Street Lighting

Note:  The Department of Public Works is not responsible for street lighting, except for safety lighting at signalized intersections. Concerns about street lighting need to be directed to responsible agency.

Burnt out street light?   Report nonfunctioning street lights to PG&E using their online reporting tool. 

Publicly Funded Street Lighting:   The County of Humboldt does provide street lighting in several unincorporated areas through lighting maintenance districts that are administered by the County Auditor. In addition, several Community Services Districts also provide street lighting in unincorporated areas of the County. The following table identifies the areas where is street lighting is provided. To request additional street lighting within an established street lighting area, contact the agency responsible for the street lighting. 

If an existing street light is not maintained by a lighting district, then the street lighting is most likely privately funded.

The Humboldt County General Plan includes policies on street lighting. The following are excerpts from Chapter 5 of the Humboldt County General Plan adopted on 10/23/2017. 

• Narrative. Street Lighting: Carefully placed street lighting can reduce accidents in urban and suburban areas where there are intersections and concentrations of pedestrians. In addition, lighting may serve as a crime deterrent, may aid law enforcement agencies, and contribute to a sense of safety and community pride. In Humboldt County, street lighting is provided by each of the seven cities, three community services districts, and eight street lighting districts formed by Humboldt County and governed by the Board of Supervisors. Street lighting services are available in only about half of the urbanized areas of the County. Streetlights should avoid unnecessary glare and night sky pollution, light trespass, and energy waste.
• Policy IS-P20. Street Lighting. Street lighting shall be required when necessary to improve public safety in urban and suburban areas and Village Centers.
• Policy IS-S9. Street Lighting. Where development is required to install streetlights, they shall be designed to block upward transmission of light, avoid light trespass, and achieve design illumination in prescribed areas with limited scatter.
• Implementation Measure IS-IM17. Street Lighting. Prepare street lighting standards that allow for community specific priorities and standards and that specify when streetlights are required based on intersection type and functional classification. Establish lighting design criteria, considering AASHTO and International Dark-Sky Association guidelines.

Privately Funded Street Lighting:  In areas where street lighting is not provided, private street lighting can be obtained through PG&E. If an existing street light is not maintained by a lighting district, then the street lighting is most likely privately funded. The application for PG&E's street lighting service is found here Version OptionsStreet LightingHeadline.

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