Pueblo, CO Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Parking lot fixtures
- full cut-off required
- Uplighting for signs
- banned over 6 ft height
- Cut-off plane
- 90 degrees from base
- Penalty
- Class 2 municipal offense
Summary
Pueblo requires full cut-off fixtures and bans uplighting citywide to cut sky glow, with narrow carve-outs for monument signs and accents.
Full cut-off type fixture means a luminare or light fixture that, by design of the fixture housing, does not allow any light dispersion or direct glare to shine above a ninety-degree, horizontal plane from the base of the fixture...Be full cut-off style fixtures for all parking area lighting...Uplighting is prohibited for externally illuminated signs except for monument signs of less than six (6) feet overall height.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 109).
Full Breakdown
Pueblo Municipal Code § 17-4-52(2) requires full cut-off style fixtures for parking area and building lighting and bars uplighting for externally illuminated signs, except monument signs under six feet tall. The code defines 'sky glow' as scattered light that reduces night-sky visibility and 'full cut-off' as a fixture that allows no light dispersion above a 90-degree horizontal plane from its base. Limited uplighting for building entrances, flags, landscaping, or art is allowed only if shielded and not visible from adjacent properties.
Violations & Fines
Noncompliant fixtures are a Class 2 municipal offense under Pueblo Municipal Code § 1-2-1; nonconforming lights lose legal status and must be brought into compliance when a building is altered or expanded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are decorative uplights ever allowed in Pueblo?
What counts as a full cut-off fixture?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pueblo
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