Adair County, IA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Ordinance No. 4 is an airport height zoning ordinance, so its lighting rules protect pilots rather than the night sky. Nothing in it sets a shielding standard, a brightness cap, a color temperature or a curfew. What it does regulate is glare and obstruction lighting around the Greenfield Municipal Airport, in two places.

Section IV opens with a general bar: no use may be made of land or water within Greenfield of Adair County in a manner that interferes with the operation of any airborne aircraft. Subsection B then bars any operation from producing smoke, glare or other visual hazards within three statute miles of any usable runway of the airport. Subsection C separately bars electronic interference with navigation signals or radio communication between the airport and aircraft.

Section V covers obstruction lighting. The owner of any structure over 200 feet above ground level must install lighting on it that follows the FAA Advisory Circular the ordinance names, with its amendments. A structure built after the ordinance took effect that exceeds 949 feet above ground level must also carry high intensity white obstruction lights under Chapter 6 of that circular. Under subsection B, a permit or variance can be conditioned on the owner allowing the City of Greenfield, at its own expense, to install, operate and maintain the markers or lights needed to show pilots an airspace hazard.

The ordinance was adopted by the Board of Supervisors on June 27, 1986. Variances go to the Board of Adjustment under Section VI, and the Greenfield Municipal Airport Manager or Aeronautics Director gets a copy of the application and 15 days to respond.