Lighting Ordinance Update
On December 8, 2025, the City Council adopted the updated Lighting Ordinance, taking the first step to return the Palo Alto’s night sky back to its natural dark sky. The adopted Lighting Ordinance is aligned with the Dark Sky Lighting principles, which aim to significantly reduce light pollution to restore the natural darkness of the night sky and promote responsible outdoor lighting practices. These principles emphasize using light only when and where it is needed, ensuring the lighting is no brighter than necessary, and using warmer-colored lights.
The updated regulations for outdoor lighting will be effective starting on February 20, 2026.
Adopted Ordinance
Please Note: Below is a high-level summary of the adopted ordinance. It provides a quick overview, but please review the full document for specific requirements.
Applicability
If adopted, the ordinance would apply to:
- New construction and major remodel projects.
- Installation of new lighting and replacement of existing lighting on already developed properties.
Proposed Lighting Standards
All outdoor lighting would be required to:
- Be fully shielded to reduce glare and light spill (with certain exceptions, such as low-voltage landscape lighting and string lights).
- Use warm-colored lights (2,700 Kelvin or less).
- Turn off or use motion controls by 11 p.m., two hours after business closing, or one hour after when exterior areas are no longer in use, whichever is later.
Special Purpose Lighting Standards
Additional tailored requirements would apply for:
- Low-density residential development.
- Athletic facility lighting.
- Automobile service station lighting.
- String lighting.
- Lighting for outdoor spaces above the ground floor.
Exceptions
Exceptions may be granted:
- For historic buildings to preserve architectural character.
- Where compliance would create an undue financial burden.
Compliance Timeline for Existing Lighting
- Within 1 year from the effective date of the ordinance (by February 20, 2027), all existing lighting that has adjustable features to comply must meet new requirements except for shielding.
Public Outreach and Community Engagement
The ordinance development process has included community input through public hearings. Please see the table below to access meeting materials including staff reports and recordings of public hearings.
Past and Planned Outreach
- Architectural Review Board
- February 15, 2024: Study Session on the concept of the Dark Sky Principles
- July 18, 2024: Study Session on the initial draft ordinance as well as focused discussion on the applicability of the new regulations.
- Planning and Transportation Commission (PTC)
- August 14, 2024/August 28, 2024: Public hearing on the initial draft ordinance but continued to allow additional staff analysis regarding lighting curfews and technology, appropriate lighting for safety, and lighting needs for specific uses.
- October 30, 2024: The PTC forwarded the recommended draft ordinance with several amendments, including expanding its applicability, adding a hardship exception, reducing light trespass and motion sensor time limits, adding new definitions, and suggesting further public outreach and future consideration of regulations for interior commercial lighting.
- Community Outreach
- October 8, 2025: A focused virtual outreach meeting was held with Palo Alto businesses to gather their feedback on the draft ordinance. A total of 38 participants attended and expressed their concerns regarding safety implications for their after-hours operations, as well as the feasibility and cost of retrofitting existing lighting to comply with the new requirements.
- City Council
- April 2025: The City Council requested staff to return with a revised draft ordinance more consistent with the amendments recommended by the PTC in October 2024.
- December 8, 2025: The City Council adopted the updated Lighting Ordinance with several modifications, including, but not limited to, the lighting curfew time and compliance requirements for existing lighting.
- January 20, 2026: The City Council approved the second reading of the ordinance, setting the effective date of the ordinance as February 20, 2026.
Prior Public Meeting Materials
| Date |
Meeting |
Agenda or Supplemental Documents |
Video |
| January 20, 2026 |
City Council Hearing |
Agenda (Item #10, under Consent Calendar) |
Video |
| December 8, 2025 |
City Council Hearing |
Agenda (Item #15)
Staff report and attachments can be found on the agenda linked above.
|
Video |
| November 10, 2025 (continued) |
City Council Hearing |
Agenda (Item #8)
Staff report and attachments can be found on the agenda linked above.
|
|
| October 8, 2025 |
Focused Outreach Meeting |
Presentation |
Video |
| April 7, 2025 |
City Council Hearing |
Agenda (Item #18)
Staff report and attachments can be found on the agenda linked above. |
Video
|
| October 30, 2024 |
Planning and Transportation Commission Hearing |
Agenda (Item #2)
Staff report and attachments can be found on the agenda linked above.
|
Video
|
| August 28, 2024 |
Planning and Transportation Commission Study Session |
Agenda (Item #2)
Staff report and attachments can be found on the agenda linked above.
|
Video (Commission discussion only)
|
| August 14, 2024 |
Planning and Transportation Commission Hearing |
Agenda (Item #4)
Staff report and attachments can be found on the agenda linked above.
|
Video (staff presentation and public comments only)
|
| July 18, 2024 |
Architectural Review Board Study Session |
Agenda (Item #2)
Staff report and attachments can be found on the agenda linked above.
|
Video |
| February 15, 2024
|
Architectural Review Board Study Session |
Agenda (Item #3)
Staff report and attachments can be found on the agenda linked above.
|
Video
|