West Covina, CA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)

Development Code Section 26-47(b) sets West Covina's residential light-trespass standard for the R-A and R-1 zones. 0) foot candles above ambient illumination levels onto another residential property, and so that glare spillover does not negatively impact a neighboring residential property. The code specifies exactly how that is measured: illumination and glare spillover are read from any point five feet above natural grade on a vertical plane located on the neighbor's property, and 'ambient illumination' is defined narrowly to include only nonartificial light and existing street lights, excluding the offending fixture itself from the baseline.

That measurement approach prevents a homeowner from arguing that a bright yard is acceptable because the neighborhood is already well lit by other private fixtures. When City staff inspect a property and determine a violation is occurring, the Community Development Director or a designee has broad authority to require mitigation, which the code lists by example rather than limiting: relocating the fixture, including setback or height restrictions, reducing lamp wattage, installing hoods, shields, or louvers to redirect the beam, adding coated or frosted lamp covers to soften glare, or re-aiming the fixture.

The same lighting standard extends to sports court lighting, which is subject to the identical spillover and glare rules and additionally requires the Director's review and approval before installation, including submission of photometric data when needed to confirm compliance. 0 foot-candle spillover ceiling.