Farmington Hills, MI Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Farmington Hills Code of Ordinances Chapter 34 (Zoning), Sec. 34-5.16 (Exterior Lighting), as revised by Ordinance No. C-7-2013 (adopted August 12, 2013), establishes the city's outdoor-lighting framework. The intent of Sec. 34-5.16 is to allow adequate site illumination while minimizing light trespass, glare, and skyglow onto adjacent residential properties and the public right-of-way. Key requirements: (1) all outdoor lighting shall be installed in conformance with the Zoning Ordinance, applicable Electrical and Energy Codes, and applicable sections of the Michigan Building Code (the state-adopted 2015 Michigan Building Code under MCL 125.1502 governs the underlying electrical and structural installation); (2) exterior lights of more than 1,400 lumens are permitted only if the light source is down-lit to reduce intensity and glare and is arranged to reflect lights away from all sides (i.e., shielded full-cutoff fixtures aimed downward); (3) flood or spotlights used for external illumination with a lamp or lamps rated at 900 lumens or less are permitted in any use district, provided that such lighting is not aimed, directed, or focused toward residential districts or uses or toward a public street; (4) site-plan-approval projects (commercial, multi-family, mixed-use, institutional) must satisfy additional Sec. 34-5.16 requirements during Planning Department review, typically including a submitted lighting plan with fixture specifications, photometric calculations, and mounting heights. Single-family residential exterior lighting is subject to the general Sec. 34-5.16 standards (no glare onto adjacent residential property; lights over 1,400 lumens must be downlit and shielded) but is not subject to the more rigorous site-plan submission requirements. Michigan has no state dark-sky statute and no statewide outdoor-lighting standard; Farmington Hills is NOT certified by DarkSky International. The city's controls under Sec. 34-5.16 - shielded downlit fixtures for high-lumen sources, 900-lumen cap on unshielded floodlights, and prohibition on glare toward residential uses or streets - constitute a moderate dark-sky-style framework typical of inner-ring suburban SE Michigan. Enforcement is administered by Farmington Hills Code Enforcement and the Planning Department (City Hall 248-871-2400).