Sunnyvale, CA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 19.42.050, Chapter 19.42
- Requirement
- shield or special lenses on all outdoor lights
- Covers
- spotlights, floodlights, reflectors, illumination
- Height cap
- 8 feet in setback near residential
- Setback reference
- § 19.34.030
- Penalty
- up to $1,000 fine / 6 months jail
Summary
Sunnyvale requires every outdoor light, spotlight, floodlight and reflector to be shielded or fitted with special lenses so it cannot glare or shine directly onto a public street or neighboring property. Municipal Code § 19.42.050 also caps non-residential light standards inside the required setback area at eight feet tall wherever that setback abuts a residential zoning district.
Lights, spotlights, floodlights, reflectors, and other means of illumination shall be shielded or equipped with special lenses in such a manner as to prevent any glare or direct illumination on any public street or other property. When adjacent to residential zoning districts, non-residential light standards located within the required setback areas as defined in Section 19.34.030 shall be a maximum of eight feet high.
Full Breakdown
42's Operating Standards, is Sunnyvale's general shielding rule for outdoor illumination and applies citywide to any zoning district, not just to sign lighting. It reaches every fixed light source, spotlights, floodlights, reflectors and 'other means of illumination,' and requires each one to be shielded or equipped with special lenses so that no glare or direct illumination falls on a public street or on any other property. The rule is written as a performance standard rather than a fixture list: a property owner can meet it with full cutoff fixtures, louvers, hoods, or any shielding method that stops the light source itself, not just its glow, from being visible off-site.
030 is capped at eight feet, keeping tall parking-lot or security lighting away from bedroom windows and yards across the property line. 040 and was last amended by Ordinance 2714-02. 150(i).
Violations & Fines
An unshielded fixture that glares onto a street or neighboring lot, or a non-residential light standard over eight feet inside a residential-adjacent setback, violates § 19.42.050. As a Title 19 zoning violation it defaults to a misdemeanor under § 1.04.010 and § 1.04.020, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in county jail, or both, with each day the fixture remains unshielded charged as a separate offense. The city can also require shielding retrofits as a condition of any related permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Sunnyvale require full cutoff or dark-sky-certified light fixtures?
How tall can a security light be next to a house in Sunnyvale?
Is illuminated signage covered by this same shielding rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sunnyvale
California rules heatmap·Compare Sunnyvale to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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Dark Sky Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle dark sky rules.