Arapahoe County, CO Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Outdoor lighting in Arapahoe County is regulated to reduce light pollution, glare, and trespass onto neighboring properties. Arapahoe County Land Development Code §5-4 requires new exterior lighting installations to use fully-shielded (full-cutoff) fixtures that direct light downward—no uplight above the horizontal plane. Maximum illumination at property lines: 0.5 foot-candles residential, 1.0 commercial adjacent to residential. Aurora Unified Development Ordinance §146-4 requires similar shielding plus maximum pole heights (25 ft residential, 40 ft commercial parking lots). Centennial Municipal Code §12-11 and Littleton MC §10-4 follow comparable standards. Cherry Hills Village Municipal Code §16-7-9 applies especially strict dark-sky rules to preserve the community's semi-rural, dark-sky character—maximum lumen budget per lot, warm-color LEDs only. International Dark-Sky Association Community certification is sought by some Arapahoe County communities. Denver International Airport's lighting proximity concerns affect northern Aurora—lighting must not interfere with pilot navigation. Residential motion-sensor lighting for security is encouraged. Commercial outdoor sports lighting (stadium lights at schools, parks) uses specific photometric plans. LED color temperature 3000K or below is preferred or required in newer ordinances to reduce blue-light emissions. Aurora's proximity to Buckley Space Force Base adds concern about interference with military operations.