Oxnard, CA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Maximum illumination
- 7 footcandles in lit area
- Minimum illumination
- 1 footcandle in lit area
- Light standard height cap
- 26 feet
- Governing section
- Oxnard Code § 16-320
- Applies to
- All zoning districts citywide
- Base penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
Summary
Oxnard's zoning code caps on-site lighting citywide: no more than seven footcandles and no less than one footcandle within the area required to be lit, under Code of Ordinances Section 16-320. Light standards cannot exceed 26 feet, and fixtures cannot create a traffic hazard on private property or abutting streets.
Lighting within physical limits of the area required to be lighted shall not exceed seven footcandles, nor be less than one footcandle at any point. ... No lighting shall be of a type or in a location that constitutes a hazard to vehicular traffic, either on private property or on abutting streets. The height of light standards shall not exceed 26 feet. To prevent damage from automobiles, standards shall be mounted on reinforced concrete pedestals or otherwise protected.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Contains Supplement current through 1-26-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 16-320, in Article IV "Standards for All Zones," Division 1 "General Requirements," sets a citywide brightness band for outdoor lighting fixtures: illumination inside the area a fixture is meant to light must stay between one and seven footcandles. That floor keeps parking areas and walkways from going dark, while the seven-footcandle ceiling limits glare and skyglow from over-lit private lots. The same section caps the height of light standards at 26 feet and requires poles be mounted on reinforced concrete pedestals or otherwise protected from vehicle damage, addressing the taller freestanding poles used in commercial parking lots and multi-family developments.
The rule also bars any lighting "of a type or in a location that constitutes a hazard to vehicular traffic," reaching both on-site placement and glare visible from abutting public streets. Community Development Department staff check proposed lighting plans against Section 16-320 during site plan and building permit review for new commercial, industrial and multi-family projects; single-family retrofits are typically caught through code enforcement complaints rather than a standalone lighting permit. The section traces to "64 Code Sec. 3" and Ordinance No. 1376, showing it predates the current recodification but remains in force unchanged for every zoning district in the city, not just commercial areas.
Violations & Fines
A fixture exceeding seven footcandles, dropping below one footcandle in the lit area, mounted past 26 feet, or glaring onto traffic is a code violation the city attorney can pursue under the general penalty rule, Section 1-10: up to $1,000 and six months in jail as a misdemeanor, or, at the city attorney's discretion, an infraction with escalating fines of $100, $200 and $500 for repeat violations of the same section within a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Oxnard's maximum outdoor lighting level?
How tall can a parking lot light pole be in Oxnard?
Who enforces Oxnard's outdoor lighting standards?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oxnard
California rules heatmap·Compare Oxnard to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Dark Sky Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle dark sky rules.