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

Under the Mount Palomar Ordinance 655 all outdoor fixtures must be fully shielded so that the lamp or light source is not visible beyond the property on which it is installed, and light trespass across the property line is limited. As a practical threshold Code Enforcement applies a 0.5 foot-candle maximum at a residential property line and 0.1 foot-candle at a bedroom window after 11 p.m. Violations typically arise from poorly aimed wall packs, unshielded barn and security floodlights on rural parcels, landscape up-lights that splash onto neighboring homes, and short-term rental compound lighting. Complaints are investigated by Code Enforcement; a written notice gives the property owner a correction period (commonly 14 days) to re-aim, shield, or reduce wattage. Escalating administrative fines (100, 200, 500 dollars) apply under Ordinance 725, and civil abatement is available. Tenants can also pursue private nuisance claims under California Civil Code 3479. Near Palomar the county takes trespass violations more seriously because the stray light degrades observatory viewing conditions across the region.