Sanford, FL Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Schedule F, Section 9.0 of Sanford's Land Development Regulations governs every exterior light fixture installed in the city, aside from specific exemptions for holiday lighting, traffic signals, temporary emergency and construction lighting, motion-triggered security lights, and one- and two-family dwellings. Section 9.0(C) defines a fully cutoff fixture as one that emits no light above its horizontal plane, and Section 9.0(E)(2) requires every parking lot to use fully cutoff fixtures. Section 9.0(E)(4) extends that to building lighting used for security or appearance, requiring fully cutoff or fully shielded fixtures that allow no upward light distribution.

Wall pack fixtures near an arterial or collector road, a residential district or a dwelling unit must be the shoe-box, cutoff type. Section 9.0(E)(8) caps the height of any outdoor light, measured to the top of the fixture or pole, at 25 feet, and Section 9.0(E)(12) recommends high-pressure sodium lamps. Floodlighting is discouraged, and where it is used it must be shielded to prevent disability glare to drivers or pedestrians, light trespass beyond the property line, and light above a 90-degree horizontal plane. Section 9.0(F)(1) then formally adopts the IESNA's outdoor lighting recommendations as land development regulations, applying a detailed illuminance and uniformity-ratio table to parking lots based on activity level. New site plans requiring Planning and Zoning Commission review must have their lighting installation approved as part of that site plan process.