Roswell, GA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential property-line limit
- 1.0 foot-candle maximum
- Commercial property-line limit
- 1.5 foot-candles maximum
- Sports field curfew
- Off by 10:30 p.m.
- Prohibited lighting
- Lasers, mercury vapor, searchlights
- Fixture requirement
- Full cutoff, aimed below horizontal
- CO requirement
- Engineer certifies compliance before occupancy
Summary
Roswell's outdoor lighting code exists to curb glare and preserve the dark night sky, requiring shielded, full-cutoff fixtures for most nonexempt lighting under UDC § 10.4.1 and § 10.4.4. Light spilling across a property line is capped at 1.0 foot-candle next to a residential or agricultural use and 1.5 foot-candles next to office, institutional, commercial or industrial property.
The purpose and intent of this Section is to provide a regulatory strategy for outdoor lighting that will permit reasonable uses of outdoor lighting for nighttime safety, utility, security, productivity, enjoyment and commerce; curtail and reverse the degradation of the nighttime visual environment and the night sky; preserve the dark night sky for astronomy; minimize glare, obtrusive light and artificial sky glow by limiting outdoor lighting that is misdirected, excessive or unnecessary; conserve energy and resources to the greatest extent possible; and help to protect the natural environment from the damaging effects of night lighting from man-made sources. ... B.Shall be located, aimed or shielded so as to minimize glare and stray light trespassing across property boundaries and into the public right of way in accordance with the following standards: At Property Lines, Including Rights-of-Way - Maximum Foot-Candles. At property line abutting a residential or an agricultural use - 1.0. At property line abutting an office or institutional use - 1.5. At property line abutting a commercial or industrial use - 1.5.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 | Unified Development Code: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
1). 3). 3(B)). 3(C)). 4 sets the numeric limits. Fixtures must be full cutoff, with the beam directed at or below the horizontal, and must be aimed or shielded to keep glare and stray light from crossing property lines. 5 foot-candles next to an office, institutional, commercial or industrial use. 4(B)). 4(C)). 5(A)(4)).
Violations & Fines
Noncompliant outdoor lighting is enforced through Roswell's standard permitting and inspection process: a certified illumination engineer or professional must confirm as-installed lighting matches approved plans before a Certificate of Occupancy issues, and that certification is withheld until compliance is shown (§ 10.4.7(D)). A property owner can seek relief only through a variance application to the Board of Zoning Appeals, which must show the fixture's design is superior and that light trespass and glare will be limited (§ 10.4.6).
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright can outdoor lighting be at my property line in Roswell?
What outdoor lighting is banned outright in Roswell?
Is holiday or pool lighting exempt from these rules?
When do sports field lights have to shut off?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Roswell
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Dark Sky Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle dark sky rules.