Grand Rapids, MI Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Brightness cap
- 0.3 footcandles ambient
- Prohibited content
- flashing, scrolling, video
- Required hardware
- ambient light monitor
- Residential buffer
- 300 ft mitigation trigger
Summary
Grand Rapids caps digital billboard brightness at 0.3 footcandles of ambient light and bans flashing, moving, or scrolling displays.
To prevent glare, digital billboards shall not operate at a brightness level greater than 0.3 foot candles of ambient light, as may be further limited by this Section or other City Codes. Digital billboards shall not display any illumination by flashing, intermittent or moving lights, and will not contain or display animated, moving video or scrolling elements. Digital billboards shall have installed ambient light monitors and will at all times allow such monitors to automatically adjust the brightness level of the digital billboard based on ambient light conditions.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 70).
Full Breakdown
Digital billboards approved under the Zoning Ordinance's Billboard Exchange Program must meet fixed lighting standards to limit glare and light spillover into nearby neighborhoods. Brightness is capped at 0.3 foot candles of ambient light, and displays may not flash, use intermittent or moving lights, or show animated video or scrolling elements. Each billboard must have an ambient light monitor installed that automatically dims the display as surrounding light conditions change. Signs within 300 feet of a residential use must also incorporate light-impact mitigating design technology, and each message must display for at least 8 seconds with any change completed in 1 second or less.
Violations & Fines
Operating a digital billboard above the 0.3 footcandle brightness cap, showing flashing or scrolling content, or skipping the required ambient light monitor violates Section 5.15.03.I.3.d.v.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright can a digital billboard be in Grand Rapids?
Can a digital billboard show video or scrolling text?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grand Rapids
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Billboard Lighting in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kent County handle billboard lighting.