Merced County, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass (2026)

Merced County addresses light spillover onto neighboring properties through two Performance Standards sections. Section 18.40.070(A) requires exterior lighting to be designed and maintained so that glare and reflections are contained within the boundaries of the subject parcel, with fixtures hooded and directed downward and away from adjoining properties and public rights-of-way. Section 18.40.080 (Vibration, Heat, Electrical Disturbance, and Glare) provides that no use shall create any disturbing glare (along with vibration, heat, and electrical disturbances) based on typical human reaction beyond the boundaries of the subject parcel. Together these sections give the County a clear basis to require a property owner to shield, reaim, or reduce lighting that spills onto a neighbor's land. Unlike some jurisdictions, the Zoning Code does not set a numeric foot-candle property-line limit for residential light trespass; instead the standard is qualitative ('contained within the parcel' and 'based on typical human reaction'). Complaints are investigated by Merced County Code Enforcement, and corrective measures commonly include adding shielding or hoods, lowering wattage, or repositioning fixtures so the light source is not visible from adjoining parcels.