Youngstown, OH Outdoor Lighting: Billboard Lighting (2026)
Key Facts
- Illumination standard
- Light must stay on sign, minimize glare
- Enforcing agency
- Building Inspector / Zoning Specialist
- Penalty
- Third-degree misdemeanor, up to $500/60 days
- Max height (B-1/B-2)
- 75 feet
- Max height (B-3)
- 40 feet
- Residential setback
- 100 feet if visible/facing district
Summary
In the City of Youngstown, Ohio, billboard illumination must be aimed to keep light on the sign face and minimize glare onto public streets and adjoining property. City Council set the standard in the Sign Regulations at Youngstown Codified Ordinances Chapter 1105, enforced by the Building Inspector and Zoning Specialist.
(b) Physical Dimensions, Illumination, and Maintenance of Separate Use Signs. ... (3) Illumination of billboards shall be installed so as to direct the light on the sign and to minimize glare upon a public street or adjoining property. ... (b) Penalties for Violation of the Sign Regulations. (1) Any person, firm or corporation which causes a sign to be displayed in conflict with these Sign Regulations or who owns, controls or occupies property on which a sign is displayed in a manner in conflict with these sign regulations, or who owns or controls the sign or the structure or equipment on which the sign is displayed in violation of the sign regulations is guilty of a Misdemeanor of the third degree. Every day in which the violation remains shall constitute a new offense. ... A third degree misdemeanor carries potential penalties of up to five hundred dollars ($500.00) and up to 60 days in jail.
Full Breakdown
Youngstown Codified Ordinances Section 1105.08(b)(3) governs how a billboard or outdoor advertising structure may be lit: illumination must be installed so it directs light onto the sign itself and minimizes glare on a public street or adjoining property, rather than spilling onto traffic or neighboring lots. This sits inside the broader Section 1105.08(b) physical-dimensions and maintenance rules for separate use signs, which also cap a single billboard face at 52 feet in length, limit height to 75 feet in the B-1 or B-2 districts and 40 feet in the B-3 district, require landscaping to screen the base of the pole or foundation, and require the structure to meet the current Ohio Building Code.
Structure-placement rules in Section 1105.08(a) reinforce the glare concern by keeping billboards at least 100 feet from a residential district if visible and facing into it, 150 feet from any public park or public building, and 1,000 feet from any other billboard structure. The Building Inspector and Zoning Specialist administer the Sign Regulations, and any sign displayed in conflict with them, including an illumination violation, is treated as a Sign Code violation under Section 1105.10(b), with every day of noncompliance counted as a new offense.
Violations & Fines
Violating the illumination standard is prosecuted under Section 1105.10(b)(1) as a misdemeanor of the third degree, carrying a fine of up to $500 and up to 60 days in jail, with every day the sign remains out of compliance treated as a separate offense. The Building Inspector may also remove a violating sign and bill the owner for removal costs, which become a lien on the real estate if unpaid within 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a billboard's lights shine onto the street in Youngstown?
Who enforces billboard lighting rules in Youngstown?
What happens if a billboard's lighting violates the code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Youngstown
Compare Youngstown to another location·View the Ohio outdoor lighting overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.