Dublin, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)

For off-street parking facilities citywide, whether serving residential, commercial, or industrial development under Chapter 8.76, Section 8.76.070.A.13 sets a specific illumination floor: parking areas need at least 1 foot-candle of light maintained across the surface for security and safety, fixtures must be energy-efficient and scaled to the height and use of the structure, and 'any illumination, including security lighting, shall be directed away from adjoining properties and public rights-of-way.' That directional requirement is the operative anti-light-trespass rule for parking lots and applies whether the lighting is decorative, safety-driven, or security-focused.

For new single-family homes and additions, Section 8.36.020.C.7 of the objective design standards imposes a parallel but separate rule: light fixtures on two-story homes must be mounted below the second story unless the Building Code requires otherwise, and fixtures 'shall be designed to direct light downward and shielded from off-site view.' A third, narrower rule covers backyard recreation: Chapter 8.40's accessory-structure standards for tennis and sport courts cap court lighting at 20 feet in height, require it to be 'directed downward,' and specify it 'shall only illuminate the court, and shall not illuminate adjacent property.' Together these three provisions cover the parking lot, the house itself, and backyard recreational lighting, each with its own numeric or directional standard rather than a single citywide light-trespass ordinance.