Chino, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 20.10.090, Zoning Code
- Adopted
- Ord. 2010-05, amended 2016
- Parking-lot cap
- 3 footcandles max, commercial
- Prohibited
- Blinking or high-intensity fixtures
Summary
Chino requires outdoor lighting to minimize spillage onto neighboring properties, use energy-efficient fixtures, and avoid blinking or unusually intense lamps under its zoning code's general outdoor lighting standards.
1.Lighting on private and public property shall be designed to provide safe and adequate lighting while minimizing light spillage to adjacent properties.2.Outdoor lighting shall utilize energy-efficient fixtures and lamps.3.All areas with frequent vehicular and pedestrian traffic shall have lighting providing a minimum one foot candle of light at ground level during the hours of darkness.4.Lighting for parking facilities shall be designed to provide a minimum average illumination of one and a half-foot candles of light, measured at ground level. However, maximum average illumination shall not exceed three foot candles for commercial developments and two foot candles for multifamily residential and industrial developments, measured at ground level.5.No lighting on private property shall produce an illumination level greater than one foot candle on any property within a residential zoning district.6.Permanently installed lighting shall not blink, flash, or be of unusually high intensity or brightness.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38).
Full Breakdown
Chino Municipal Code § 20.10.090 requires outdoor lighting citywide to be designed for safe, adequate illumination while minimizing spillage onto adjacent parcels, and to use energy-efficient fixtures and lamps. Parking-lot lighting is capped at an average of 1.5 footcandles minimum, up to 3 footcandles for commercial and 2 for multifamily/industrial developments, measured at ground level. Permanently installed lighting may not blink, flash, or be of unusually high intensity, and lighting near the OS2 open-space district must minimize habitat impact. Enforced by the Community Development Department during zoning clearance and permit review. Adopted by Ord. 2010-05 (2010), amended by Ord. 2016-005 (2016).
Violations & Fines
Enforced as a zoning code violation by Chino's Community Development Department; noncompliant fixtures can be cited through code enforcement and must be corrected to meet the illumination and design standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Chino regulate outdoor lighting to prevent light pollution?
Who enforces Chino's outdoor lighting rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chino
California rules heatmap·Compare Chino to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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