Cheektowaga, NY Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Cheektowaga Code § 260-48C(1)
- Fixture type required
- Cutoff, dark-sky compliant only
- Max fixture height, parking lots
- 25 feet
- Max fixture height, pedestrian areas
- 15 feet
- Flashing/colored lights
- Banned except Thanksgiving-Jan. 15
- Reviewing office
- Office of Building Inspections
- First-offense fine
- $50 to $350
Summary
Cheektowaga's site lighting law, Town Code § 260-48, forces every nonresidential and multifamily lighting plan reviewed at site plan review to use cutoff, dark-sky-compliant fixtures that conceal the light source and send illumination downward instead of into the night sky or onto neighboring land.
(1) Fixture (luminaire). The light source shall be concealed and shall not be visible from any street right-of-way or adjacent properties. In order to direct light downward and minimize the amount of light spillage into the night sky and onto adjacent properties, all lighting fixtures shall be cutoff fixtures (dark sky compliant). Only architectural lighting may be directed upward, provided that all other provisions of this section are met.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4996449; v35 updated 2026-05-26; through 05-26-2026).
Full Breakdown
Under § 260-48B, any nonresidential or multifamily development submitted for site plan review under § 260-29, and any new exterior lighting added to an existing facility that doesn't otherwise need site plan approval, must file a site lighting plan reviewed by the Office of Building Inspections. Section 260-48C(1) requires that the light source be concealed and invisible from the street or adjoining properties, and mandates cutoff (dark-sky compliant) fixtures on every luminaire so light is directed down rather than spilled skyward; only architectural lighting may point upward, and only if every other subsection is met.
Fixture height is capped separately at 25 feet in parking lots and 15 feet in nonvehicular pedestrian areas under § 260-48C(2). The code also bans specific light sources outright under § 260-48E: wooden utility poles, cobra-head or convex-lens fixtures, searchlights, and any flashing, rotating or pulsing colored light, except between Thanksgiving Day and January 15 for seasonal displays. 2 to 10 footcandles) so an approved plan can be checked against actual measured light levels after installation.
Violations & Fines
Installing or operating site lighting that isn't a Town-approved dark-sky-compliant design violates Chapter 260, punishable under § 260-72A: a fine of $50 to $350 (or up to 15 days) for a first offense, $350 to $700 for a second offense within five years, and $700 to $1,000 for a third within five years, with each week of continued noncompliance a separate violation. The Office of Building Inspections enforces the standard through the required site lighting plan review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the dark-sky rule apply to a homeowner's porch light?
Can a Cheektowaga business point a light upward at all?
Who reviews a site lighting plan before installation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cheektowaga
New York rules heatmap·Compare Cheektowaga to another location·View the New York outdoor lighting overview
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