West Virginia has no statewide dark-sky law, and unincorporated Kanawha County has no dedicated lighting ordinance. Outdoor lighting is controlled through the City of Charleston's zoning performance standards and nuisance rules, mostly for commercial and multifamily projects. Rules vary by city.
West Virginia has no statewide dark-sky or outdoor-lighting law for private property, and unincorporated Kanawha County, being unzoned, has no dedicated lighting ordinance. Where lighting is regulated, it is through city codes. The City of Charleston's Zoning Ordinance controls glare and light spill through buffering, screening, and site-plan performance standards, aimed mostly at new commercial and multifamily development rather than a single-family porch light. South Charleston, St. Albans, and Nitro set their own standards, and many favor shielded, downward-directed fixtures near residential zones. Because West Virginia International Yeager Airport sits on a Charleston ridgetop, glare that could distract pilots draws extra attention. A fixture allowed in one town may be restricted in the next.
There is no state or county dark-sky citation for a private home. A city planning department enforces glare and lighting conditions through zoning or site-plan review, usually requiring a fixture to be reshielded, aimed down, or replaced.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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