stop Work Order under Section 22.122.030; disregarding that order is a misdemeanor. The Director may also withhold further building permits under Section 22.122.050(G) until the lighting is corrected, and unresolved violations can draw nuisance-abatement penalties up to $2,500 per violation per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Marin County have a dark-sky ordinance for all properties?
What does the shielding standard actually require?
Who approves a project's lighting plan?
What happens if a fixture is installed without approval?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marin County
California rules heatmap·Compare Marin County to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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