Allegheny County, PA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Fixture standard
- IESNA full cutoff, aimed down
- Exemption
- Fixtures under 500 lumens
- Covers
- Parking lots, walkways, entrances
- Reviewed by
- County Dept. of Economic Development
Summary
New subdivisions and land developments in Allegheny County must use IESNA full-cutoff fixtures aimed straight down over parking lots, walkways and other horizontal surfaces to cut sky glow.
For horizontal surfaces (parking lots, merchandising and storage areas, fuel-dispensing facilities, auto sales areas, loading docks, passive recreation, bicycle and pedestrian trails, sidewalks and building entrances), fixtures shall be aimed straight down and shall meet IESNA full cutoff criteria. Fixtures with aggregate output not exceeding 500 lumens (equivalent to a forty-watt incandescent bulb) are exempt. In the case of decorative/period street lighting, full shielding or IES cutoff criteria may be substituted for full cutoff.
(2) For nonhorizontal surfaces (facades, landscaping, signs, billboards, fountains, statuary and other exterior displays), fixtures shall be shielded and aimed so to not project light output beyond the object being illuminated into the windows of neighboring residences, adjacent uses, skyward or onto a public roadway. Fixtures with aggregate output not exceeding 500 lumens (equivalent to a forty-watt incandescent bulb or ten-watt compact fluorescent bulb) are exempt.
(3) Lighting for recreational uses shall be the minimum necessary for the proposed use and shall be directed and shielded to minimize the impact on adjacent properties. The visual impact plan required by § 780-402C(13)(f) shall be provided to determine compliance.
B. Control of glare.
(1)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4857026; v12 updated 2024-06-04; through 06-04-2024).
Full Breakdown
Section 780-522.A(1) of the county's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance requires fixtures lighting parking lots, storage areas, fuel-dispensing facilities, loading docks, trails, sidewalks and building entrances to be aimed straight down and meet IESNA full-cutoff criteria: the industry standard that blocks upward light output and reduces sky glow. Low-output fixtures under 500 lumens (about a 40-watt incandescent bulb) are exempt, as is decorative or period street lighting, which may substitute full shielding for full cutoff. The Department of Economic Development reviews compliance as part of subdivision plan approval.
Violations & Fines
A subdivision or land-development plan showing non-cutoff horizontal fixtures is not approved by the Department of Economic Development until the lighting plan is corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a full-cutoff fixture?
Are small fixtures exempt?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Allegheny County
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