Tennessee has no dark-sky statute, but Sumner County's Zoning Resolution (Section 1107) limits glare to 0.5 foot-candles at a residential district boundary or street right-of-way and requires site lighting to be shielded. Gallatin, Hendersonville, and Portland add city standards.
There is no Tennessee dark-sky law, so outdoor lighting is a local zoning matter. Sumner County's Zoning Resolution addresses it through the glare performance standard in Section 1107. In all districts, any operation producing glare must be conducted so that direct and indirect light does not exceed 0.5 foot-candles measured at a residential district boundary or the street right-of-way line. All site lighting must be shielded so that substantially all directly emitted light falls within the property line, and no lighting may interfere with drivers on public streets. Inside Gallatin, Hendersonville, and Portland, each city applies its own lighting and glare rules through city zoning.
The county planning department enforces the glare standard at site-plan and permit review and can require a noncompliant fixture to be shielded, aimed down, or replaced. Cities enforce their own lighting standards through zoning review.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Sumner County, TN
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Sumner County, TN
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Sumner County, TN
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Sumner County, TN
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Sumner County, TN
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Sumner County, TN
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See how Sumner County's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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