Hoover, AL Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- multifamily, nonresidential, mixed-use only
- Light spread limit
- 35 degrees from vertical
- Height cap
- 20 ft residential, 30 ft nonresidential
- Near homes
- 20 ft cap within 50 feet
- Lighting Plan
- required with every Site Plan
- Light color
- cannot be mixed on one site
Summary
Multifamily, nonresidential and mixed-use developments in Hoover must submit a Lighting Plan and aim every fixture to keep glare off neighboring land: light can't spread more than 35 degrees from vertical, pole height tops out at 20 to 30 feet depending on use, and blinking, flashing or mismatched-color fixtures are banned outright.
§9.20.02 Applicability. Unless exempted, the provisions of this section shall apply to on-premise site lighting for multifamily residential, nonresidential, and mixed-use development. ... §9.20.04 General Standards for Site Lighting ... B. Illumination Direction. Lighting shall: 1) Be arranged to minimize glare and reflection upon adjacent lands; 2) Be aimed or directed to preclude light projection beyond immediate objects intended to be illuminated; 3) Not distribute light onto surrounding lands beyond an angle of 35 degrees from a vertical plane; and 4) Use low-wattage architectural lighting for upwardly-directed lighting intended to illuminate structures or landscape elements. LED or neon tube lighting may be used as architectural lighting when implemented on cornices of a building taller than 60 ft.
Full Breakdown
03. A. " Upwardly-directed architectural lighting on structures or landscaping must use low-wattage fixtures, though LED or neon tube lighting is allowed as architectural accent lighting on cornices of buildings taller than 60 feet. C. D, dropping to 20 feet within 50 feet of a detached residential dwelling or vacant land zoned for detached residential use; any lighting intrusive within that 50-foot band needs added shielding or filtering. G, and illumination must meet the Illuminating Engineering Society's Lighting Handbook intensities in Table 9-1.
Violations & Fines
Noncompliant site lighting is a zoning violation and draws the same municipal penalty as any other zoning breach under §2.01.06: a $1 to $500 fine, up to six months' imprisonment, or both, with every day a fixture stays out of compliance charged as a separate offense. A developer needing brighter lighting than the standards allow, such as at a facility storing hazardous materials, must request a Site Security Plan from the City Engineer, who signs off only if the deviation is necessary for public safety and won't harm neighboring land.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this lighting rule apply to my single-family home?
How high can a parking lot light pole be?
Can a business use colored or neon lighting?
Can a facility get an exception for brighter security lighting?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hoover
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Dark Sky Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Jefferson County handle dark sky rules.