Pharr, TX Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing rule
- Shield lights from crossing zone boundary
- Citation
- Zoning Ordinance Sec. 1.75(B)(5)
- Applies to
- All permitted uses citywide
- Enforcement
- Planning director complaint, municipal court
Summary
Pharr's zoning code requires every artificial light source to be shielded so its direct rays never cross onto a neighboring zoning district.
Glare: All artificial light sources shall be shielded so as to prevent direct rays of light from crossing a zone boundary line.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 44).
Full Breakdown
Under the zoning ordinance's performance standards, Article VIII, Sec. 1.75 applies to every permitted use citywide. Item 5, "Glare," requires that all artificial light sources be shielded to prevent direct rays of light from crossing a zone boundary line, meaning a property's lighting cannot shine directly onto an adjacent zoning district. There is no separate dark-sky or lumens-per-acre standard; this glare-shielding rule is enforced through the Planning Department's site-plan and code-compliance review, with violations handled the same as other performance-standard breaches under Sec. 1.75.
Violations & Fines
Complaints are filed with the director of planning; a finding of probable cause routes the case to the municipal judge as a Class C misdemeanor citation, same as other zoning performance-standard violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Pharr require full cutoff or dark-sky-rated fixtures?
Who enforces Pharr's outdoor lighting glare rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pharr
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Pharr to another location·View the Texas outdoor lighting overview
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Dark Sky Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Hidalgo County handle dark sky rules.