What the Dark Sky Ordinance asks of outdoor lighting
- Shielded and aimed down: fixtures must be fully shielded and directed downward.
- 3000K or warmer: color temperature can't exceed 3000K.
- Residential limits: 850 lumens per fixture and a maximum mounting height of 18 feet.
- Curfew: residential lighting goes off by 11 PM, or once people are no longer outside, whichever is later.
- Seasonal exception: seasonal lighting may exceed 3000K only from November 15 to January 15.
A permanent system can be scheduled to run warm white at or below 3000K, turn off by 11 PM, and save color scenes for the November 15 to January 15 window. Whether a particular fixture and mounting height meet the shielding and height rules is the city's call. We'll go through the ordinance against your design with you, and the City of Malibu Planning Department has the final word.
Salt air, wind and the marine layer
On PCH and the bluffs above it, salt air reaches every fastener, and the marine layer keeps surfaces damp. On the coast, mounting hardware matters more than it does inland. We'll go over hardware choices for salt exposure at the consultation, and they'll be listed in your written quote.
Planning lighting into a rebuild
If you're rebuilding, it's much simpler to decide where the lighting controller and power will go while the framing and electrical are still open. Tell your architect or builder early, so the mounting details fit the eave and fascia construction in your plans.
Malibu questions
Can I run colored lights year-round in Malibu?
Under Malibu's Dark Sky Ordinance, seasonal lighting may exceed the 3000K color temperature limit only from November 15 to January 15. Outside that window, plan on warm white at or below 3000K, off by 11 PM. Confirm the details for your property with the City of Malibu.
