Coconut Creek, FL Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Section 13-374 is Coconut Creek's outdoor lighting ordinance, and it reaches all residential uses regardless of structure type as well as non-residential land uses. Its stated purpose is to minimize glare, light trespass and skyglow, protect the privacy of residents, minimize disturbance of wildlife, and preserve optimal viewing of the night sky above the City of Coconut Creek.

The core fixture rule is § 13-374(2)d.5: full cutoff fixtures must be used, and flood or spot lights, wallpacks and wall wash are prohibited. Mercury vapor lighting is prohibited. A full cutoff fixture is defined as one with zero candela intensity at or above 90 degrees above nadir and no more than 100 candela per 1,000 lamp lumens at or above 80 degrees. Lights properly installed under a porch roof or roof overhang count as functional equivalents, and no bulb can be exposed beyond the luminaire housing.

Site limits are numeric. Multi-family land uses are limited to 5.0 lumens per square foot of hardscape and commercial or office uses to 7.5. A site with 50,000 square feet of hardscape at 5.0 gets 250,000 total lumens. Parking lot lights cannot exceed 10 footcandles measured 3 feet above ground, and non-residential sites must drop to 1 footcandle within one hour of closing. Residential pedestrian scale lighting tops out at 12 feet.

New luminaires must comply, but swapping a fixture for a like-style fixture needs no permit. Existing lights stay until renovation exceeds 50 percent of replacement cost. Exempt are emergency lighting, vehicle lights, public street lighting, hazard warning lights, holiday lighting, athletic fields and in-water pool lighting. Site plans need a point to point photometric plan signed and sealed by a Florida engineer, and the certificate of occupancy depends on passing the photometric requirements.