Cape Coral, FL Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Permanent outdoor lighting in nonresidential development
- Shielding rule
- Light source not visible off premises
- Parking lot cutoff
- No light emitted above 90 degrees
- Entrance lighting range
- 1 to 5 foot-candles under Table 5.6.2
- Residential adjacency
- 0.1 foot-candle cap under § 5.6.2(C)
Summary
Every permanent outdoor light fixture on nonresidential property in Cape Coral must be shielded so the bulb itself isn't visible off-site, and parking lot lights can't throw light above the horizontal. The standard exists to curb glare and sky glow, per Section 5.6.1's stated purpose.
The purpose and intent of this Section is to create outdoor lighting standards that promote the health, safety, and welfare of the residents and decrease the impacts of ambient lighting on the natural sky by establishing maximum intensities of lighting and controlling glare from lighting fixtures. The provisions of this article shall apply to all permanent outdoor lighting from any light source in nonresidential development. ... A.Outdoor lighting fixtures. All outdoor lighting fixtures shall be installed in such a manner that the source of each individual light is shielded, positioned, and maintained so as not to be visible off the premises.B.Light shielding for parking lot illumination. All parking lot lighting shall have no light emitted above 90 degrees.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38).
Full Breakdown
2, sets Cape Coral's outdoor lighting standards. 1 states the purpose directly: reduce the impact of ambient lighting on the natural sky by capping intensities and controlling glare, and it applies these standards to all permanent outdoor lighting from any light source in nonresidential development, meaning single-family homes fall outside this chapter's shielding mandate. 2(A) requires that every outdoor lighting fixture be installed so the light source itself is shielded, positioned, and maintained so it is not visible from off the premises, a full-cutoff style requirement rather than a simple 'point it down' suggestion.
2(B) adds a specific cap for parking lots: lighting cannot emit any light above 90 degrees, which rules out fixtures that spill light upward or sideways past the horizontal plane. 2, with a commercial or industrial building entrance needing between 1 and 5 foot-candles. 2's foot-candle ranges give inspectors a numeric benchmark rather than a subjective glare judgment. 1 foot-candles.
Violations & Fines
Because Chapter 6 sits within the Land Development Code, unshielded or over-90-degree fixtures are enforced as general code violations under Section 1.6, which routes them through Chapter 2, Article 5, Divisions 3 and 4. A Code Enforcement Officer issues a warning with a correction window before any citation, and an uncorrected violation goes to the Special Magistrate for a civil penalty and a compliance order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Cape Coral require shielded outdoor lighting for businesses?
Are parking lot lights capped to prevent glare?
Do these lighting standards apply to single-family homes?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cape Coral
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Cape Coral to another location·View the Florida outdoor lighting overview
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How other cities in Lee County handle dark sky rules.