Modesto has no standalone light-trespass ordinance. Intrusive outdoor lighting is addressed as a property nuisance under MMC §9-9.509, which prohibits conditions offensive to the senses or interfering with neighbors' comfortable enjoyment. New construction must comply with California Title 24, Part 6 outdoor lighting standards.
Modesto Municipal Code Title 9, Chapter 9, Article 5, §9-9.509 declares it unlawful and a public nuisance to maintain property conditions that are 'offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property, so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property.' Persistent glare or light spill onto adjacent parcels can be cited under this provision by Code Enforcement. Additionally, MMC §10-3.205 requires all outdoor lighting at new developments to comply with California Energy Code Title 24, Part 6, which sets outdoor lighting power density limits and mandates that fixture placement control upward light scatter and off-site spill. Complaints are investigated by the Modesto Code Enforcement Unit (209-577-5250).
Nuisance violations under §9-9.509 carry civil penalties up to $2,500 per violation per day; repeat violations may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor.
Modesto, CA
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Modesto, CA
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See how Modesto's light trespass rules stack up against other locations.
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