Outdoor Lighting in Overland Park, KS: What Residents Actually Need to Know
If you live in Overland Park or are thinking about moving there, outdoor lighting are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Overland Park has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of outdoor lighting, and some of them might surprise you.
Light Trespass & Shielding
Maintained vertical illuminance at the property line of residentially zoned property cannot exceed 0.5 footcandles, measured five feet above grade. Light cast on a public street cannot exceed 1 footcandle at the street centerline.
Key details: Residential property line: 0.5 vertical footcandles maximum. Public street: 1 footcandle at centerline. Measurement height: 5 feet above grade. House side shields: Within 100 feet of single-family. Pole height: 20 feet residential, 33 commercial.
Enforcement runs through zoning. Violations are misdemeanors under OPMC 18.100.110, punishable by fines up to $500 or six months imprisonment, with each day a separate offense.
Compared to other cities, Overland Park takes a harder line on light trespass & shielding. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.
Billboard Lighting
Billboards in Overland Park need a Special Use Permit and can only carry indirect or non-illuminated lighting under the sign code. Digital displays are barred entirely from standard billboards, and every lit sign must also meet the city's general outdoor lighting standards.
Key details: Lighting type: Indirect or non-illuminated only. Permit required: Special Use Permit, Governing Body approval. Eligible zoning: M-1 or M-2 with interstate frontage. Max size: 672 square feet. Max height: 30 feet above right-of-way grade.
Planning & Development staff enforce sign standards through the Special Use Permit conditions attached to each billboard. A billboard lit with anything other than indirect or non-illuminated fixtures, or one converted to a digital face without qualifying as a permitted highway monument sign, is out of compliance with its permit and subject to code enforcement action, permit revocation proceedings before the Governing Body, and removal at the operator's expense; the code separately gives the city a 60-day removal deadline once any billboard permit is not renewed.
Dark Sky Rules
Overland Park has no dark-sky ordinance and no DarkSky International designation. Chapter 18.435, adopted in 2024, does comparable work: every outdoor fixture must be zero uplight and no warmer than 4000K.
Key details: Dark-sky ordinance: None; 18.435 does equivalent work. Uplight: Zero uplight, all fixtures. Color temperature cap: 4000K max (§18.435.050). Adopted: Ordinance ZRR-3447, 2024. Older fixtures: Nonconforming until replaced.
Lighting violations are zoning violations under OPMC 18.100.110: a misdemeanor with fines up to $500 or six months imprisonment, each day counted as a separate offense.
The Bottom Line
Overland Park's outdoor lighting rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Overland Park is broadly strict or permissive.
Keep in mind that Overland Park can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.