Albany regulates outdoor lighting under Chapter 375 of the Unified Sustainable Development Ordinance (USDO). Fixtures must be full cutoff/fully shielded so the light source is not visible from adjoining properties or the public right-of-way. The code limits light trespass at residential property lines, restricts uplighting, and applies to new construction, additions, and parking-lot lighting in all districts.
Albany adopted the Unified Sustainable Development Ordinance (USDO) in 2017, which consolidated the prior zoning code into a single form-based document codified at ecode360.com/AL0926. Outdoor lighting standards live in USDO Chapter 375 and apply citywide. The ordinance requires every exterior light fixture — wall packs, parking-lot poles, canopy lights at gas stations, building accent lighting — to be a full cutoff fixture, meaning the light source (bulb or LED chip) is fully shielded and not directly visible from any point above the horizontal plane through the fixture's lowest light-emitting part. This is the standard Dark Sky-friendly definition used by the International Dark-Sky Association (now DarkSky International) and incorporated by reference in many municipal codes.
The USDO caps light trespass — illumination measured at the property line of an adjoining residential lot — at 0.1 footcandles. Non-residential property line trespass is limited to 0.5 footcandles. Glare onto public streets and sidewalks is prohibited. Uplighting of building facades, monuments, flags, and signage is heavily restricted: narrow-beam, fully shielded fixtures aimed only at the intended target are required, and broad-beam uplighting of the night sky is prohibited. Parking-lot lighting must use poles no taller than the height limits for the zoning district (typically 20–25 feet in residential and mixed-use areas, 30 feet in commercial/industrial). Canopy lights at gas stations and drive-throughs must be flush-mounted or recessed so the light source is not visible from off-site. The standards apply to new construction, additions, and substantial reconstruction; existing fixtures are grandfathered until replaced.
Non-compliant lighting is a zoning violation enforced by the Department of Buildings & Regulatory Compliance. A Notice of Violation gives 30 days to bring fixtures into compliance (typically by replacing or re-shielding). Continued violations carry fines of $250–$1,000 per day. A Certificate of Occupancy can be withheld for new construction until the lighting plan passes inspection. Neighbors can file complaints with Code Enforcement via 311 or the SeeClickFix app.
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