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Outdoor lighting in Mammoth Lakes

Mammoth Lakes's own rules on outdoor lighting, with the code text for every value.

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Each rule below links to the section of the Mammoth Lakes Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Mammoth Lakes's code says

Mammoth Lakes code What Mammoth Lakes's code adds
Shielding
  • Outdoor fixtures must be aimed down or toward buildings to prevent glare, light trespass and light pollution.
    § 17.36.030 · code text
    All outdoor lighting fixtures shall be designed, located, installed, aimed downward or toward structures, retrofitted if necessary, and maintained in order to prevent glare, light trespass, and light pollution.
  • New outdoor lights must be full cut-off fixtures, aimed down and fully shielded, with no light above horizontal.
    Applies: All new outdoor lighting, except low-output fixtures (400 or 1,000 lumens or less) and shielded floodlights.
    § 17.36.030 · code text
    All new outdoor lighting shall use full cut-off luminaries with the light source downcast and fully shielded with no light emitted above the horizontal plane, with the following exceptions:
  • May be unshielded if an opaque top blocks direct upward light; partial or full shielding is preferred.
    Applies: Fixtures with a maximum output of 400 lumens or less.
    § 17.36.030 · code text
    Fixtures that have a maximum output of 400 lumens or less, regardless of the number of bulbs, may be left unshielded, provided that it has an opaque top to prevent the light from shining directly up.
  • May be partly shielded by a semi-translucent barrier: lamp hidden from off-site, no direct glare, and an opaque top.
    Applies: Fixtures with a maximum output of 1,000 lumens or less.
    § 17.36.030 · code text
    Fixtures that have a maximum output of 1,000 lumens or less may be partially shielded using a semi-translucent barrier, provided that the lamp is not visible from off-site, no direct glare is produced, and the fixture has an opaque top to keep light from shining directly up.
  • Floodlights must point permanently down, send no light above horizontal and have outside shields; unshielded and barnyard-type floodlights are banned.
    Applies: Floodlights that are not full cut-off.
    § 17.36.030 · code text
    Floodlights that do not meet the definition of the term "full cut-off" may be used if permanently directed downward, if no light is projected above the horizontal plane, and if fitted with external shielding to prevent glare and off-site light trespass.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

What are the outdoor lighting rules for homes in Mammoth Lakes?

Mammoth Lakes's code: Outdoor fixtures must be aimed down or toward buildings to prevent glare, light trespass and light pollution. (§ 17.36.030); New outdoor lights must be full cut-off fixtures, aimed down and fully shielded, with no light above horizontal. (All new outdoor lighting, except low-output fixtures (400 or 1,000 lumens or less) and shielded floodlights.) (§ 17.36.030).

General information, not legal advice.

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Mammoth Lakes Municipal Code — full text