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

Under Section 17.40.080 of the Zoning Code, every exterior light fixture installed on private property in Pasadena must be "energy-efficient, and shielded or recessed so that direct glare and reflections are confined to the maximum extent feasible within the boundaries of the site." The ordinance further requires fixtures to be "directed downward and away from adjoining properties and public rights-of-way," the operative shielding standard: light sources cannot simply point sideways or up toward a neighbor's yard or the street. The Zoning Administrator applies this rule to every private lighting installation citywide, not just new construction, so retrofits and replacement fixtures are covered too.

Subsection B bars flashing or high-intensity fixtures outright: "No permanently installed lighting shall blink, flash, or be of unusually high intensity or brightness, as determined by the Zoning Administrator," giving the Administrator discretion to flag strobe effects, uplighting, or oversized floodlights even if they stay within the site. Subsection C requires that fixture scale, intensity and mounting height be "appropriate...to the use they are serving," so an oversized commercial pole light in a residential side yard would not pass review.

Sports and recreation lighting carries its own trigger: under subsection D, "Lighting for an outdoor sports court or field within 300 feet of a residential zoning district shall require Minor Conditional Use Permit approval," meaning a backyard court light or an athletic field light near homes cannot be installed under a standard Building Permit alone; it needs discretionary review. Parking lot lighting is carved out to a separate standard, Section 17.46.220, so commercial lot fixtures are reviewed under that companion section instead.