The Provo City Council voted unanimously on Aug. 25 to adopt updated outdoor lighting standards designed to reduce light pollution, improve nighttime visibility, and direct light where it is most effective. The ordinance, which took effect immediately, was passed in a 6-0 vote.
According to the new ordinance, which uses principles from the Illuminating Engineering Society and DarkSky International, most new outdoor lighting fixtures must use lamps with a correlated color temperature of 3,000 Kelvin or lower. Additionally, new fixtures must be fully shielded to direct light downward and prevent it from shining above the horizontal plane.
The standards also update brightness requirements for electronic display signs, capping nighttime brightness at 300 nits and daytime brightness at 5,000 nits. While the ordinance is not retroactive, the requirements apply to new installations, major remodels, and full fixture replacements. Existing residential lighting fixtures are generally exempt, and residents may continue replacing bulbs in existing fixtures without replacing the entire unit.
Patricio Hernandez, director of energy services for Provo Power, stated that the ordinance formalizes practices the city has already begun implementing through its streetlight replacement program. He noted that properly directed lighting can improve visibility while reducing glare and light pollution.
Councilmembers noted that the standards will help guide future lighting projects by outside agencies within Provo to ensure consistency with city expectations. Councilmember Jeffrey Whitlock stated the goal is to improve the quality of life in Provo by allowing residents to see the night sky.
Exemptions to the new standards include airport operations, construction lighting, temporary event lighting, outdoor sports lighting, and holiday lighting. The council intends to revisit these standards in the future to include guidelines for holiday festivities.
