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Council asks staff to examine residential light pollution after neighbor complaint
Summary
A councilmember requested staff review and revise nuisance ordinances to address bright residential lighting that a constituent said is causing sleep disruption; council agreed to ask staff for a report.
Councilmember Nazarian raised a constituent complaint on June 16, 2025, seeking city action to address a bright light being used by renters that shines into a neighboring residence at night. Nazarian said the citys existing ordinance prohibits commercial lights that shine into residences but does not explicitly cover resident-to-resident light pollution.
"These folks ... are having a hard time sleeping," Nazarian said during council member reports, describing the impact on the neighbor who requested help. The council directed staff to include residential light pollution concerns in the current nuisance-ordinance review and return with recommendations.
Councilmember Lapkin said the issue can affect first responders and shift workers who must sleep during daytime hours and expressed support for either modifying the existing commercial-focused rule to apply to residences or creating a new ordinance to address the problem. City staff confirmed the community services department is already reviewing nuisance ordinances and would incorporate this requested change.
Councilmembers agreed to ask staff to prepare a report and draft language for council consideration; no formal ordinance was adopted at the meeting.
