Greeley, CO Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 24-603(e)(4)
- Fixture standard
- LED, Dark Sky compliant, full cutoff
- Banned fixture type
- Low-pressure sodium lighting
- Applies to
- Commercial, mixed-use, industrial districts
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 35, 2021
Summary
Commercial, mixed-use and industrial sites in Greeley must use LED, International Dark-Sky Association-compliant fixtures that are shielded and aimed downward; low-pressure sodium fixtures are banned outright under the city's nonresidential design standards.
Outdoor lighting shall be LED (light emitting diode) "Dark Sky" compliant, per the International Dark Sky Association requirements for reducing light pollution and minimizing glare. The use of low pressure sodium light fixtures shall be prohibited in the city.(d)The style and materials of light standards and fixtures shall be compatible with the architectural character and materials of buildings on the site, and building-mounted lights are encouraged to use ornamental lights rather than wall pack fixtures.(e)All lights shall be directed downward and the light source shall be shielded to direct light away from and not visible from any adjacent property.(1)An exception for accent and flagpole lighting may be permitted for upward lights as long as the light source is shielded and not visible from any adjacent property.(2)Wall lights shall be full cutoff fixtures, with flat lenses, and mounted so the lights are directed downward and the light source shall not go beyond the property line.(3)Fixtures installed under canopies, awnings, and overhangs shall be fully recessed. Figure 24-6-14: Lighting Directed Downward onto Site. Lighting directed downward eliminates negative impacts of lighting on adjacent property and helps to preserve the night sky views. (Section 24-603.e.4(e).)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 6 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 24-603 sets Greeley's nonresidential design standards, and its exterior-lighting rule requires all outdoor fixtures on commercial, mixed-use and industrial sites to be LED and 'Dark Sky' compliant per International Dark-Sky Association standards, with low-pressure sodium fixtures prohibited citywide. Fixtures must be directed downward and shielded so the light source isn't visible from adjacent property; wall-mounted lights must be full-cutoff with flat lenses, and canopy or overhang fixtures must be fully recessed. The rule dates to Ord. No. 35, 2021 and is current through the code's April 2026 supplement. It governs commercial/industrial development, not single-family residential yards.
Violations & Fines
Violations are code infractions under Sec. 24-104(c), enforceable through denial or revocation of site-plan/building permits, stop-work orders, and civil or administrative sanctions under Title 1, Chapter 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Greeley require dark-sky compliant lighting?
Does this rule apply to a house in Greeley?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greeley
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