Pontiac, MI Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Pontiac's dark-sky standard sits in Zoning Ordinance Chapter 5, Exterior Lighting, adopted to control glare and light trespass and preserve the City's nighttime visual environment under § 4.501. Section 4.502.A requires every exterior fixture, including parking lot and building-mounted lights, to be fully shielded, aimed straight down, and equipped with full cutoff housings, louvers, glare shields, optics, or reflectors; shoebox-style fixtures may use only flat lenses, never sag or protruding lenses. Wattage is separately capped under § 4.502.D.1 at 250 watts per fixture; the Planning Commission may approve up to 400 watts only if the applicant proves the higher wattage is necessary and the fixture still meets every other requirement of the chapter.

Section 4.503.A layers on a height limit: freestanding pole and building-mounted fixtures may reach 25 feet, but drop to 15 feet where the pole sits within 50 feet of a residentially zoned or used property. Non-residential lighting must run on automatic timers and switch off between midnight and sunrise except for security lighting or a use that continues past midnight (§ 4.502.F). Exempt categories under § 4.504 include holiday decorations, pedestrian walkway lighting, shielded building up-lighting, and single-family residential fixtures rated 150 watts or less.

Because exterior lighting is reviewed with the site plan, any new commercial installation also needs the zoning compliance permit required under § 6.701 before the building official signs off on construction.