Prescott Valley, AZ Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Article 13-12 of the Prescott Valley Town Code states its purpose as minimizing light pollution, reducing glare, promoting public safety and retaining the enjoyment of the Town's night-time quality, while allowing necessary commercial services and encouraging quality development, particularly in the Town Center. Section 13-12-040 is the shielding rule. Subsection A requires all light fixtures to be designed and installed as fully shielded, unless specifically exempted. Section 13-12-030 defines fully shielded as a fixture built so that all light rays are projected below a horizontal plane through the lowest point from which light is emitted, conforming to IES cutoff guidelines, and drop or sag lens fixtures are not allowed.

Subsection C adds a sightline test: the light source and direct glare must not be visible from a height of six feet at a residential property line. Hillside sites get a stricter rule in subsection D: a fixture more than ten feet higher than and visible from an adjacent roadway or residential zoning district must be fully shielded, with any internal or external shielding needed to hide the lamp and its direct glare. Fixture types are regulated in subsection E. Mercury vapor is prohibited, and under section 13-12-020 existing mercury vapor fixtures must be removed and replaced with conforming fixtures.

Metal halide is allowed only for approved outdoor merchandise sales display such as automobile sales, building accent and entrance lighting, gas pump island areas under a canopy, and Main Street. Incandescent, fluorescent, high pressure sodium, low pressure sodium, quartz and LED fixtures are allowed in all zoning districts, subject to the rest of the Article. Subsections H and I cap building-mounted fixtures at 14 feet with lamps no more than 175 watts, and freestanding fixtures at 14 feet with lamps no more than 250 watts, within 80 feet of any residential zoning district.

Fixtures in public rights-of-way need approval from the Public Works Director. Section 13-12-090 requires a permit application to the Building Official before anyone installs or replaces an outdoor light fixture.