Phoenix Zoning Ordinance §704 requires fully-shielded fixtures, limits color temperature to 3000K on new installations, and sets a maximum mounting height. Commercial parking lots must reduce lighting by 50% within 30 minutes of close. The standards implement Arizona Revised Statutes 49-1101+ across Maricopa County.
Phoenix Zoning Ordinance Section 704 regulates outdoor lighting citywide and implements Arizona's outdoor lighting statute (ARS 49-1101 et seq.), which mandates shielded fixtures in Maricopa, Pima, Coconino, Pinal, Yavapai, Cochise, Gila, and Santa Cruz counties. All new outdoor luminaires above 1000 lumens must be fully shielded so no light is emitted above the horizontal plane. New fixtures are capped at 3000 Kelvin color temperature. Maximum mounting heights are 30 feet in commercial zones and 16 feet in residential. Parking-lot and canopy lighting must dim to 50% within 30 minutes after a business closes. Light trespass over property lines into residential is prohibited above 0.5 foot-candles measured at the property line. Phoenix is not IDA-certified as a city, but its standards meet IDA model-ordinance baselines and the International Dark-Sky Association recognizes the city's compliance with state statute. Signs, sports fields, and gas-station canopies have specific sub-sections with stricter glare controls.
Violations are civil infractions starting at $100 per fixture and escalating to $500 for continuing violations. Phoenix Planning & Development can require retrofits as a condition of permit renewal or tenant improvement approval.
Phoenix, AZ
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Maricopa County.
See how other cities in Maricopa County handle dark sky rules.
See how Phoenix's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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