Kissimmee, FL Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- LDC § 14-10-9
- Limit at residential property line
- 0.5 footcandles
- Limit elsewhere
- 1.0 footcandle
- Dark-sky standard
- IDA/IES Model Lighting Ordinance
- Parking lot fixture height cap
- 30 feet
- Pedestrian-area fixture height cap
- 15 feet
Summary
Kissimmee caps site lighting at 0.5 footcandles at a residential property line and 1.0 footcandle elsewhere, and requires fixtures to conform to the Dark-Sky Association/IES Model Lighting Ordinance. Applicants must submit a sealed photometric plan and fixture cut sheets before a lighting design is approved.
I.Illumination levels. Illumination levels may not exceed 0.5 footcandles at the property line where the neighboring property is a residential use or is zoned for a residential use. For all other uses, illumination levels may not exceed 1.0 footcandles at the property line. To avoid glare and light spilling onto neighboring properties, fixtures must be installed with shields and reflectors.J.Light fixtures shall conform to the Joint International Dark-Sky Association and Illuminating Engineering Society Model Lighting Ordinance, as amended.K.Except within the public rights-of-way, light fixtures may not exceed 30 feet in height when located within a parking lot and may not otherwise exceed 15 feet in height adjacent to pedestrian facilities.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
Kissimmee Land Development Code § 14-10-9 requires an outdoor lighting plan for site development, submitted on a city form and reviewed for code compliance before construction. A-B). H). 0 footcandle at any other property line, with fixtures required to carry shields and reflectors to keep glare and spill light off neighboring land. Subsection J requires light fixtures to conform to the Joint International Dark-Sky Association and Illuminating Engineering Society Model Lighting Ordinance, as amended, the section's core dark-sky standard. K: outside the public right-of-way, fixtures in a parking lot may not exceed 30 feet, and fixtures near pedestrian facilities may not exceed 15 feet.
F-G), so staff can verify shielding and cutoff angles before the plan is approved. The section was adopted as part of the 2020 Land Development Code recodification under Ord. No. 3034.
Violations & Fines
The Development Services Department reviews the photometric plan, fixture cut sheets, and fixture schedule against § 14-10-9 before issuing site plan or building permit approval. A design that exceeds the 0.5 or 1.0 footcandle property-line limits, omits a sealed photometric plan, or specifies fixtures that don't conform to the Dark-Sky/IES Model Lighting Ordinance is rejected and must be revised before construction can proceed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright can outdoor lighting be at a Kissimmee property line?
Does Kissimmee require dark-sky-compliant light fixtures?
How tall can a parking lot light pole be in Kissimmee?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kissimmee
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Kissimmee to another location·View the Florida outdoor lighting overview
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