Northern Arizona Lighting Codes

in 1989 innovative lighting codes were developed for Flagstaff and Coconino County that were the first to restrict the amount of light permitted (per acre) in outdoor lighting installations. Their intent is to encourage lighting practices and systems that will:

• minimize light pollution, glare, and light trespass;
• conserve energy and resources while maintaining night time safety, utility, security, and productivity; and
• curtail the degradation of the nighttime visual environment.

Since the effects of outdoor lighting on light pollution over our observatories is strongly dependent on the distance of those lights from the observatories, the codes establish Astronomical Zones that allow increased flexibility in the uses of outdoor lighting farther from the observatories.

The Codes

• Counties
  • Coconino County Lighting Code (adopted/amended 2001; Official Title: Coconino County Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 17; link: County website]
  • Yavapai County Lighting Code (adopted/amended 2002; Official Title: Planning and Zoning Ordinance, County of Yavapai, Section 120; link: 80KB PDF)
• Cities
  • Cottonwood Lighting Code (adopted/amended 2000; Official Title: City of Cottonwood Zoning Ordinance, Section 408; link: unofficial copy)
  • Flagstaff Lighting Code (adopted/amended 1999; Official Title: Flagstaff City Code, Title 10, Chapter 10-08, Division 10-08-002; link: 1MB PDF)
  • Sedona Lighting Code (adopted/amended 2001; Official Title: Sedona Land Development Code, Article 9, Subsection 911.01; link: City of Sedona website)

  Lighting Reference Materials

• Typical Lumen Outputs and Energy Costs for Outdoor Lighting
• Lumen Outputs for "Neon" Lighting
• Low-Pressure Sodium (LPS) Lighting
  • LPS Issues and FAQ
  • Fully Shielded LPS Lighting Fixtures
  • List of LPS Lighting Codes and Standards