Islip, NY Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Full cutoff threshold
- 1,800 lumens (100W incandescent) or more
- Below threshold
- Fully shielded fixture required
- Max mounting height
- 20 feet from grade
- Stated purpose
- Protect/reclaim ability to view night sky
- Compliance notice
- 30 days to correct, § 68-691
- Residential first-offense fine
- Up to $250 / 15 days
Summary
Islip's Exterior Lighting Standards article, adopted to protect the ability to view the night sky, requires full cutoff luminaires for fixtures rated 1,800 lumens or more and fully shielded fixtures for anything dimmer, with all luminaires directed downward and capped at 20 feet in mounting height.
All exterior lighting rated to be lamped at 1,800 lumens (100 watts incandescent) and greater shall use full cutoff luminaires, as determined by photometry test or certified by the manufacturer, and installed as designed with the light source directed downward. All exterior lighting 1,800 lumens (100 watts incandescent) and less shall use fully shielded fixtures and shall be installed as designed.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4826765; v112 updated 2026-02-24; through 02-24-2026).
Full Breakdown
' The operative standard, § 68-685D, forces that purpose into a numeric rule: any exterior lighting rated at 1,800 lumens (100 watts incandescent) or more must use full cutoff luminaires, verified by photometry test or manufacturer certification, installed with the light source directed downward, while anything below that threshold must use fully shielded fixtures. Section 68-685A additionally caps mounting height at 20 feet from natural grade for both residential and nonresidential luminaires (municipal playing fields and new municipal streetlights are exempt). Nonresidential projects must submit lighting plans under § 68-689 documenting fixture cutoff characteristics, mounting height, and photometric data before the Town approves them. The Fire Marshal or Code Enforcement Officer enforces the article and can order noncompliant fixtures brought into compliance within 30 days under § 68-691.
Violations & Fines
Under § 68-693, residential exterior lighting violations carry a fine up to $250 and/or 15 days for a first offense, up to $500 for a repeat within a year, and escalate to a misdemeanor with up to $1,000 and/or 30 days after two or more convictions within three years; nonresidential violations run higher, up to $500 first offense rising to a $3,000 misdemeanor. Noncompliant fixtures also get a 30-day written notice to correct under § 68-691 before further action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Islip require full cutoff outdoor light fixtures?
Is there a height limit on outdoor lights in Islip?
Why does Islip regulate outdoor lighting this way?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Islip
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