Ames, IA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)

Sec. 29.413(11) of the Ames Outdoor Lighting Code requires all nonexempt outdoor lighting fixtures to be designed, installed, and maintained to prevent light trespass, meaning fixtures may not direct light from the luminaire toward residential buildings on adjacent or nearby property or nearby land. Where that condition occurs, the code requires the luminaire be redirected or its light output controlled to eliminate the trespass, placing an ongoing maintenance duty on the property owner rather than a one-time installation check. Under Sec. 29.413(10), any permit or site plan application involving outdoor lighting must include plans showing fixture location and type, detailed descriptions with manufacturer's catalog cuts, and photometric data showing the angle of cutoff or light emissions, so light trespass compliance is reviewed by the Department of Planning and Housing before installation.

Sec. 29.413(12) sets enforcement: a violation of the Outdoor Lighting Code is a municipal infraction, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense; the city must give written notice demanding abatement within 120 days, and if the violation is not abated within that period the city may sue to enjoin, restrain, or abate it and collect civil penalties of $500 for a first violation and $750 for each repeat violation, with every day after the 120-day period a separate violation for penalty purposes. Under Sec. 30.6, obstructions and violations under this and related chapters can also be pursued through the city's general nuisance abatement remedies.