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

40 (Performance Standards) applies to every property, structure, use, and activity in every zone of the unincorporated county unless a specific exception is noted, and the Planning Director may require proof of compliance before approving a Zoning Clearance. 070 (Outdoor Lighting) sets three distinct standards. Subsection A requires exterior lighting to be designed and maintained so glare and reflections stay within the boundaries of the subject parcel, with fixtures hooded and directed downward and away from adjoining properties and public rights-of-way. Subsection B flatly prohibits blinking, flashing, or unusually high-intensity or bright outdoor lights, regardless of zone.

Subsection C requires every fixture to be appropriate in scale, intensity, and height to the use it serves, so an oversized security floodlight on a small accessory building can violate the code even without flashing. 080, separately bars any use from creating glare, vibration, heat, or electrical disturbance beyond the parcel boundary based on typical human reaction, giving the county a second tool against light nuisance complaints. These performance standards trace to Ord. 1976 § 2, adopted in 2019, and are enforced alongside the rest of the Zoning Code's general enforcement chapter.