Outdoor Lighting in Barrow County, GA (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Barrow County, Georgia.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
Outdoor lighting inside Barrow County's Destination 211 (D211) Overlay District must be fully shielded with opaque, full cutoff fixtures that point light downward. Barrow County Code § 89-1527(a) also caps most fixtures at 12 feet in height and limits sources to CFL or LED, all to curb the glare, skyglow and light trespass the ordinance's dark-sky sections describe.
Barrow County D211 Full-Cutoff Lighting Rule
Some RestrictionsBarrow County Code § 89-1527(a)(1), (3), (5)
(1)Lighting shall be fully shieled using full cut off fixtures and downlit. This shield must be opaque so that no light can pass through it. ... (3)No blinking, flashing, or fluttering lights or other illuminated device which has a change in light intensity, brightness, or color, and no lighting which exceeds 12 feet in height is permitted in any zoning district except for streetlights owned an...
Light Trespass & Shielding
Barrow County defines light trespass as illumination that spills onto property where it is not wanted, and its D211 Overlay lighting rule limits security lighting to no more than 20 feet above grade, aimed only at the area being protected. Barrow County Code §§ 89-1526(b) and 89-1527(a)(6) apply inside the Destination 211 Overlay along Highway 211 and the district's other mapped corridors.
Barrow County Caps D211 Light Trespass
Some RestrictionsBarrow County Code §§ 89-1526(b), 89-1527(a)(6)
Light trespass: ... Light trespass is light that is distributed onto areas where illumination is not wanted. Light intruding into neighboring homes and properties can keep people awake at night and destroy the sense of privacy. Effective, quality lighting includes amounts in the appropriate place and appropriate times of day. ... (6)Security lighting shall be directed towards the targeted area ...
Billboard Lighting
Barrow County restricts how a billboard along Georgia Highway 316 can be lit. Code Sec. 89-791(d)(9) bars illumination intense enough to interfere with the peace and comfort of neighboring residents, prohibits colored lights that could be confused with traffic signals, and bans direct or reflected light that creates a hazard for drivers.
Billboard Lighting Standards in Barrow County
Some RestrictionsBarrow County Code § 89-791(d)(9)
(9)Illumination of signs.a.The light from any illuminated sign shall not be of an intensity or brightness, which will interfere with the peace, comfort, convenience, and general welfare of residents or occupants of adjacent properties.b.No color lights shall be used at any location or in any manner so as to be confused with or construed as traffic control devices.c.Neither direct, nor reflected...
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