Temple, TX Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- I-35 Corridor Overlay District
- Fixtures
- Full-cutoff; floodlights ≤45° below horizontal
- Max height
- 30 ft (15 ft near homes)
- Prohibited
- Mercury vapor lighting
- Light trespass
- No visible bulb 5+ ft past residential line
Summary
In Temple's I-35 Corridor Overlay District, outdoor fixtures must be full-cutoff, floodlights capped at 45 degrees below horizontal, mercury vapor lighting is banned, and light can't spill past five feet beyond a residential property line.
All luminaires must be full-cutoff as installed. Floodlights must be aimed no higher than 45 degrees below horizontal... Mercury vapor lighting is not allowed... No line of sight to a bulb is permitted five feet or more beyond a residential property line or public street right-of-way by an observer viewing from a position that is level with or higher than the ground below the fixture.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Reformat).
Full Breakdown
Temple's Unified Development Code sets a detailed on-premises lighting standard for the I-35 Corridor Overlay District: full-cutoff luminaires, floodlights aimed no higher than 45 degrees below horizontal, a 30-foot fixture height cap (15 feet within 50 feet of residential use), a ban on mercury vapor lighting, and a light-trespass rule barring any line of sight to a bulb five feet or more past a residential line or street right-of-way. The same standard is incorporated by reference for specific citywide uses, including package stores and outdoor shooting ranges.
Violations & Fines
Enforced by Development Services during site plan and certificate-of-occupancy review; nonconforming fixtures must be corrected before occupancy, and code enforcement can cite noncompliant lighting after installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Temple require full-cutoff outdoor lighting fixtures?
Is there a citywide dark-sky ordinance in Temple?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Temple
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Temple to another location·View the Texas outdoor lighting overview
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Dark Sky Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Bell County handle dark sky rules.