South Jordan, UT Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Commercial building fixtures
- Standard
- Fully shielded or angled
- Lumen cap
- 15,000 lumens per fixture
- Exceptions
- City engineer approval
- Enforcement
- Code compliance, police
Summary
South Jordan requires all commercial lighting fixtures attached to a building to be fully shielded or angled so light doesn't spill onto neighboring property, and caps any single exterior commercial light at 15,000 lumens.
All commercial lighting fixtures attached to a commercial building within South Jordan must be fully shielded or angled to prevent the emanation of light into other areas. Any single exterior commercial light may not exceed fifteen thousand (15,000) lumens, when measured directly at the light source with a certified light meter. Exceptions may be granted when deemed necessary and with the approval by the South Jordan City engineer. HISTORY Amended by Ord. 2007-07 ARCHIVED on 7/17/2007
Full Breakdown
Chapter 16.42, Commercial Lighting, regulates luminance from commercial fixtures and illuminated signage citywide. 'Fully shielded' is defined as an opaque housing that blocks any line of sight to the bulb from another property and above the fixture's lowest point. Every commercial fixture attached to a building must meet that standard or be angled to keep light from emanating into other areas, and no single exterior commercial light may exceed 15,000 lumens measured at the source with a certified meter. The city engineer may grant exceptions when necessary. Public events, publicly owned athletic field lighting, and holiday lighting for businesses are exempt from the chapter; enforcement falls to code compliance and the police department.
Violations & Fines
Unshielded commercial fixtures that spill light onto neighboring property, or exterior lights exceeding the 15,000-lumen cap, violate Chapter 16.42 and are enforced by the city's code compliance office and police department.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does South Jordan require shielded outdoor lighting for businesses?
Is there a brightness limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in South Jordan
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