Walker County, GA Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Fixture type required
- Full cut-off / shielded fixtures
- Lumen cap (parking/yard)
- 9,500 initial lamp lumens
- Max mounting height
- 37 feet above grade
- Pavement guidance
- Dark, low-reflectivity (asphalt)
- Applies to
- Commercial development, Corridor Overlay District
Summary
Walker County Code § 22-521(b) and (f) require Chickamauga Battlefield Corridor Overlay District commercial lighting to be fully shielded or cut-off, cap parking-lot fixtures at 9,500 initial lamp lumens, and limit outdoor lighting mounting height to 37 feet above finished grade to curb glare and skyglow.
(b)Exterior lighting of the building and site should be designed so that light is not directed off the site, and the light source is shielded from direct off-site viewing. All outdoor light fixtures should be fully shielded or be designed or provided with light angle cut-offs, so as to eliminate uplighting, spill light, and glare. ... (3)For yard and parking lot lighting fixtures other than flood lamps and flood lights, select either cutoff fixtures or use fixtures with lamps that do not exceed 9,500 initial lamp lumens (equal to 100-watt high pressure sodium lamp). (4)The mounting height of outdoor lighting for parking lots, outdoor areas and outdoor sales and display areas should not exceed 37 feet above finished grade.
Full Breakdown
The Corridor Overlay District's commercial design guidelines state their purpose includes preserving "the darkness of the night sky" (Sec. 22-475(8)), and Sec. 22-521 implements that through several dark-sky requirements. Subsection (b) requires all outdoor light fixtures to be fully shielded or fitted with light-angle cutoffs to eliminate uplighting, spill light, and glare. Subsection (d) caps mounting height for smaller parking lot or service-area fixtures at 20 feet, with lower heights encouraged near residential uses. Subsection (f)(3) limits yard and parking lot fixtures, other than floodlights, to cutoff fixtures or lamps not exceeding 9,500 initial lamp lumens, about a 100-watt high-pressure sodium lamp.
Subsection (f)(4) caps overall outdoor lighting mounting height at 37 feet above finished grade for parking lots, outdoor areas, and sales or display areas. Subsection (h) directs use of dark, low-reflectivity pavement such as asphalt instead of concrete to avoid reflecting light into the night sky, and subsection (i) requires white-light bulbs, or low-pressure sodium where color accuracy is unimportant. Residential conservation subdivisions in the Corridor face a parallel, separate 1,500-lumen fixture cap under Sec. 22-637(e). Compliance is confirmed at Design Review Board and Planning Commission site-plan review before a permit issues.
Violations & Fines
A lighting plan that lacks required shielding or exceeds the lumen or height caps can be denied or conditioned at Design Review Board and Planning Commission review. Installed fixtures that violate these standards are a Code violation under the general penalty in § 1-13: up to a $1,000 fine or six months, with continuing operation a separate daily offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the lumen limit for Corridor parking lot lights?
How tall can an outdoor light pole be in the Corridor District?
Does the dark-sky rule require a certain type of pavement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Walker County
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