Marysville, WA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Downtown Master Plan Area only
- Requirement
- Full cut-off shielding, no upward glare
- Adjustable mounts
- Not allowed to defeat cutoff
- Citation
- MMC § 22C.080.450(3)(a)
Summary
In Marysville's Downtown Master Plan Area, every outdoor light fixture must be fully shielded so no glare crosses onto neighboring properties, with no post-installation adjustments allowed to defeat the cutoff requirement.
All luminaires shall be fully shielded and shall not emit light into the upper hemisphere around the luminaire or onto adjacent properties and structures, either through exterior full cut-off shields or through optics within the fixture. Support and mounting systems for luminaires shall not allow post-installation adjustments that could defeat compliance with this requirement.
(b) On-site lighting elements throughout and surrounding the site should be complementary, including pedestrian pathway, accent and parking lot lighting, lighting of adjacent developments and the public right-of-way.
(c) Except as provided in this section, outdoor lighting is encouraged to follow the intensity, technology, and other recommendations of the International Dark Sky Association and the Illuminating Engineering Society. Figure 22C.080.450(3) Examples of appropriate light shielding.
(4) Height.
(a) Freestanding lighting fixtures in parking lots shall not exceed 20 feet in height. Lighting fixtures on the top level of parking garages shall not exceed 12 feet in height.
(b) Pedestrian scale lighting shall not exceed 15 feet in height.
(c)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4922912; v1 updated 2026-06-08; through 06-08-2026).
Full Breakdown
Marysville's downtown design code requires all luminaires including security and site lighting to be fully shielded, emitting no light into the upper hemisphere or onto adjacent properties, achieved through full cut-off exterior shields or internal optics under MMC 22C.080.450(3)(a). Mounting systems cannot be adjustable in a way that would defeat compliance later. The rule applies to new, replacement, and altered outdoor lighting reviewed under Chapter 22C.080 within the Marysville downtown boundary; it does not extend citywide, since no comparable shielding mandate appears in the residential or commercial zone chapters.
Violations & Fines
Site plan review enforces shielding before permit issuance; noncompliant fixtures found during inspection must be retrofitted with cutoff shields or replaced, delaying the certificate of occupancy for downtown projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this shielding rule cover my house outside downtown?
Can I aim a security light at my neighbor's yard downtown?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marysville
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