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

Section 19.22.060 (Light and Glare) is part of Division 19.22, the General Performance Standards of the Novato Zoning Ordinance adopted by the Novato City Council. The division applies, under section 19.22.020, to all new and existing land uses in all zoning districts, so a long-standing business or an apartment complex is covered the same way as a new project.

The section reaches more than light fixtures. It names light or glare from interior or exterior lighting, from mechanical or chemical processes, and from reflective materials used or stored on a site. Each has to be shielded or modified to prevent emission of light or glare beyond the property line.

The second sentence addresses placement. Exterior lights must be placed so that spillover illumination or glare onto adjoining properties is eliminated to the maximum extent feasible, and the lighting cannot interfere with the normal operation or enjoyment of adjoining properties. That last clause makes the test about the neighbor's use of the property, not only about a measured brightness.

The third sentence sets a curfew: all non-essential internal and exterior lighting, including lighted signs, must be turned off after 11:00 p.m. The only carve-out printed in the section is for uses with extended hours.

Enforcement runs through the Zoning Ordinance. Under section 19.59.080 the Director gives the record owner and anyone in possession of the site a written Notice of Violation that describes the violation and cites the provisions broken. The notice states that the violation must be corrected within 30 days, unless the responsible party contacts the Director to arrange a longer period. The Director can require correction in less than 30 days when the violation is a hazard to public health or safety, and the notice also warns that the City intends to charge the owner for administrative costs of abatement.