Simi Valley, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Core standard
- Light directed away from adjacent use
- Flashing lights
- Strictly prohibited, no exception
- Applies to
- Commercial, industrial, residential fixtures
- Cross-referenced code
- SVMC Title 8, Ch. 21
- Governing section
- SVMC § 9-30.040(A)-(B)
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine or 6 months jail
Summary
Every light fixture in Simi Valley, residential or commercial, must be aimed away from neighboring property under Development Code Section 9-30.040(A), with no glare crossing onto adjacent land or streets. Flashing lights are banned outright under Subsection (B), with no exception for signs, holiday displays, or security devices.
Each exterior light fixture and light source shall comply with the following standards: A.Each commercial, industrial, and single- and multi-family residential light fixture shall be designed, constructed, and maintained to ensure that light is directed away from any adjacent use, and to ensure that there shall be no illumination or glare from the exterior lighting system onto adjacent properties or streets.B.Flashing lights are strictly prohibited. 6.Illumination intensity shall comply with the SVMC Title 8, Chapter 21 (Security Standards for Buildings).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 51).
Full Breakdown
" The rule reaches every zoning district and covers homes as well as businesses, so a homeowner's floodlight aimed across a property line into a neighbor's yard falls under the same standard as a shopping center's parking lot lighting. Subsection (B) adds a flat ban on flashing lights, with no exception for signage, seasonal displays, or security devices. For any project needing a building permit with outdoor parking and lighting, Subsection (C) layers on the technical standards that make the (A) no-trespass rule enforceable at plan check: an engineer-stamped photometric plan extending 20 feet past the property line, a 14-foot fixture-height cap within 100 feet of residential property, sharp cut-off fixtures with no exposed lenses, and a 7:1 maximum-to-minimum illumination ratio.
Subsection (C)(6) additionally requires that "illumination intensity shall comply with the SVMC Title 8, Chapter 21 (Security Standards for Buildings)," tying the zoning code's glare limits to the separate building-security lighting minimums. "
Violations & Fines
A fixture that throws light or glare onto a neighboring property or street violates Section 9-30.040(A) regardless of the fixture's height or wattage, and flashing lights violate Subsection (B) outright. Code Enforcement can require immediate re-aiming, shielding, or removal of a noncompliant fixture, and under SVMC Section 1-2.01 any Development Code violation is an infraction or misdemeanor, the latter carrying up to a $1,000 fine, six months in County Jail, or both, per violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my neighbor's security light shine directly into my yard in Simi Valley?
Are flashing outdoor lights allowed on a home or business in Simi Valley?
Does a commercial property have to prove its lighting meets both the zoning and building codes?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Simi Valley
California rules heatmap·Compare Simi Valley to another location·View the California outdoor lighting overview
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Light Trespass & Shielding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle light trespass & shielding.