Upland, CA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Outdoor lighting in the City of Upland is governed by Chapter 17.14 of the Municipal Code, which establishes minimum requirements for outdoor lighting in order to reduce light trespass and glare and to protect the health, property, and well-being of residents and visitors. For residential lighting, all fixtures over 750 lumens per fixture must be adequately shielded and directed so that no direct light falls outside the property line or into the public right-of-way; residential lighting of 750 lumens or below is exempt from the shielding requirement. For non-residential lighting, all outdoor lighting must be located, adequately shielded, and directed so that no direct light falls outside the property line or into the public right-of-way. The code requires that luminaires be designed and shielded by horizontal cutoff to eliminate all light directed above the horizontal plane, with the lower edge of the housing extending below the light source and glassware so any light emitted above horizontal is eliminated. New development with common areas must maintain a minimum of 1.0 foot-candle on walkways and parking lots while keeping zero measurable foot-candle power at the property line. The chapter generally references compliance with California Title 24 energy standards and includes grandfathering for fixtures installed before the ordinance's effective date. These full-cutoff/shielding standards function as dark-sky-style protections and are especially relevant near Upland's foothill areas. This is the incorporated City of Upland's ordinance, separate from unincorporated San Bernardino County's outdoor-lighting rules.