Dark Skies & Bird Safety Ordinance
Under City Council direction, the city of Los Altos is exploring a Dark Skies and Bird Safety Ordinance. We are in the process of collecting community feedback to create an ordinance that reflects the needs of the Los Altos community. To share your input, please email sustainability@losaltosca.gov.
Below are the proposed requirements of the ordinances:
Proposed Lighting Ordinance
To protect and enhance the city’s natural environment and public health by reducing light pollution at night through reasonable restrictions on outdoor lighting.
Proposed Bird Safety Ordinance
To protect the natural environment and promote wildlife by minimizing adverse effects of development on resident and migratory birds.
Basic Lighting Standards:
- Coordinated Color Temp: Outdoor lights shall not exceed 2700K.
- Shielding: All outdoor lighting must be shielded and directed downward.
- Lighting shall cast minimal light to neighboring properties.
- Controlled by motion sensors or extinguished by 11 pm or when people are no longer present; 5 minutes after motion.
- Lighting must be extinguished when enough natural light via photoelectric control or other mechanism, except for canopy lighting, etc.
Lighting Ordinance (primarily outdoor lighting):
| New Builds | Existing Structures | |
|
Applicability |
Residential, Commercial, City Buildings | |
| Prohibited Lighting | Blinking, flashing, rotating lights, searchlights, spotlights, high-intensity discharge lighting, aerial lasers | |
| Compliance Period | Immediate | Residential: 10 years; Commercial: 5 years, City: 10 years |
| Color Temperature | 2700k or lower (warmer yellow light) | |
| Street Lighting | Shielded and directed downward; Extinguished by 11 PM (exceptions for seasonal or timer-controlled lighting) | |
Bird Safety Ordinance (glass, facades, features):
| Requirements | |
| Applicability | Multi-dwelling residential and commercial buildings |
| Building Features | Avoid highly reflective/transparent glass on facade; Avoid funneling flight paths along buildings; Avoid planting trees close to facades |
| Facades | Ground to 60 ft: No more than 10% untreated glass; Above 60 ft: no more than 5% untreated glass |
| Glazing Treatments | Opaque glass, window muntins, exterior insect screens, exterior netting, etc. Treatments must have high color contrast and be applied to the outermost surface |
