Breckenridge residents might need to make some changes to their holiday decorations and outdoor lighting before July 1, 2025, thanks to a new town ordinance.

Breckenridge Town Council approved changes to its lighting code at a Feb. 13 meeting as it pursues Dark Sky Community certification. The town is looking to limit light pollution and mitigate its negative impacts on human health, wildlife and the natural environment.

Residents have until July 1, 2025, to get into compliance with the changes. 

Exterior decorative lighting will be permitted from Nov. 1 to April 1. Lighting Zone 1, the commercial area of town with businesses, has a curfew of 2 a.m. while the rest of town has an 11 p.m. curfew. 

This ordinance reverses a code approved in 2010 that only allowed for only warm- or soft-white decorative LED lighting. Under the new ordinance, colored LED lighting is allowed and there is a maximum bulb size of 3 inches for exterior decorative lighting. 

The town is limiting decorative lighting to two of the following features: a building roof eave line, a building window trim, building columns, or railings. No blinking or rotating lights are permitted, and decorative lighting has to be maintained in good working condition at all times. LED lights cannot be more than more than 50 watts. 

Maximum lighting fixture height is 15 feet for residential and 18 feet for commercial. 

There are not restrictions for lights that go on trees or bushes.

Assistant community development director Julia Puester previously indicated that there will likely be no fines for violation of these codes, just a reminder from the town to get into compliance.

A full list of requirements and more information can be found at TownOfBreckenridge.com/work/lighting-code.