Sedgwick County, KS Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Formal dark-sky ordinance
- None adopted
- Code standard
- UZC Sec. IV-B.4
- Fixture type
- Cut-off luminaries required
- Pole height near homes
- 15 ft within 200 ft
- Applies through
- MH district
Summary
The Unified Zoning Code has no formal dark-sky ordinance, but UZC Sec. IV-B.4 requires outdoor lighting to use cut-off luminaries that minimize light trespass and glare, and caps light poles at 15 feet within 200 feet of residential districts.
Outdoor lighting sources, including base or pedestal, pole and fixture, shall employ cut-off luminaries to minimize light trespass and glare, and shall be mounted at a height not exceeding one-half the distance from the neighboring Lot ... Lighting sources shall be limited to 15 feet in height within 200 feet of residential zoning Districts.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 22 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Sedgwick County has not adopted an International Dark-Sky-style lighting ordinance, but the Wichita-Sedgwick County Unified Zoning Code sets shielding and glare limits in Sec. IV-B.4 (Screening and Lighting) that apply through the MH district. Outdoor lighting sources, including base or pedestal, pole and fixture, must employ cut-off luminaries to minimize light trespass and glare, and must be mounted no higher than one-half the distance to the neighboring lot, unless the applicant satisfies the Zoning Administrator that the light source is aimed or shielded so it is not visible from the neighboring lot. Lighting sources are limited to 15 feet in height within 200 feet of residential zoning districts. Related standards (Sec. IV-B.1-3) direct that lighting be shielded and cast downward.
Violations & Fines
Outdoor lighting that is not full cut-off, exceeds the height limits, or throws glare or light onto a neighboring lot violates UZC Sec. IV-B.4 and is enforced under UZC Article VIII, typically through correction orders and, if unresolved, fines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does unincorporated Sedgwick County have a dark-sky lighting law?
How tall can an outdoor light pole be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sedgwick County
Compare Sedgwick County to another location·View the Kansas outdoor lighting overview
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