Edmond, OK Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- light confined to property, not sky
- Applies to
- multifamily and nonresidential development
- Requires
- photometric lighting plan on file
- Exempt
- street lights, small decorative, holiday lights
Summary
Edmond's Zoning Ordinance requires all outdoor lighting on multifamily and nonresidential sites to stay confined to the property and not point upward toward the sky, to the maximum extent feasible.
(4)Light Confinement.(a)All outdoor lights shall confine emitted light to the property on which the light is located and not be directed upwards toward the sky to the maximum extent feasible.(b)All fixtures shall confine lighting to the subject site.(c)Under-canopy or downcast, roof-mounted lights shall be recessed from the lowest point of the ceiling plane.(5)Spillover Light. Spillover light shall be measured at grade and regulated as follows:(a)Spillover light onto an abutting residential district shall not exceed 0.2 footcandles, measured at the residential lot line.(b)Spillover light onto residential districts across a public right-of-way from a multiple-family or nonresidential use shall not exceed one footcandle, measured at the residential lot line.(c)Spillover light onto any nonresidential district shall not exceed three footcandles, measured at the lot line.(6)Fixture Height. Lighting fixtures shall be a maximum of 24 feet in height within the parking area and a maximum of 12 feet in height within non-vehicular pedestrian areas.Fixture Height Fixture Height
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 39).
Full Breakdown
Section 22.6.1(G)(4) requires every outdoor light fixture on applicable multifamily or nonresidential development to confine its emitted light to the property where it's installed and avoid pointing upward toward the sky to the maximum extent feasible. Under-canopy or downcast, roof-mounted fixtures must be recessed from the lowest point of the ceiling plane so the lamp itself isn't visible. A lighting plan with a photometric layout and fixture cut-sheets must be submitted whenever outdoor lighting is installed or site plan review is triggered. Public street lights, small decorative fixtures, and seasonal holiday lighting are exempt.
Violations & Fines
Installing lighting that spills upward or off-site without an approved photometric plan can hold up site plan approval or trigger a code compliance order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Edmond regulate light pollution?
Do homeowners need a lighting plan for a porch light?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Edmond
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Dark Sky Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle dark sky rules.