From May 1 through October 31 (sea turtle nesting season), exterior lighting along Venice's Gulf-front beaches must be turtle-friendly: shielded so not directly visible from the beach, using long-wavelength (amber or red) LEDs of 560 nm or longer.
Sea-turtle lighting is enforced jointly by Sarasota County under Sarasota County Code Ch. 54 and by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Required practices include shielding fixtures so the bulb is not directly visible from the beach, using amber or red LEDs (560+ nm wavelength), turning off lights not needed for safety during nesting season, and using motion sensors on stair and walkway lighting. The Venice Code adopts the county standards through Ch. 89 environmental references and applies them along the Casey Key, Venice Beach, and Brohard Beach shoreline.
Non-compliance triggers Sarasota County Code Enforcement Board fines plus FWC enforcement under the Florida Marine Turtle Protection Act (Fla. Stat. 379.2431). City fines under Sec. 1-14 can reach $500/day.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Venice, FL
Venice has no leaf-blower-specific ordinance. Gas and electric blowers are governed only by Ch. 34, Art. II's general decibel and audibility caps.
Venice, FL
Outdoor music at restaurants, breweries, and event venues in Venice must comply with Venice Code Ch. 34, Art. II - the same audibility test that bans sound '...
Venice, FL
Installing a Level 2 EV charger at a Venice home requires a Ch. 88 electrical permit but is not separately restricted. Florida law (Fla. Stat. 718.113(8) for...
Venice, FL
Driveways in Venice are regulated by Ch. 88 (Building) and the Land Development Code Ch. 86. New driveways require a permit, must match minimum/maximum width...
Venice, FL
Venice Code Ch. 70 and the Land Development Code restrict storage of commercial vehicles in residential zones. Commercial vehicles over a specified weight cl...
Venice, FL
Under Venice LDC Sec. 86-497, fences in residential districts must be finished with paint or stain. Block, masonry or concrete fences must include a cementit...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Sarasota County.
See how other cities in Sarasota County handle dark sky rules.
See how Venice's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.