Santa Clarita, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Core rule
- No illumination of other properties
- Direction required
- Downward-directed to prevent off-site glare
- Related standard
- Screening from adjacent uses, §(D)(1)(c)
- Relief process
- Minor Use Permit, §17.24.120
- Section
- UDC §17.51.050(D)(1)(b)
Summary
Outdoor lighting in Santa Clarita cannot spill onto a neighbor's property: UDC § 17.51.050(D)(1)(b) requires every fixture to be 'directed downward to prevent off-site glare,' and a related standard bars lighting that disturbs the peace or comfort of adjoining uses unless it is screened or shielded from surrounding properties and streets.
1. General Requirements. a. Shielding. All lighting shall be directed downward and be of a cut-off design so the luminary and/or lens do not protrude below the luminary housing and is not visible from a public right-of-way. b. Light Trespass. Lighting may not illuminate other properties and shall be directed downward to prevent off-site glare. c. Appurtenances. Lighting shall be operated so that they do not disturb the peace, quiet, and comfort of adjacent, neighboring uses, and shall be screened and/or shielded from surrounding properties and streets. d. Lighting Plan. Except for new and additions to single-family residences, applications for new buildings and building additions, and proposed modifications shall include the location, fixture type, fixture height, and photometric information of all outdoor lighting and information about shut-off timers and hours of operation for outdoor lighting where required by this section for review and approval by the Director.
Full Breakdown
Light trespass is its own numbered standard inside the City's Outdoor Lighting Standards, separate from the general cut-off shielding rule. 050(D)(1)(b) states plainly: 'Light Trespass. 050(D)(1)(c), reinforces it from the neighbor's side: 'Appurtenances. 050(B), covering parking lots, walkways, building entrances, landscaping, and recreational fields, while carving out narrow exemptions such as right-of-way lighting, temporary emergency lighting, and architectural accent or flood lighting so long as that accent lighting itself does not create trespass or glare and stays off between midnight and sunrise if aimed above the horizon. 120, the same modification path used for other deviations from this section's lighting standards.
Violations & Fines
A fixture that illuminates a neighboring property or creates off-site glare violates § 17.51.050(D)(1)(b) even if it otherwise meets the cut-off shielding standard, and the Director can require the owner to re-aim, add shielding, or lower the fixture. Because outdoor lighting standards are enforced through the Unified Development Code, an uncorrected light-trespass violation is also a public nuisance under Municipal Code § 1.01.210, letting the City summarily abate it or recover abatement costs and attorneys' fees in a civil action under § 1.01.220.
Frequently Asked Questions
My neighbor's new floodlight shines into my bedroom window. What can I do?
Is accent lighting on my house exempt from the trespass rule?
Can I get an exception if my only fixture option spills onto the property line?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Clarita
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Clarita to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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Light Trespass & Shielding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle light trespass & shielding.