Downtown Lighting Study

In November 2024, the City Council authorized a contract with Clanton & Associates to start preparing a comprehensive Downtown Vacaville Lighting Study. The study was prepared to evaluate Downtown’s existing lighting, which improvements are needed, their priority level to the community, and funding. This study includes an inventory of the City’s lighting in the central Downtown area, evaluation of specific sites, and a report on the findings and initial recommendations for lighting in Downtown Vacaville. On August 26, 2025, the City Council accepted the 2025 Downtown Lighting Study.

Lighting Concepts

Light Trespass
Light Trespass happens when light unintentionally passes property lines or enters residential windows. Lighting that leads to light trespass also typically leads to increased glare and light pollution. Light trespass is managed by using downward-directed lighting, appropriately shielded fixtures, and appropriate light levels.

Glare
Glare from a light can affect the visibility of an object within a certain range of distance from a light source. This can result in safety issues and a less ideal nighttime experience if not mitigated correctly. One possible solution would be to change the structure of the light source to reduce the area that glare can occur.

Visual Adaptions
The human eye adjusts as it moves from one lighting environment to another to get the best range of visibility. If the change between lighting environments happens quickly or at an intense difference, it can lead to poor visibility. One potential solution to this challenge would be to increase the level of light uniformity from one lighting environment to the next.

Common Lighting Terms

Vacaville, CA

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City of Vacaville