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

Section 17.64.050 applies to new development and to exterior alterations or additions involving replacement light fixtures for multifamily residential, commercial, industrial, mixed-use, and public or quasi-public uses, with narrow exemptions in subsection B.1 for public street lighting, school athletic field lights, public-facility security lighting, temporary construction and emergency lighting, and seasonal holiday displays. Subsection A states the purpose directly: to control outdoor lighting for visibility and safety, conserve energy, protect against glare, and minimize artificial light that harms the environment, astronomical research, and enjoyment of the night sky.

Subsection F.6.a turns that purpose into a fixture standard, requiring all outdoor lighting to meet the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) and Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) definitions of a Cut Off or Full Cut Off luminaire, and to minimize blue light emission, with the code recommending a color temperature no higher than 3,000 Kelvins and an S/P ratio at or below 1.2. Subsection C separately bans searchlights used for advertising, mercury vapor lights, and any laser, flashing, or moving light. Fixture height is capped by Table 17.64.050.F-1 at 16 feet within or near a residential zone, 18 feet in Downtown and Mixed-Use zones, and 25 feet in Commercial and Employment zones, and subsection F.7 requires nonresidential outdoor lighting to run on a time clock or photo-sensor and shut off during daylight and non-business hours. A preliminary outdoor lighting plan is required with most planning applications and a final plan with the building permit under subsection D.