Haverhill, MA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Haverhill's zoning ordinance folds dark-sky protection into the performance standards that the Special Permit Granting Authority (SPGA), typically the City Council or Zoning Board of Appeals, applies to multifamily, nonresidential, and mixed-use development exceeding 10,000 square feet of gross floor area or 10 dwelling units. Section 255-6.3.1 states the underlying goal directly: lighting practices must reduce light pollution, trespass, and glare while preserving the night sky as a natural resource. Section 255-6.3.3(1) turns that goal into fixed rules. Every outdoor light fixture must be shielded.

Sodium vapor and metal halide lamps are barred outright unless the City Council grants a special permit authorizing them. Laser shows and searchlights used for advertising are prohibited, though the City Council can authorize them for up to 14 days by special permit. Wall-mounted fixtures cannot exceed 15 feet above grade, and pole-mounted fixtures cannot exceed 20 feet above grade. Parking-area lighting must be reduced or eliminated outside business hours, and the SPGA can require wiring configured so unused lot areas can be shut off separately.

Except where site safety or security needs justify otherwise, all exterior lighting, including sign lighting, must go dark half an hour after the business closes and can come back on half an hour before the first employee arrives. Applicants filing for a special permit or development review under Section 255-10.1.4 must demonstrate compliance before approval, and the SPGA can require post-permit monitoring. The SPGA may waive an individual standard only if the waiver does not undercut the goals of Section 255-6.3.1.