Fresno County, CA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

080 (Exterior Light and Glare) of the Fresno County Zoning Ordinance governs how outdoor lighting fixtures on developed property in the unincorporated county must be designed and installed. Subsection A requires exterior lighting to be directed downward and shielded so that all direct light and glare stays within the boundaries of the parcel where it is installed, minimizing off-site glare. Fixtures cannot blink, flash, or be of unusually high intensity or brightness, and must be appropriate in height, intensity, and scale to the use they serve.

The section then places a hard cap: exterior lighting cannot exceed 150 watts or directly illuminate or be visible from abutting properties. Subsection C separately requires shielded lighting: light sources, whether bulb or tube, must be shielded so they direct light rays onto the subject parcel only, and the source itself cannot be directly visible from an abutting property or a public street right-of-way; that shielding rule does not apply to public street lighting, sign illumination, or traffic safety lighting. Security lighting at building entrances and exits is treated separately under Subsection B, which requires a minimum of two foot-candles of illumination at ground level in front of each entrance or exit. 2. The Director enforces these standards through the Site Plan Review and Building Permit process for new development and additions.