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

Milpitas Municipal Code Section XIII-C.2.070 (Lighting and Illumination) states its purpose is to minimize outdoor artificial light that may have a detrimental effect on the environment and enjoyment of the night sky, and to reduce the unnecessary intrusion of light onto adjacent properties. The standards apply to all new construction and to any exterior alteration or addition that installs new exterior light fixtures or replaces existing ones. Subsection C.3.a sets the general shielding rule: exterior lighting must be shielded or recessed and directed downward and away from adjoining properties and public rights-of-way.

Fixtures rated at 1,000 lumens or less may use a semi-translucent partial shield if the lamp is not visible offsite and the fixture has an opaque top, while fixtures of 400 lumens or less may go unshielded as long as the top stays opaque. Accent uplighting on architecture or landscaping is allowed only if the light is fully contained by the structure or planting and produces no glare or trespass. Subsection E lists outright prohibitions that reinforce the dark-sky purpose: outdoor floodlighting, searchlights, sky beams, strobe or laser lights (except for emergency services or weather data gathering), and mercury vapor lights and aerial lasers are all banned.

Certain uses are exempt from the whole Section, including public and private street lighting, school or park athletic field lights, safety lighting for public facilities, and temporary construction, emergency, or low-wattage seasonal lighting. Milpitas Planning and Neighborhood Services checks these standards during plan review for any project that installs or replaces exterior fixtures.