Floyd County, GA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Purpose clause names
- Enjoyment of the night sky
- Applies above
- 230 lumens res / 500-600 lumens non-res
- Fixture type required
- Full cutoff, downward, shielded
- Max mounting height
- 25 feet (recreation lights excepted)
- Cutoff fixture defined as
- ≤2.5% light above horizontal plane
- Max penalty
- $1,000 or 6 months, per day
Summary
Floyd County's Unified Land Development Code requires full cutoff, downward-directed and shielded fixtures for permanent exterior lighting in unincorporated areas, adopted expressly to reduce light pollution and, in the code's own words, "enhance enjoyment of the night sky."
To reduce light trespass, obtrusive light, and light pollution; to conserve energy and resources; to reduce extreme variations of illumination, to which elderly drivers are particularly sensitive; and to enhance enjoyment of the night sky, the following standards shall apply to all exterior lighting with an illumination level above 230 lumens in residential zones and 500 lumens (600 lumens for fluorescent) in non-residential zones ... c.All permanent area lights shall be full cut-off fixtures, downward directed, and shielded so that the angle of luminance does not result in light projecting beyond the area being lit. Except for outdoor recreation attractions, lights may be mounted at a height of no more than 25 feet from grade. ... Cutoff Fixture: An outdoor light fixture shielded or constructed in such a manner that no more than two and one-half (2½) percent of the total light emitted by the fixture is projected above the horizontal plane of the fixture.
Full Breakdown
8 of the ULDC opens with a purpose statement tying the standard to reducing light trespass, obtrusive light and light pollution, conserving energy, reducing the glare variations that especially affect elderly drivers, and enhancing enjoyment of the night sky. Those standards apply to any exterior lighting above 230 lumens in residential zones and 500 lumens (600 lumens for fluorescent fixtures) in non-residential zones, a threshold that covers the overwhelming majority of area and security lighting installed on a property. Once triggered, the rule requires that all permanent area lights be full cutoff fixtures, downward directed, and shielded so the light does not project beyond the area being lit, and it caps mounting height at 25 feet from grade, except for lighting at outdoor recreation attractions such as ball fields.
The code defines a "Cutoff Fixture" precisely: no more than two and one-half percent of the total light emitted by the fixture may project above the fixture's horizontal plane, which is what forces true full-cutoff hardware rather than partially shielded fixtures. A related provision allows upward-directed accent lighting of architectural features like steeples, monuments or flagpoles, but only if light projecting above or beyond the feature is minimized, and it bans high-intensity and laser lighting outright. The Chief Building Inspector reviews compliance as part of permitting and site inspection under Article 7.
Violations & Fines
Installing a permanent area light that is not a full cutoff fixture, or mounting one above 25 feet outside the outdoor-recreation exception, is a Development Code violation. Conviction under the ULDC's violation and penalties article carries a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day the noncompliant fixture remains a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does unincorporated Floyd County have a dark-sky lighting ordinance?
What counts as a compliant fixture under Floyd County's lighting rule?
Can I light a flagpole or architectural feature with upward-facing fixtures?
What lighting is banned outright in unincorporated Floyd County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Floyd County
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