Sacramento County Zoning Code includes outdoor lighting standards requiring shielded fixtures, limits on illumination spillover, and uplighting restrictions. Agricultural and rural-residential zones have stricter dark-sky provisions to protect night skies. New commercial development must meet Title 24 Part 6 energy-efficiency outdoor lighting standards.
Sacramento County Zoning Code Title 3 regulates outdoor lighting to minimize light pollution, glare, and trespass onto neighboring properties. Standards typically require fully-shielded (full cutoff) fixtures for parking lots, site lighting, and commercial signage. Uplighting of buildings is limited or prohibited in many zones. Rural and agricultural zones have stricter requirements to preserve dark skies. New commercial and multifamily construction must comply with CA Title 24 Part 6 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Outdoor Lighting) which cap lighting power densities by zone classification and require automatic shutoff controls. Residential lighting (porch lights, landscape lighting) is less regulated but subject to Title 3 light-trespass standards prohibiting excessive illumination on adjacent properties (commonly 0.5 foot-candles at property line). Complaints can be filed with code enforcement.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Sacramento County, CA
Unincorporated Sacramento County Zoning Code restricts RV, boat, and trailer storage in residential zones. Generally allowed in side or rear yards with scree...
Sacramento County, CA
Unincorporated Sacramento County does not generally prohibit overnight street parking in residential areas. The CVC 22651(k) 72-hour rule applies. Some comme...
Sacramento County, CA
California Civil Code 841 (Good Neighbor Fence Act) presumes equal cost-sharing for boundary fences. 30-day written notice is required before building or rep...
Sacramento County, CA
Fences 7 feet and under in unincorporated Sacramento County do not require a building permit, but a zoning clearance is required for front-yard fences over 3...
Sacramento County, CA
Sacramento County allows backyard chickens in most residential zones: up to 6 hens on lots under 10,000 sq ft, no roosters in RD zones. Coops must be set bac...
Sacramento County, CA
Sacramento County Code 9.60 prohibits feeding wild mammals including deer, raccoons, coyotes, and wild turkeys. Bird feeders are allowed if they do not attra...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Sacramento County.
See how other cities in Sacramento County handle dark sky rules.
See how McClellan Park's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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