Dearborn, MI Holiday Decorations: Lawn Ornament Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Banned as permanent
- Luminous tube, rope, neon, fluorescent lighting
- Temporary exception
- 60 consecutive days, then removal required
- Where it applies
- Front yards in residential districts
- Non-lit ornaments
- Not separately regulated by this article
Summary
Dearborn bans luminous tube, rope, neon, and fluorescent lighting in residential front yards unless it's a temporary display, which is allowed for up to 60 consecutive days before it must come down.
Luminous tube, rope, neon, or fluorescent lighting shall be prohibited in the front yard of lots located in residential zoning districts unless it is a temporary display. A temporary display is permitted for 60 consecutive days and must be disassembled and removed from the structure within that timeframe.
(7) Message-casting (or projected) signs as temporary decorations; regulations.
a. Shall be carefully located, aimed and shielded so that light is directed only onto the sign, building/structure façade, or ground.
b. Shall not create glare or excessively illuminate the surrounding area, and shall not distract motorists or create a traffic hazard for either vehicles or pedestrians.
c. Fixtures that produce message-casting or projected signs shall not be aimed at adjacent streets, roads, or properties.
d. Shall not cause excessive glare or allow light to encroach into surrounding properties.
e. Time limitation.
1. Message-casting signs shall discontinue display, and shall not be illuminated between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
2. When a message-casting sign is being used as a temporary decoration in a residential district for a permitted, non-residential use, the message-casting sign shall be equipped with actively functioning timer control. The control shall be set so that the sign is not illuminated after 11:00 p.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-07: Code: Updated through: July 22, 2026 | Zoning: Updated through: July 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 5-1336(d)(6) targets a specific category of yard lighting: luminous tube, rope, neon, or fluorescent fixtures are barred from residential front yards as a permanent fixture. The only way to use these lighting types is as a temporary display, which the code caps at 60 consecutive days, after which it must be disassembled and taken down. The rule sits alongside the article's broader temporary-decoration standards, which require any yard display to be securely attached, free of safety hazards, and within the zoning district's height limit. Non-illuminated lawn ornaments like statues and figurines fall outside the sign article's defined terms and are not separately regulated here.
Violations & Fines
Installing permanent rope, tube, neon, or fluorescent lighting in a front yard, or leaving a temporary lighting display up past 60 days without disassembling it, violates Sec. 5-1336(d)(6).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put rope or neon lighting in my front yard in Dearborn?
Are lawn statues or figurines regulated in Dearborn?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dearborn
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