Chino Hills, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass (2026)

The Chino Hills Development Code does not establish a specific maximum footcandle of light spillover at residential property lines, but it does require lighting to be controlled so that it does not trespass onto neighbors. Section 16.48.040 (Lights), within the performance standards of Chapter 16.48, states that all lights and glare associated with operations and illuminated signs shall be shielded or directed so as to not illuminate adjacent properties or cause glare to motorists. In practice this means fixtures must be shielded and/or aimed downward and away from neighboring properties and roadways. Although there is no numeric trespass cap, glare or spillover lighting that becomes a nuisance can also be addressed through the city's general nuisance and code-enforcement authority and, for new development, through conditions imposed at design and site-plan review. Because Chino Hills relies on this performance-based standard rather than a numeric exterior-lighting ordinance, the practical rule for light trespass is shielded, downward-directed fixtures aimed away from neighbors; a resident experiencing significant glare from a neighboring property should contact the city's Code Enforcement Division.