Horry County has no dedicated dark-sky or sea-turtle lighting ordinance, but Zoning Ordinance Section 410 requires brighter fixtures to be full-cutoff or shielded so light is not aimed skyward, onto roadways, or into neighbors' windows. Grand Strand residents are also urged to keep beachfront lights out during turtle season.
Section 410 (Light and glare) of the Horry County Zoning Ordinance requires light fixtures over 100 watts or 200 lumens to be full-cutoff or directionally shielded and aimed so illumination stays on the intended object and does not project skyward, onto public roadways, or into neighboring residences. Wall-mounted lights must be fully shielded. Unlike Georgetown County's Garden City Beach, the SC DNR ordinance survey lists Horry County, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach as having no formal sea-turtle lighting ordinance, so beachfront light management is voluntary through 'Lights Out for Turtles' during the May-October nesting season.
Lighting that violates Section 410's shielding or glare limits is a zoning violation subject to correction orders and code-enforcement penalties.
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Horry County, SC
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See how Horry County's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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