Virginia Beach has some outdoor lighting regulations focused on minimizing light pollution in coastal areas, particularly for sea turtle protection and military compatibility near NAS Oceana. The city does not have a standalone dark sky ordinance but addresses lighting through zoning and military overlay standards.
Virginia Beach's proximity to Naval Air Station Oceana creates lighting restrictions in the Air Installation Compatible Use Zone (AICUZ) overlay district to prevent interference with military operations. Coastal areas have turtle-friendly lighting considerations during nesting season. The city's zoning code requires shielded fixtures for commercial and industrial developments. The resort area has specific lighting design standards. There is no standalone IDA-compliant dark sky ordinance for the entire city.
AICUZ lighting violations may affect military compatibility determinations. Commercial lighting violations are enforced through zoning compliance. Excessive lighting constituting a nuisance may be addressed through code enforcement.
Virginia Beach, VA
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See how Virginia Beach's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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