Edison, NJ Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Purpose
- Prevent glare, light trespass, skyglow
- Also targets
- Wasted electricity, nighttime safety
- Applies to
- All outdoor lighting except 1-2 family homes
- Administered by
- Township Zoning Officer
Summary
Edison Township's outdoor lighting ordinance states its purpose is to stop misdirected or excessive light, glare, light trespass and unnecessary skyglow, while protecting nighttime safety and curbing wasted electricity.
The Township of Edison does herein find that regulation of outdoor lighting in the Township of Edison is necessary to prevent misdirected or excessive artificial light, caused by inappropriate or misaligned light fixtures that produce glare, light trespass (nuisance light) and/or unnecessary skyglow; and also that such regulation is necessary to discourage the waste of electricity and to improve or maintain nighttime public safety, utility and security.
b. All outdoor light fixtures installed and thereafter maintained other than those serving one- and two-family dwellings, shall comply with the requirements as specified below:
1. Where used for security purposes or to illuminate walkways, roadways and parking lots, only shielded light fixtures shall be used.
2. Where used for commercial and industrial purposes such as in merchandise display areas, work areas, platforms, signs, architectural, landscape or sports or recreational facilities, all light fixtures shall be equipped with automatic timing devices and comply with the following:
(a) Light fixtures used to illuminate flags, statues or any other objects mounted on a pole, pedestal or platform, shall use a narrow cone beam of light that will not extend beyond the illuminated object.
(b) Other upward directed architectural, landscape or decorative direct light emissions shall have at least ninety (90%) percent of their total distribution pattern within the profile of the illuminated structure.
(c)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4904708; v19 updated 2026-03-25; through 03-25-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 37-61.2.a opens Edison Township's outdoor lighting article with a formal finding: unregulated fixtures cause glare, light trespass and unnecessary skyglow, and regulation is needed to curb wasted electricity while protecting nighttime public safety. That purpose clause anchors the operative rules that follow it -- mandatory shielded fixtures for security and walkway lighting, automatic timing devices for commercial displays, and a numeric light-trespass cap of 0.1 foot-candles at the property line. The Zoning Officer administers the article, and the same office reviews photometric plans submitted for new outdoor lighting installations under § 37-61.6.
Violations & Fines
This purpose clause carries no penalty itself; violations of the shielding, timing and light-trespass standards it introduces are enforced by the Zoning Officer under § 37-67.5, with Municipal Court fines and possible jail time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Edison Township have a dark-sky or anti-skyglow lighting law?
Does the skyglow purpose clause apply to a homeowner's porch light?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Edison
Compare Edison to another location·View the New Jersey outdoor lighting overview
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