Outdoor Lighting in Union County, NC (2026)
2 rules for unincorporated Union County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Dark Sky Rules
In unincorporated Union County, nonresidential outdoor lighting must be shielded so almost none of the light escapes above horizontal, and light spilling across a property line is capped at 0.5 to 3.0 foot-candles depending on the neighboring zone.
Union County Outdoor Lighting Shielding Rule
Some RestrictionsUnion County Unified Development Ordinance § 55.130
Shielding: ... Light sources must be concealed or shielded with cutoffs so that no more than 2.5% of the light emitted directly from the lamp or indirectly from the fixture is projected at an angle of more than 90 degrees above nadir and no more than 10% of the light emitted directly from the lamp or indirectly from the fixture is projected at an angle of more than 80 degrees above nadir. ... S...
Light Trespass & Shielding
Union County caps sign glare at the property line under UDO Section 50.070: light trespass from an illuminated sign cannot push the light level along a right-of-way or a residential lot line more than 0.5 foot-candles above ambient. Fixtures aimed at a sign must be shielded to light only the sign face, not the street or a neighbor's yard.
Union County, NC Sign Light Trespass Limit
Some RestrictionsUnion County Unified Development Ordinance § 50.070
Light trespass from any illuminated sign may not cause the light level along the right-of-way line or any property line of a lot occupied by a residential dwelling unit to exceed 0.5 foot-candles above ambient light levels. Maximum illumination levels are measured 3 feet above grade or from the top of any fence or wall along the property line. Lighting directed toward a sign shall be shielded s...
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