Reading, PA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

City of Reading Codified Ordinances Section 600-912, Lighting control, governs every fixture on private property citywide except streetlights and individual porch lights. Subsection A requires all lighting other than streetlights and natural sources to be shaded, shielded and directed so it does not create glare or a nuisance intensity for residents, pedestrians or motorists. m. Overhead lighting at public recreation facilities cannot shine directly onto dwellings in that same overnight window. Subsection D limits any luminaire within 200 feet of a residential lot line to 35 feet in height above grade, with exceptions for air-safety lighting, architectural illumination, recreation facilities and tall wall-signs.

Subsection E requires diffusing covers so bulbs are not directly visible from streets or neighboring lots (LED fixtures and bulbs of 25 watts or less are exempt). Subsection F requires shielding to keep glare out of the eyes of passing motorists, and Subsection G bans flashing, flickering or strobe lighting except seasonal displays between October 30 and January 10. Subsection K prohibits spotlights aimed upward into the sky and lasers used to attract attention to a business, with a narrow carve-out for theaters and City-sponsored special events in the C-C District. Subsection L bars neon-type commercial lighting in residential districts if visible from a dwelling on another lot.