Lee's Summit, MO Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Fixture Standard
- IESNA full cut-off
- Dark-Sky
- IDA-approved fixtures required
- Code Section
- UDO Sec. 8.220
- Grandfather Date
- Before Jan. 1, 2009
- Photometric Plan
- Required for new development
Summary
Lee's Summit requires new outdoor lighting to use full cut-off, Dark-Sky-approved fixtures. UDO Section 8.220 mandates IESNA full cut-off lenses and International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) approved fixtures citywide to curb glare, light trespass, and overlighting.
All outdoor light fixtures shall use full cut-off lenses, as classified by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), to prevent glare and light spill from the project site onto adjacent properties, buildings and roadways. All lights shall be International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) approved fixtures.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 55 | Unified Development Ordinance: Supplement 15).
Full Breakdown
The Unified Development Ordinance's lighting standards (Subdivision 5, Sections 8.190–8.250) apply in all zoning districts to new or replaced outdoor lighting. Section 8.220 requires metal-halide or LED sources and mandates that every outdoor fixture use full cut-off lenses classified by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, and that all lights be International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) approved. The code prohibits aerial, laser, searchlight, blinking, mercury-vapor, and unshielded flood lighting. Fixtures lawfully in place before January 1, 2009 are grandfathered until replaced. New commercial and multifamily development must submit a photometric plan on a ten-foot grid, prepared by a lighting professional or licensed engineer.
Violations & Fines
Installing non-compliant outdoor lighting violates the UDO and can block certificate-of-occupancy approval until corrected. Development Services reviews photometric plans and may require reaiming, shielding, or fixture replacement to meet the full cut-off and Dark-Sky standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
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