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Humboldt County adopts coastal lighting limits, 3-2, after debate on safety and access
Summary
The Board of Supervisors adopted Coastal Commission-recommended changes to the county's coastal lighting ordinance — including a 2,700 K correlated color temperature cap and shielded downward fixtures — after public comment and a 3-2 vote.
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors on July 28 adopted amendments to the county's coastal lighting ordinance that implement Coastal Commission edits, including a blanket correlated color temperature (CCT) limit of 2,700 kelvins or less between sunset and sunrise and a requirement for shielded, downward-directed fixtures.
Planner Rhianne Meehan, presenting staff's summary of the edits, said the Coastal Commission "added public facilities to also fit under adding circulation areas" and that the CCT limit for residential lighting is "2,700 kelvins or less" in addition to shielding requirements. Staff and planners also noted existing lumen caps remain in place — 1,100 lumens for residential fixtures and 3,200 lumens for commercial and industrial fixtures — and the coastal edits expand covered areas to include loading docks, walkways and streets.
Supervisors and members of the public debated safety and accessibility trade-offs. Supervisor Madrone supported the approach, saying softer, warmer lights can reduce deep shadows: "I've seen a lot of information that suggests that the brighter the light, the darker the shadow." Supervisor Bushnell raised concerns for people with low vision, arguing "low intensity lighting with a yellow tone is generally harder to see" and asking for easier accommodations than a conditional use permit for legally blind residents. Staff responded that the county already has a reasonable-accommodation mechanism that could address certain accessibility needs without a conditional-use permit.
The motion to adopt the coastal ordinance passed on a roll-call vote, 3-2. Chair Wilson, Supervisor Madrone and Supervisor Arroyo voted yes; Supervisors Bushnell and Bone voted no. The board also discussed options to direct staff to pursue harmonizing inland lighting rules with the coastal standard; staff said such a step would require returning to the Planning Commission and then back to the board for action.
