Outdoor Lighting in Canton, OH (2026)
3 verified outdoor lighting rules for Canton, Ohio, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Canton caps outdoor light poles at 20 feet and requires full cutoff fixtures with low glare, directed light everywhere in the city. Large parking lots need a photometric plan, and only the Board of Zoning Appeals can approve a taller pole, and only for sports lighting designed to prevent glare and trespass.
Canton Ohio Full Cutoff Fixture and Pole Height Cap
Some RestrictionsCanton Codified Ordinances § 1185.02(e), (f), (i), (k)
(e) Poles and standards used for outdoor lighting shall not exceed 20 feet in height. Photometric plans shall be required for all lots providing more than 20 parking spaces and the Commission encourages 12 to 15-foot light poles. (f) Lighting fixtures shall be full cut off with low glare and directed lighting. ... (i) Fixtures shall be designed and mounted such that neither the light source nor...
Light Trespass & Shielding
Every outdoor lighting system in Canton, including on residential lots, must be designed and maintained so glare and light does not spill onto neighboring properties or shine into the sky. The rule sits in the City's outdoor illumination chapter and is enforced through the Zoning Inspector's office.
Canton Ohio Light Trespass Onto Neighboring Lots
Some RestrictionsCanton Codified Ordinances § 1185.02(a)-(c)
1185.02 LIGHTING DESIGN REQUIREMENTS. (a) All exterior lighting systems shall be designed, installed and maintained in such a manner as to minimize or substantially reduce disability glare at any location on or off the property; and to minimize or substantially reduce light trespass beyond the property lot line, minimize sky illumination, and present an overall appearance that is compatible wit...
Billboard Lighting
Canton caps billboards at 700 square feet and 50 feet in height, sets a 500 foot buffer from homes, churches, schools and other billboards, and requires externally lit signs to be down-lighted. Digital billboard messages are capped at eight seconds under the sign chapter's electronic message rules.
Canton Ohio Billboard Size, Spacing and Illumination Limits
Some RestrictionsCanton Codified Ordinances §§ 1185.02(n), 1187.09(i)
(n) Externally illuminated signs shall be down-lighted. ... 1187.09 SIGN REGULATIONS BY TYPE: PERMANENT SIGNS. ... (i) Billboards. (1) Billboards/off-premise signs, not exceeding 700 square feet in size, fifty feet in height, twenty-five feet from any property line and the nearest edge of roadway, and 500 feet from any other billboard/off-premise sign, residential structure, place of religious ...
Looking for Stark County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Canton city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in Stark County →