Mendocino County, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Core rule
- Shield lights or block glare at property line
- Height cap
- District limit or nearest building, whichever lower
- Security/floodlighting
- Allowed in all areas
- Minor safety additions
- Exempt from coastal permit
- Prohibited
- Lights that distract motorists
- Applies to
- Highly scenic Coastal Zone areas only
Summary
In Mendocino County's Coastal Zone, exterior lighting must be shielded or aimed so no light or glare crosses onto a neighboring parcel under Section 20.504.035(A)(2). Fixtures also cannot exceed the zoning district's height limit or the height of the nearest building, whichever is less, and lights that distract motorists are barred outright.
(A)Essential criteria for the development of night lighting for any purpose shall take into consideration the impact of light intrusion upon the sparsely developed region of the highly scenic coastal zone.(1)No light or light standard shall be erected in a manner that exceeds either the height limit designated in this Division for the zoning district in which the light is located or the height of the closest building on the subject property whichever is the lesser.(2)Where possible, all lights, whether installed for security, safety or landscape design purposes, shall be shielded or shall be positioned in a manner that will not shine light or allow light glare to exceed the boundaries of the parcel on which it is placed.(3)Security lighting and flood lighting for occasional and/or emergency use shall be permitted in all areas.(4)Minor additions to existing night lighting for safety purposes shall be exempt from a coastal development permit.(5)No lights shall be installed so that they distract motorists.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 75).
Full Breakdown
504, Visual Resource and Special Treatment Areas, part of the Mendocino County Coastal Zoning Code (Title 20, Division II). 005. Subsection (A) states the purpose directly: night lighting must account for the impact of light intrusion on the sparsely developed, highly scenic coastal zone. From there the standards are specific. Subsection (1) caps fixture height at whichever is lower, the zoning district's height limit or the height of the nearest building on the same property. Subsection (2) is the light-trespass rule itself: wherever possible, every light installed for security, safety or landscape purposes must be shielded, or positioned so it does not shine light or allow glare to cross the boundary of the parcel it sits on.
Subsections (3) through (5) carve out the exceptions: security and floodlighting for occasional or emergency use is allowed everywhere in the Coastal Zone, minor additions to existing night lighting installed for safety are exempt from needing a Coastal Development Permit at all, and no light may be installed in a way that distracts motorists on adjacent roads. Because this rule lives in the Visual Resource chapter rather than the general sign or parking chapters, it is reviewed alongside a project's broader coastal siting and visual-impact conditions rather than through a separate lighting permit.
Violations & Fines
Section 20.504.035 carries no separate fine schedule; compliance is enforced through the Coastal Development Permit review required by Section 20.504.005. A fixture that throws glare across a property line or exceeds the district's height limit can be conditioned, relocated or ordered shielded by the Coastal Zone Permit Administrator before a permit issues, and lighting installed without that review is subject to the county's standard Coastal Zone code-enforcement process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my outdoor lighting shine onto my neighbor's property in coastal Mendocino County?
Is there a height limit on outdoor light fixtures?
Do I need a coastal permit to add a security light?
Does this lighting rule apply county-wide?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mendocino County
California rules heatmap·Compare Mendocino County to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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