Overland Park, KS Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Dark-sky ordinance
- None; 18.435 does equivalent work
- Uplight
- Zero uplight, all fixtures
- Color temperature cap
- 4000K max (§18.435.050)
- Adopted
- Ordinance ZRR-3447, 2024
- Older fixtures
- Nonconforming until replaced
Summary
Overland Park has no dark-sky ordinance and no DarkSky International designation. Chapter 18.435, adopted in 2024, does comparable work: every outdoor fixture must be zero uplight and no warmer than 4000K.
All light fixtures, including security lighting, must be zero uplight, per the IES Luminaire Classification System, non-adjustable type fixtures, with a mounting angle not exceeding 90 degrees.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: latest section effective 1901-01-01).
Full Breakdown
Ordinance ZRR-3447 rewrote outdoor lighting in 2024. The rules reach all new installations and any replacement that changes pole height, location, source type, wattage or color temperature. Fixtures are zero uplight under the IES Luminaire Classification System, non-adjustable, with a mounting angle no greater than 90 degrees. Maximum correlated color temperature is 4000K, the one exception being fully recessed canopy fixtures at gas stations and drive-thrus. Athletic field lights aim at the activity area and switch off within two hours after the event. Searchlights and strobes need a special event permit. Fixtures installed before July 1, 2024 stay legally nonconforming until replaced.
Violations & Fines
Lighting violations are zoning violations under OPMC 18.100.110: a misdemeanor with fines up to $500 or six months imprisonment, each day counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Overland Park a certified dark-sky community?
Do I have to replace existing outdoor lights?
Are stadium and ballfield lights restricted?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Overland Park
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Dark Sky Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Johnson County handle dark sky rules.