Travis County adopted dark-sky lighting standards for the western Hill Country portion of the county in 2018 to protect rural night skies and the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. Full-cutoff fixtures required for outdoor lighting on parcels over 5 acres in the designated zone. The City of Austin has separate lighting rules including shielding within 5 miles of McDonald Observatory collaboration zones.
Travis County Subdivision Regulations Section 82 Appendix includes lighting performance standards for new subdivisions — maximum 3000K color temperature, fully shielded fixtures, and lumens/acre caps. International Dark-Sky Association designates Enchanted Rock (nearby) as a dark sky site, driving regional awareness. LCRA parks follow IDA guidelines.
Subdivision compliance: plat approval conditions. Residential violations outside subdivisions largely unenforced. HOA dark-sky rules enforceable civilly.
Travis County, TX
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See how Travis County's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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