Ocean County, NJ Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Outdoor lighting across Ocean County is regulated primarily through municipal zoning ordinances with overlays for environmentally-sensitive areas. Toms River §348 requires full-cutoff (fully shielded) fixtures for new commercial installations and caps light trespass at 0.1 foot-candles at residential property lines. Brick §245 similar. Jackson §244 limits pole heights to 20 ft in commercial zones, 15 ft in office zones. Lakewood §18 balances religious-institution lighting needs with residential quality-of-life. LBI municipalities apply sea turtle-friendly lighting requirements during nesting season May 1 through October 31 — lights on oceanfront/bayfront properties must be shielded, low (under 4 ft), red or amber (590 nm+), or off after 9 PM, per NJDEP Endangered and Nongame Species Act guidelines protecting loggerhead and green sea turtles. Long Beach Township §205 codifies these rules. Pinelands Commission CMP (N.J.A.C. 7:50-6.105) requires dark-sky-compliant fixtures in Forest and Preservation Areas to protect nocturnal wildlife including barred owls, whip-poor-wills, and the federally-threatened Northern long-eared bat. LED color temperature typically capped at 3000K (warm white) to reduce ecological and sleep disruption. International Dark-Sky Association recommendations referenced by many Ocean County ordinances.