Clayton County, GA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

The standard applies to every zoning district and to all exterior lighting sources visible from a public way or an adjacent parcel. Anyone installing outdoor lighting as part of a nonresidential site plan, a preliminary or final plat, or a final residential site plan must submit fixture location, type and height, a photometric grid showing footcandle intensity across the site, the fixture's lumen output, lamp type and shielding method, and its intended use for review by the Zoning Administrator or Building Inspector before installation. The ordinance requires exterior fixtures to be fully shielded and directed downward, using full cutoff housings, louvers, glare shields, optics or reflectors so light does not spill onto neighboring property.

Freestanding pole-mounted fixtures are limited by distance from a residential district or use: 15 feet within 50 feet of residential property, 20 feet between 50 and 300 feet, and 25 feet beyond 300 feet. Metal halide lamps up to 250 watts per fixture are the county's recommended baseline, though the Zoning Administrator can approve other lamp types up to 400 watts if the fixture is fully shielded, or decorative fixtures up to 100 watts without full shielding if they will not cause glare. Luminous tube or exposed-lamp fluorescent lighting is banned as an architectural accent on rooflines, cornices, eaves, windows and doors.

Eleven categories of lighting are exempt outright, including roadway and airport lighting, motion-sensor lighting, temporary circus or carnival lighting, construction and emergency lighting, agricultural lighting, sports field and pool lighting, holiday decorations, shielded pedestrian walkway lighting, low-glare residential lighting, and street lights.