Lighting Ordinance Update
City Council
Kelly Cha, Senior Planner
November 10, 2025 www.PaloAlto.gov
2 Purpose
• Council Priority: Climate Change & Natural Environment “Initiate an evaluation of strategies to protect natural habitats such as bird safe glass and wildlife protection from light pollution.” • Consistent with Dark Sky principles, which is an effort to turn back the sky to its natural dark sky to the extent feasible by reducing light pollution. 3 Dark Sky Lighting Principles
USEFUL Use light only if it is needed
TARGETED Direct light so it falls only where it is needed LOW LEVEL Light should be no brighter than necessary
CONTROLLED Use light only when it is needed
WARM-COLORED Use warmer color lights where possible
© 2025 DarkSky International
4 City Council Direction from April 2025
• Existing Lighting Compliance Requirements:
• Include different deadlines for residential and nonresidential properties • Add exceptions for undue financial burden and special security concerns. • Modifications to regulations including:
• Apply to replacement of existing outdoor lighting fixtures, or changing the lighting type or system.
• Reduce maximum light spillage to 0.1 foot candle.
• Extend lighting curfew to midnight, including holiday lighting. • Increased efforts to raise awareness to support compliance. 4 Areas of Special Security Concerns
• City Council requested for an exception for special security concerned areas. • Staff recommends adding an exemption for the Edgewood neighborhood instead:
• Neighborhood’s unique characteristics, including close proximity to a creek and bordering another jurisdiction.
• No particularly high crime areas designated in the City. 8 Additional Engagement
Comments received through focused outreach meeting with Palo Alto businesses:
• Concerns over existing lighting compliance.
• Council direction from April 2025
• Safety and security concerns with the new requirements, especially for businesses with overnight or non-standard hours of operation.
• Lighting curfew "at midnight, 2 hours after close of business, or when people are no longer present in exterior areas, whichever is later." • Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) workplace regulations. • Lighting curfew exception on "building entrances, parking areas, walkways, and driveway areas."
• Conflict precedence provision on state or federal laws. 4 Minor Modification
Section 18.40.250(d)(7):
Single family residential sites adjacent to San Francisquito Creek and fronting on Edgewood Drive if the portion of the site subject to a permanent easement in favor of the Santa Clara Valley Water District (or its successor in interest) for flood control purposes is reconfigured after January 1, 2002
. These sites shall be subject to the
requirements under Section 18.40.250(e)(4)(A).
12 Next Steps
• Adoption of the ordinance
• Second reading (consent item) required for ordinances • Effective on the 31st day of the second reading
• Community resources
• Project webpage update (www.PaloAlto.org/OutdoorLighting) • Educational materials to increase awareness to support compliance
KELLY CHA
Senior Planner
[email protected]
(650) 329-2155
Lighting Ordinance Update
PaloAlto.Gov/OutdoorLighting