Outdoor Lighting in McLean County, IL (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated McLean County, Illinois.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
McLean County's zoning code shields neighbors from data center glare. Section 350-43FFF(2) allows facility lighting only for security and safety, and requires every fixture to be shielded so light does not spill substantially past the property line, a rule enforced by the Director of Building and Zoning under the county's special-use standards.
McLean County Data Center Lighting Shielding
Some RestrictionsMcLean County Code § 350-43FFF(2)
Lighting shall be installed for security and safety purposes only and shall be shielded so no glare extends substantially beyond the boundaries of the facility.
Light Trespass & Shielding
Commercial properties in McLean County's C Commercial District must shade exterior lighting fixtures so no direct light falls on neighboring property and no glare is visible to street traffic, under Zoning Code Section 350-38G(4), the county's core light-trespass standard.
McLean County C District Exterior Lighting Rule
Light RestrictionsMcLean County, IL Code of Ordinances § 350-38.G(4)
Exterior lighting fixtures shall be shaded so that no direct light is cast upon any neighboring property and so that glare is not visible to traffic on any public street.
Billboard Lighting
McLean County's zoning code lets an advertising sign (billboard) in the Commercial District be illuminated only if the light is concentrated on the sign face, with no flashing, rotating, or oscillating lights. An illuminated billboard must also sit at least 300 feet from a residential zone or home.
McLean County Billboard Illumination Standards
Some RestrictionsMcLean County Code § 350-83C(7)(c), (h)
No advertising sign shall be located within 200 feet of a residential zone and/or existing residence. If the advertising sign is illuminated, this required distance shall be increased to 300 feet. ... An advertising sign may be illuminated, provided such illumination is concentrated on the surface of the sign and is so located as to avoid glare or reflection onto any portion of an adjacent stre...
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