Norfolk County does not regulate outdoor lighting. Several towns (Dover, Sherborn, Medfield) have dark-sky bylaws. State-level, MGL c. 40 §21 enables local light pollution control.
Outdoor lighting regulation in Norfolk County is municipal. MA has no statewide dark-sky law; MGL c. 40 §21 enables towns to regulate. Rural Norfolk County towns — Dover, Sherborn, Medfield, Walpole, and portions of Canton — have adopted dark-sky or outdoor lighting bylaws requiring fully shielded (full-cutoff) fixtures, maximum color temperature 3000K, and limits on lumen output. Brookline has a commercial lighting bylaw. Most urban Norfolk County towns (Quincy, Weymouth) rely on zoning bylaw and general nuisance authority. The IESNA RP-33 Lighting for Exterior Environments is commonly referenced. State building code 780 CMR Chapter 11 addresses lighting energy standards. Several towns are IDA-recognized dark-sky communities.
No county enforcement. Municipal non-compliant fixtures: 30-day notice to correct, $100-$500 fines thereafter. Commercial violations: permit revocation possible. Repeat: escalating daily fines.
Quincy, MA
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Quincy, MA
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Quincy, MA
Quincy regulates noise under Chapter 215 of the City Code, adopted June 7, 2010 (Order No. 2010-114). Residential zones may not exceed 75 dBA from 7 AM–5 PM ...
Quincy, MA
Quincy regulates on-street parking under its traffic ordinances and a resident permit system. Time limits are enforced daily; a vehicle that moves to an adja...
Quincy, MA
Quincy's ordinance broadly prohibits commercial vehicles from parking on public streets. Commercial vehicles are defined as any vehicle over one ton, with 5+...
Quincy, MA
Quincy's zoning and traffic codes regulate driveway use. Blocking a private road or driveway on public streets is prohibited. Resident parking permits are on...
See how Quincy's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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