In unincorporated Shelby County, the Unified Development Code (UDC 4.7) sets outdoor site-lighting standards to curtail light pollution, reduce skyglow, and follow IES practices, but these apply to larger developments; single-family and two-family residential lighting is exempt.
The Memphis/Shelby County UDC, Section 4.7, Outdoor Site Lighting, is the county's dark-sky-oriented lighting standard on unincorporated land. It requires lighting to meet Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) recommended practices, minimize light trespass and obtrusive light, curtail light pollution, and reduce skyglow. New developments must comply with a prescriptive or performance method, submit a lighting plan, cap total site lumens, meet Backlight-Uplight-Glare (BUG) ratings, and shield parking-lot lighting so no light is emitted above 90 degrees. Importantly, UDC Sec. 4.7 does not regulate lighting on single-family or two-family residential sites, small residential subdivisions, street lighting, or sign lighting. So the dark-sky rules bite on commercial and larger multifamily projects, not an ordinary homeowner's yard lights. Incorporated cities apply their own codes.
A regulated new development that installs outdoor lighting exceeding the total site lumen limit, missing required BUG ratings, or emitting parking-lot light above 90 degrees violates UDC Sec. 4.7, enforced by Planning and Development through the joint zoning ordinance.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Backyard composting is allowed in Shelby County and has no dedicated permit, but compost and organic material must be managed so it does not become harmful v...
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Shelby County has no ordinance banning or specially permitting artificial turf. Synthetic turf is not counted as living landscaping under the Unified Develop...
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The Memphis and Shelby County Unified Development Code favors native landscaping, directing that trees and shrubs be predominately hardy Tennessee native spe...
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Shelby County has no ordinance prohibiting or specially licensing residential rainwater harvesting. Rain barrels and cisterns are generally allowed, and Tenn...
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Shelby County has no mandatory outdoor watering schedule. Water is supplied by Memphis Light, Gas and Water from the Memphis Sand Aquifer, and MLGW promotes ...
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The Code of Shelby County authorizes the county to compel owners of unincorporated property to cut rank weeds, grasses, and underbrush deemed a health or tra...
See how Shelby County's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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