Johns Creek, GA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Code section
- Zoning Ordinance § 4.9 (Night Sky Ordinance)
- Adopting ordinances
- Ord. No. 2014-06-23; amended Ord. No. 2015-12-42
- Core standard
- Full cutoff; no light above horizontal at the luminaire (§ 4.9.4.A)
- Very intense lighting banned
- >200,000 lumens or 2,000,000 candelas
- Prohibited lamp types
- Mercury-vapor, sodium-vapor, exposed neon, searchlights, aerial lasers
- Exemptions
- Pool, temporary holiday, FAA, emergency, 10-min motion-sensor security lighting
- Recreational field curfew
- 10:30 p.m. (§ 4.9.5.A.4)
Summary
Johns Creek has a full Night Sky Ordinance in Zoning Ordinance Section 4.9. Outdoor lighting must be full cutoff with no light above horizontal, bans aerial lasers, searchlights, mercury-vapor, sodium-vapor, and very intense lights, exempts holiday and pool lighting, and applies to permitted developments with curfews for recreational field lighting (10:30 p.m.).
4.9.4. Outdoor Lighting Standards. All nonexempt outdoor lighting fixtures shall meet the following criteria: A. Shall be full cutoff placed so as to allow no light above the horizontal as measured at the luminaire, except as herein noted in this ordinance (as in the case of period fixtures, cutoff fixtures may be used). ... C. Prohibited Lighting. The following lighting systems are prohibited: 1. Aerial lasers; 2. Searchlight style lights; 3. Other very intense lighting, defined as having a light source exceeding 200,000 lumens or intensity in any direction of 2 million candelas or more; 4. Mercury vapor lamps; ... 6. Sodium vapor luminaries (yellow light).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
9 of the Johns Creek Zoning Ordinance is a comprehensive Night Sky Ordinance (adopted by Ord. No. 2014-06-23 and amended by Ord. No. 2015-12-42). 1). 3). A) requires all non-exempt outdoor lighting fixtures to be full cutoff, placed so as to allow no light above the horizontal as measured at the luminaire (period and cutoff fixtures are permitted exceptions). C prohibits aerial lasers; searchlight-style lights; other very intense lighting exceeding 200,000 lumens or 2 million candelas; mercury-vapor lamps; exposed neon; sodium-vapor luminaires; promotional beacons; strobe/laser lights projected above the horizon; out-of-season colored lighting; flashing or reader-board lighting; exposed tube lighting; lighting outlining building elements; and sky-glow attention lighting.
B) include pool lighting, temporary holiday lighting, FAA-required lighting, emergency lighting, and motion-sensor security lighting active 10 minutes or less. 4). Parking-lot poles are capped at 35 feet and pedestrian-path posts at 16 feet. Georgia has no statewide dark-sky law, so this local ordinance controls.
Violations & Fines
Installing or modifying outdoor lighting without submitting the required compliance plans and photometric data (Section 4.9.7), or using prohibited fixture types, can block issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy until an illumination professional certifies conformance. Non-conforming lighting is subject to code-enforcement correction. Variances must be sought from the Board of Zoning Appeals (Section 4.9.6).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Johns Creek have a dark-sky lighting law?
What outdoor lights are exempt from the Johns Creek night sky rules?
When does the Night Sky Ordinance apply to an existing property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Johns Creek
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Dark Sky Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle dark sky rules.