Will County and its municipalities require fully shielded, downward-directed exterior lighting for new commercial and subdivision development. Intermodal yards near Elwood/Joliet have lumen caps to reduce glare on adjacent residences and Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.
The Will County Land Use Ordinance §155-16.500 (Outdoor Lighting) requires all new exterior lighting for nonresidential and multi-family development to use full-cutoff IESNA-classified fixtures. Maximum mounting heights: 20 feet in residential adjacent zones, 35 feet in industrial. Total site lumens capped by zone, with stricter limits near the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and within 500 feet of residential property lines. BNSF Logistics Park Chicago and Union Pacific Global IV intermodal facilities in Elwood/Joliet operate under conditional use lighting plans that require house-side shields and 3000K maximum LED color temperature. Municipalities follow suit: Joliet Zoning §47-13.5, Bolingbrook §10-4-6, Romeoville, Plainfield §34-12.6, New Lenox, Mokena, Frankfort, and Lockport all require full-cutoff fixtures for new development. Residential porch and security lights exempt from permit but must not cause trespass. Holiday lighting exempt from Nov 15 to Jan 15.
Non-compliant commercial fixtures: correction notice 30 days, then fines $100-$750 per day. Exceeding site lumen cap: site plan violation, certificate of occupancy withheld. Industrial glare onto Midewin: may trigger conditional use revocation.
Will County, IL
Barking dogs in unincorporated Will County fall under the general noise ordinance (§133.04) if audible 75 feet beyond the property line during quiet hours (1...
Will County, IL
Will County §133.04 prohibits noise in all residential districts (and adjacent business districts) in unincorporated areas between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM. Nois...
Will County, IL
Will County §133.04 defines construction trades as home repair including construction, repair, and maintenance of structures and appurtenances, plus landscap...
Will County, IL
Will County §155-11.65 regulates truck and trailer parking in A-2 and residential districts. Commercial vehicles must be screened from view in side/rear yard...
Will County, IL
Unincorporated Will County does not have a county-wide overnight street parking ban. Parking on county roads is governed by the Illinois Vehicle Code (625 IL...
Will County, IL
In unincorporated Will County, vehicles must be parked on approved parking surfaces in residential districts. The zoning code (Chapter 155) governs driveway ...
See how Will County's dark sky rules rules stack up against other locations.
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