Ridgecrest, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Fixture type
- Indirect and hooded required
- Direction
- Light kept off neighboring lots
- Max pole height
- 16 feet
- Scope
- Off-street parking areas
- Enforcement point
- Site plan review
Summary
Ridgecrest's zoning code requires off-street parking lot lighting to be indirect and hooded so it doesn't spill onto neighboring properties or streets, and caps light standards at sixteen feet: the city's only citywide standard aimed at keeping lighting off adjoining land.
Lighting shall be indirect, hooded and arranged to reflect light away from adjoining properties and streets. Light standards shall be a maximum of 16 feet in height.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 6).
Full Breakdown
Section 106-379, in the off-street parking article of the zoning code, requires fixtures serving parking areas to be indirect, hooded, and arranged to reflect light away from adjoining properties and streets, with light standards capped at sixteen feet. It applies wherever off-street parking is required, multifamily, commercial, office, and industrial development, and is checked by planning staff as part of site plan review before a permit issues. The code has no separate citywide dark-sky ordinance or lumen limit; this parking-lot rule is Ridgecrest's operative light-trespass control.
Violations & Fines
Noncomplying parking-lot lighting is an infraction under section 106-64(a); the planning director can withhold site-plan approval or require fixtures re-hooded and standards lowered to sixteen feet before occupancy is granted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ridgecrest cap how bright a business's parking lot lights can be?
Does this rule cover a homeowner's porch or yard light?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ridgecrest
California rules heatmap·Compare Ridgecrest to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Light Trespass & Shielding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kern County handle light trespass & shielding.