Pitkin County adopts stricter outdoor‑lighting rules, 5‑year compliance window

Pitkin County commissioners voted Jan. 22 to revise the county's outdoor lighting regulations, adopting a text amendment to Title 8 and an associated zoning plan amendment to create lighting‑zone overlays that officials said aim to reduce light trespass and protect night skies while giving property owners time to comply.

The amendments set a five‑year amortization period for existing nonconforming exterior fixtures, establish a nighttime curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and use a 0.2 foot‑candle threshold to define light trespass at property lines. Larissa, the county's development services manager, told the board that the five‑year window is an industry standard intended to allow fixtures to reach end of life while preventing long‑term lighting that harms neighbors and the night environment. "Existing exterior light fixtures that do not violate the light trespass and curfew regulations shall be considered legal nonconforming for five years," she said.

Why it matters: commissioners and staff said the changes respond to resident complaints and county goals to limit unnecessary illumination, protect wildlife and support dark‑sky initiatives. Commissioners described the revisions as balancing community livability with the practical costs to homeowners and businesses. Commissioner Greg Postman, who moved approval, called the package a reasonable compromise to give property owners time to update fixtures. "I would make a motion to approve," Postman said before the vote.

Key provisions and enforcement - Five‑year amortization: Fixtures that are not newly installed and that do not violate the new trespass or curfew rules may remain for up to five years; fixtures in current violation of the light‑trespass or curfew rules must be corrected sooner under standard code enforcement. Staff said the amortization period mirrors standards adopted elsewhere and helps avoid leaving problematic lighting in place indefinitely. - Light trespass: The code uses a threshold of 0.2 foot‑candles measured at a property line to define unacceptable light spill. Staff performed field measurements during outreach and said most typical interior and exterior residential lighting did not exceed that threshold in test readings. - Interior lighting and point sources: The code does not ban interior lighting that is visible from a property line, but requires that interior sources be diffused rather than hard, focused point lights. Staff advised residents to use diffusers or bulbs with built‑in diffusion to reduce visible glare. - Curfew and exemptions: The board amended the draft curfew from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. (the draft had proposed 7 a.m.) to 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. after discussion; exemptions include agricultural activities and businesses that have documented operating needs (with a standard allowance of 1 hour after closing to 1 hour before opening for businesses that need lighting at those times). Motion‑activated lighting is explicitly accommodated for agricultural or security needs. - Outreach and compliance: County staff will launch an education campaign including a dedicated web page with technical guidance, direct mail and targeted outreach to HOAs and property managers. Staff said the county will assist homeowners with simple, low‑cost fixes such as diffuser bulbs and shielded fixtures.

Public comment and local reaction Residents who attended the meeting urged prompt enforcement of lighting nuisances. Darcy Wright, a Red Mountain resident, said new exterior tree and house lighting had altered his neighborhood's nightscape: "It's like Aspen Airport," he said, describing lights that he said reach into his bedroom. Another resident, Joe Wells, thanked staff for the outreach and on‑site tests that were done in advance of the final vote.

Votes and next steps The board unanimously approved both ordinances on voice vote with Commissioners Kelly McNicholas Curry (chair), Greg Postman and Francie Jacober voting aye; Commissioner Jeffrey Woodruff stated a recusal earlier in the meeting for unrelated land‑use items and did not participate in this vote; Commissioner Patty Clapper was absent. The ordinances take effect 30 days after adoption; staff said the county will begin education and enforcement planning immediately and expects to publish specific guidance for property owners within weeks.

The county asked residents and HOAs to monitor lighting on neighboring properties and to use the outreach materials for small self‑help steps (adjust timers, swap to shielded fixtures, add diffusion). Staff said code enforcement will continue to respond to complaints and that fixtures that violate the new light‑trespass or curfew rules will not be eligible for the five‑year allowance.

For more information, Pitkin County will post materials and examples of compliant fixtures on its website and will hold at least one public education session for designers, property managers and HOAs in the coming weeks.