Arapahoe County Land Development Code §5-4 requires fully-shielded (full-cutoff) outdoor lighting for new installations. Aurora UDO §146-4 and Centennial §12-11 require similar. Cherry Hills Village has particularly strict dark-sky rules to preserve rural character. LED color temperature 3000K or below preferred. DIA affects nearby lighting.
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.
Non-compliant fixtures: 30-day correction notice. Failure to correct: $100 to $500 per fixture. Commercial violations: permit modification or revocation. Ongoing violations: daily fines up to $999.
Centennial, CO
Centennial's Municipal Code Chapter 10, Article 12 prohibits excessive noise that endangers personal or real property. The city relies on a general 'excessiv...
Centennial, CO
Centennial regulates construction noise through its general noise ordinance and building regulations under Chapter 18. Construction activities are generally ...
Centennial, CO
Centennial's animal regulations address incessant barking as a noise disturbance that violates the peace and quiet of a neighborhood. Dogs found creating exc...
Centennial, CO
Centennial limits RV and trailer street parking to 48 hours at a time with at least 24 hours between parking periods. RVs must park in front of and on the sa...
Centennial, CO
Centennial's Land Development Code regulates driveway design and parking surfaces. The city rejected a 2019 proposal to limit yard parking area percentages. ...
Centennial, CO
Centennial approved a 14-day street parking limit for regular vehicles in residential areas. After 14 days, the vehicle must be off the street for 7 consecut...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Arapahoe County.
See how Centennial's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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