Merced, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Trespass rule
- glare/spillage directed away from residences
- Applies to
- parking lots with 6+ spaces
- Related industrial cap
- no direct light past property line (20.12.030)
- Enforcement
- development services dept.
- Governing section
- MMC 20.38.070(G)(3)
Summary
Merced requires parking lot lighting to be designed so glare or spillage is directed away from residential properties, pairing that trespass rule with a mandatory hooded-fixture requirement for any lot with six or more spaces.
3.All parking space area lighting shall be energy efficient and designed so that any glare or spillage is directed away from residential properties.4.All fixtures shall be hooded.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 - 1-26).
Full Breakdown
0 foot-candle illumination requirement in (G)(1) and the hooded-fixture mandate in (G)(4). Because the standard is stated as a design and orientation requirement rather than a numeric footcandle limit at the property line, compliance is evaluated by the development services department at site plan review, looking at fixture placement, hooding, and aim relative to adjoining residential parcels. 030(C)(8), which caps exterior lighting from industrial uses so that direct light does not extend beyond a property line onto a lot occupied by a single-family home and requires a minimum illumination level of 1 foot-candle for the area intended.
Outside those two contexts (parking lots and industrial performance standards), Merced's zoning code does not set a separate, general light-trespass limit for residential-to-residential fixtures such as security lights or landscape lighting.
Violations & Fines
Parking lot lighting that directs glare or spillage onto a neighboring residential property violates Section 20.38.070(G)(3) and can be cited by development services, with correction required as a condition of continued site plan compliance. Uncorrected violations are treated as a public nuisance subject to abatement under Section 1.12.080, and violations of the code generally carry misdemeanor penalties of up to $1,000 and/or one year in jail, or infraction fines escalating to $500, under Section 1.12.020.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a business's parking lot lights shine onto my house in Merced?
Is there a numeric light trespass limit at the property line?
Who do I report a light trespass problem to in Merced?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Merced
California rules heatmap·Compare Merced to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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