Lenexa, KS Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Fixture standard
- Full cutoff, flat lens, non-adjustable mounting bracket
- Cutoff limit
- Up to 2.5 percent of rated lumens at or above horizontal
- Maximum mounting height
- 27 feet; 32 feet for truck staging and large lots
- Pedestrian fixtures
- 15 feet for poles, 4 feet for bollards
- Minimum color rendering
- CRI of 65
- Exempt uses
- One-family and two-family dwellings
Summary
In the City of Lenexa, Kansas, exterior lights on new and expanded development must be full cutoff fixtures with flat lenses and non-adjustable mounting brackets, so no light escapes at or above the horizontal plane of the fixture. Only accent lighting is carved out. One-family and two-family homes fall outside the standard, and the Director of Community Development reviews lighting plans.
Cutoff: A design attribute of a light fixture that allows for up to 2.5 percent of the rated lumens to be emitted at or above a horizontal plane drawn through the lowest light-emitting portion of the fixture (this would allow for a slightly angled fixture or drop lens). ... Full Cutoff, (down-lighting-only): A design attribute similar to cutoff fixture except that it allows no light to be emitted at or above a horizontal plane drawn through the lowest light-emitting portion of the fixture. ... Searchlights and spotlights are prohibited except as may be permitted in Section 4-1-B-25, Special Events ... With the exception of fixtures used for Accent Lighting, exterior light fixtures shall be full cutoff fixtures to prevent glare and minimize light trespass onto adjacent properties, buildings, and roadways. These fixtures shall also include flat lenses and non-adjustable mounting brackets.
Full Breakdown
Lenexa does not use the phrase dark sky. Its shielding rule sits in Section 4-1-C-4, subsection I, Exterior Area Lighting, of the Unified Development Code. The stated purpose is exterior lighting that meets functional needs without adversely affecting adjacent properties. The code does not require exterior lighting, but any lighting that is installed must comply.
The definitions set the technical line. A cutoff fixture allows up to 2.5 percent of rated lumens at or above a horizontal plane drawn through the lowest light-emitting portion of the fixture. A full cutoff, down-lighting-only fixture allows none. The fixture design rule then requires every exterior fixture to be full cutoff, except fixtures used for accent lighting, with flat lenses and non-adjustable mounting brackets. Under-canopy fixtures must be fully recessed into the canopy ceiling with flat lenses mounted flush; where structure prevents recessing, the fixture cannot project lower than the bottom edge of the canopy facade. Searchlights and spotlights are prohibited unless a Section 4-1-B-25 special event approval allows them.
Height and color limits back up the shielding. Pole-mounted and building-mounted fixtures top out at 27 feet for parking lot and general area lighting, or 32 feet for truck staging areas and large office or commercial lots not next to residential uses. Pedestrian poles stop at 15 feet and bollards at 4 feet. Light sources must have a color rendering index of at least 65.
Applicability is limited. The standards cover new building and site development and expansions and modifications, but not one-family or two-family dwelling uses, street lighting (which follows Article 4-6-E), emergency fixtures or motion-detecting-only fixtures. Existing development comes under the rules when the site is redeveloped or fixtures are installed, modified or replaced. Lighting is evaluated with the Final Plan application, or with the permit application when no plan review applies. The Director of Community Development can approve deviations, and a denial can be appealed to the Planning Commission.
Violations & Fines
Fixtures that depart from the approved lighting plan are development inconsistent with a permit or approval under Section 4-1-L-1, and each day is a separate offense. Under Section 4-1-L-2 the City can withhold or revoke permits, stop work, seek an injunction, and pursue misdemeanor penalties capped by Section 1-1-C-3 at a $2,500 fine, up to one year of imprisonment, or both. The Governing Body can revoke plan approval after notice and a hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lenexa require full cutoff light fixtures?
Do the shielding rules apply to a single-family house in Lenexa?
Are spotlights or searchlights allowed in Lenexa?
Who approves a lighting design that departs from the code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lenexa
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How other cities in Johnson County handle dark sky rules.