Mesa, AZ Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

" Fixtures are classed by lamp type in Table 4-4-1(F): metal halide must be fully shielded and filtered, while high- and low-pressure sodium need only partial shielding with no filtering. 3 footcandles where the line adjoins residential use; a property line next to a public street may be treated as the street centerline. and sunrise. Table 4-4-1(H) ties maximum HID lamp wattage to mounting height: 1,000 watts at 40 feet, 400 watts at 25 feet, 250 watts at 20 feet, and 150 watts at 15 feet; fixtures under 150 watts may go at any height.

Fixtures installed before September 18, 2004 are grandfathered as nonconforming unless altered, replaced, or restored after abandonment. Exemptions cover federal and state-owned facilities, fossil-fuel (gas) lighting, and flagpole illumination limited to three fixtures of 75 watts or less. The Building Safety Director may grant a written special exemption for extreme geographic or geometric conditions, or a temporary exemption of up to 30 days on a written application that discloses fixture type, wattage, lumens, and location; a rejected temporary-exemption request can be appealed to the Building Board of Appeals under Title 2, Chapter 11.

Violations of Chapter 4-4 carry the Title 4 general penalty under Section 4-1-9: a class one misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $2,500, up to six months in city jail, or both, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense.