Murrieta, CA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Dark sky zone radius
- 30 miles around Palomar Observatory
- Preferred lamp
- Low-pressure sodium
- Non-sodium lumen cap
- 4,050 lumens for Class II/III
- Class I/III curfew
- Off 11 p.m. to sunrise
- Class II lighting
- May remain on all night
- Searchlights
- Advertising use flatly prohibited
Summary
Murrieta sits inside the thirty-mile Palomar Observatory dark sky zone, and §16.18.110 forces most outdoor fixtures to be fully shielded, favors low-pressure sodium lamps, bans high-lumen fixtures in most uses, and shuts off decorative and sign lighting between 11 p.m. and sunrise to cut light pollution reaching the telescope.
Dark Sky Zone. The circular area thirty (30) miles in radius centered on the Palomar Observatory. Fully Shielded. Outdoor light fixtures shielded or constructed so that light rays emitted by the fixtures are projected below the horizontal plane passing through the lowest point on the fixture from which light is emitted. ... G. Prohibitions. 1. All Class I lighting shall be off between eleven (11:00) p.m. and sunrise, except as follows: ... 2. All Class II lighting may remain on all night. 3. All Class III lighting shall be off between eleven (11:00) p.m. and sunrise. 4. Operation of searchlights for advertising purposes is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-23: A Codification of the General Ordinances of the City of Murrieta, California through Ord. 634-26, passed 7-7-2026).
Full Breakdown
110 defines the "Dark Sky Zone" as "the circular area thirty (30) miles in radius centered on the Palomar Observatory," a definition that places all of Murrieta inside the shielding standards. The section sorts outdoor fixtures into three classes: Class I (sales, eating, assembly areas and signs where color rendition matters), Class II (walkways, private roads, parking lots and security lighting) and Class III (decorative lighting on flagpoles, trees, fountains, statuary and building walls). Subsection E's table sets lamp limits by class: low-pressure sodium is allowed in every class, but non-sodium fixtures above 4,050 lumens are only allowed in Class I if "fully shielded," and are flatly "Prohibited" in Class II and Class III.
" Applicants for nonexempt outdoor lighting must submit fixture cut sheets and a lighting plan to the department showing compliance before building plan check approval, per subsection F.
Violations & Fines
A nonexempt fixture that runs past curfew or uses an unshielded high-lumen lamp is cited by code enforcement under the same citywide general penalty, Murrieta Code of Ordinances §1.08.050: a first infraction tops out at a $100 fine, a second at $200, and a third becomes prosecutable as a misdemeanor with fines up to $1,000 or up to six months in county jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Murrieta regulate outdoor lighting for an observatory?
What lamps are banned under the dark sky rules?
Do parking lot lights have to shut off at night in Murrieta?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Murrieta
California rules heatmap·Compare Murrieta to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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How other cities in Riverside County handle dark sky rules.