Douglas County's lighting standards protect the night sky by requiring most outdoor fixtures to be full cutoff, so no light shines at or above horizontal. Blinking, strobe, searchlight, and skyward-oriented lighting is prohibited, and single-family homes should keep fixtures under 2,400 lumens unless shielded.
Section 30 of the Zoning Resolution sets outdoor lighting standards to protect the public's ability to view the night sky and reduce glare, light pollution, and light trespass. Section 3005.01 requires light fixtures to be full cutoff, producing a distribution where no light is emitted at or above a horizontal plane at the bottom of the fixture. Section 3004 prohibits blinking or flashing lights, strobe lights, searchlights, beacons, laser light, and other upward or outward oriented lighting. For single-family residential and agricultural areas, Section 3005.16 recommends limiting fixtures to 2,400 lumens unless shielded and using motion sensors for security lighting.
Non-conforming commercial lighting can be cited during site plan review or on complaint and ordered corrected; residential fixtures are largely exempt but still may not create disability glare.
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Douglas County, CO
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See how Douglas County's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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