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Cotati · Building on your lot

Outdoor lighting in Cotati

Cotati'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 Cotati Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Cotati's code says

Cotati code What Cotati's code adds
Fixture height
  • At most 14 feet or the height of the nearest building, whichever is less.
    § 17.30.060 · code text
    An outdoor light fixture shall be limited to a maximum height of fourteen feet or the height of the nearest building, whichever is less.
Light at the property line
  • No more than 1 footcandle.
    Applies: Measured on any property in an RR, RVL, NL, NM or NU zone, except the site of the light source.
    § 17.30.060 · code text
    No lighting on private property shall produce an illumination level greater than one footcandle on any property within an RR, RVL, NL, NM, or NU zoning districts except on the site of the light source.
Shielding
  • Shielded or recessed fixtures; bulbs not visible off site; glare kept on site; lights aimed down, away from neighbors.
    Applies: Lights must also aim away from public rights-of-way. Glare is kept on site as far as feasible.
    § 17.30.060 · code text
    Lighting fixtures shall be shielded or recessed to reduce light bleed to adjoining properties by: 1. Ensuring that the light source (e.g., bulb, etc.) is not visible from off the site; and 2. Confining glare and reflections within the boundaries of the site to the maximum extent feasible. Each light fixture shall be directed downward and away from adjoining properties and public rights-of-way, so that no on-site light fixture directly illuminates an area off the site.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

What are the outdoor lighting rules for homes in Cotati?

Cotati's code: Shielded or recessed fixtures; bulbs not visible off site; glare kept on site; lights aimed down, away from neighbors. (Lights must also aim away from public rights-of-way. Glare is kept on site as far as feasible.) (§ 17.30.060); No more than 1 footcandle. (Measured on any property in an RR, RVL, NL, NM or NU zone, except the site of the light source.) (§ 17.30.060).

General information, not legal advice.

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Cotati Municipal Code — full text