Duluth, MN Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Shielding trigger
- Fixtures over 900 lumens
- Fixture standard
- IESNA full cutoff, 90 degree max angle
- After-hours dimming
- Non-security lighting to 30% or off
- LED color cap
- 3000 Kelvin, min. 80 CRI
- Upward lighting limit
- Not visible above roofline; off 10pm-6am on facades
Summary
Any Duluth light fixture that emits more than 900 lumens, roughly a 60-watt incandescent bulb, must be shielded with a full cutoff fixture under IESNA standards. Non-security lighting must dim to 30 percent or shut off after hours, and LED color temperature is capped at 3000 Kelvin.
A. Any light source or lamp that emits more than 900 lumens (13 watt compact fluorescent or 60 watt incandescent) shall be concealed or shielded with an Illuminations Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) full cut-off style fixture with an angle not exceeding 90 degrees, with 90 percent of the light below 80 degrees. ... ... G. All outdoor light not necessary for security purposes shall be reduced to 30 percent of design levels or less, activated by motion sensor detectors, or turned off during non-operating hours; ... ... K. LED lighting may not exceed a correlated color temperature (CCT) of 3000 Kelvin (K) nor have a minimum color rendering index (CRI) of less than 80.
Full Breakdown
A sets Duluth's core shielding standard: any light source or lamp that emits more than 900 lumens (13 watt compact fluorescent or 60 watt incandescent) shall be concealed or shielded with an Illuminations Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) full cut-off style fixture with an angle not exceeding 90 degrees, with 90 percent of the light below 80 degrees. 1. The Chapter layers additional dark-sky-style controls on top of the fixture rule. G requires that all outdoor light not necessary for security purposes be reduced to 30 percent of design levels or less, activated by motion sensor detectors, or turned off during non-operating hours.
K caps the color of LED fixtures, not just their shielding: LED lighting may not exceed a correlated color temperature of 3000 Kelvin nor have a minimum color rendering index of less than 80, though that cap does not apply to public safety lighting the land use supervisor approves or to street lighting run by the city, county or state. m.
Violations & Fines
An unshielded fixture over 900 lumens, non-security lighting left at full brightness overnight, or an LED fixture exceeding the 3000 Kelvin cap violates Section 50-31.3 and is enforced as a Chapter 50 nuisance under Section 50-39, with the building official issuing a correction order. Continued noncompliance can bring abatement action, an administrative citation under Chapter 12, or a court action, and each day the fixture remains out of compliance is a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggers Duluth's full cutoff lighting requirement?
Does Duluth require lights to dim or shut off at night?
Are there limits on LED color in Duluth's outdoor lighting rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Duluth
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