Boulder County, CO Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Article 7-1600 requires that outdoor lighting minimize the obtrusive aspects of light use while preserving the nighttime enjoyment of property and reducing skyglow, glare, and wasted energy. For all new uses, buildings, and major additions that need a building permit or site plan review, every outdoor lighting fixture must be fully shielded: any lamp must be shielded so the light projects below the horizontal plane created by the shield, and fixtures must be fully shielded as defined in Article 18. Display and parking-lot light sources may be mounted no more than 12 feet above finished grade. Applicants must submit lighting plans, fixture descriptions, and photometric data with the building permit. Seasonal decorative lighting and public roadway lighting are exempt.