Outdoor Lighting in Janesville, WI (2026)
3 verified outdoor lighting rules for Janesville, Wisconsin, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
In the City of Janesville, exterior lighting on development in office and business zoning districts must use full cut-off fixtures under Code § 42-389(5)a and stay under a 20-footcandle average illumination cap, enforced by the Site Plan Review Coordinator.
Janesville Requires Full Cut-Off Lighting Fixtures
Some RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances § 42-389(5)a, (5)d
(5)In order to ensure that proper lighting design occurs, the following standards shall apply to all development within the district.a.All exterior lighting fixtures shall be full cut-off fixtures as defined by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA). All lighting shall be designed and fixtures selected to prevent glare. The Site Plan Review Coordinator may modify the cuto...
Light Trespass & Shielding
In the City of Janesville, exterior illumination on office and business district development cannot exceed 0.5 footcandle above ambient light at any property line under Code § 42-389(5)f, and no fixture may be aimed so its light element is visible from a nearby residence.
Janesville Caps Light Trespass at Property Lines
Some RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances § 42-389(5)f, (5)g
f.The illumination level at any property line shall not exceed 0.5 footcandle above the ambient lighting conditions on a cloudless night.g.In no instance shall an outdoor lighting fixture be mounted or oriented such that the lighting element is visible from any residence located in a residential zone district.
Billboard Lighting
In the City of Janesville, off-premises electronic billboards cannot be illuminated brighter than necessary for adequate visibility under Code Section 28-189(d)(11)c. The Chief of Police or the Building Official judges whether a sign is too bright, and the City can order the sign owner to dim it.
Janesville Billboard Sign Brightness Limit
Some RestrictionsJanesville Code of General Ordinances § 28-189(d)(11)
Sec. 28-189. - Off-premises signs. ... (11)All off-premises electronic message signs at all times shall comply with the following operational standards:a.No sign shall interfere with the visibility or the operation of any traffic control device.b.No sign shall include a graphic and/or depiction that does or could resemble or be mistaken for a traffic control device, signal or sign.c.No such sig...
Looking for Rock County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Janesville city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in Rock County →