Yakima's Urban Area Zoning Ordinance bars outdoor lighting from spilling onto neighboring property. Under YMC 15.06.100, lighting must be directed to reflect away from adjacent and abutting properties, with down-shielding required near homes.
Light trespass - glare or illumination crossing onto someone else's land - is addressed through the Yakima Urban Area Zoning Ordinance rather than a stand-alone nuisance-light statute. YMC 15.06.100 requires site and parking-lot lighting to be directed to reflect away from adjacent and abutting properties, and fixtures next to residential districts must use down-shielding so they create no light pollution on those homes. Aim floodlights and security lights onto your own property. Complaints go to Yakima code enforcement, which can require a fixture be shielded or re-aimed. Rural parcels follow Yakima County Code Title 19.
A light-trespass complaint typically brings a warning and a correction period. Ignoring it leads to fines, and commercial violations can climb higher until the lighting is shielded.
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See how Yakima's light trespass rules stack up against other locations.
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