Annapolis, MD Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Lighting cap
- 3 foot-candles at the lot line
- Applies to
- Site design plan review projects
- Direction requirement
- Away from residential properties and streets
- Enforced by
- Department of Planning and Zoning
- Code chapter
- Annapolis City Code Ch. 21.62
Summary
Annapolis caps site-plan parking lot lighting at three foot-candles at the lot line and requires fixtures to point away from homes and streets so illumination doesn't spill onto neighboring residential property.
A. Any lighting used to illuminate off-street parking areas shall be directed away from residential properties and public streets in such a way as not to create a nuisance. B. Parking lot lighting may not exceed three foot-candles measured at the lot line.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2025 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Annapolis's site design standards, which apply to any project going through site design plan approval, require that lighting used to illuminate off-street parking areas be directed away from residential properties and public streets so it doesn't create a nuisance. The same section caps parking lot lighting at three foot-candles measured at the lot line, giving neighbors a concrete ceiling on spillover glare rather than a vague 'don't be annoying' standard. The rule sits in Chapter 21.62, Site Design Standards, and is checked by the Department of Planning and Zoning during site plan review, not enforced house-by-house after occupancy.
Violations & Fines
Site plans that exceed the three foot-candle limit or aim fixtures toward homes get rejected or sent back for redesign by Planning and Zoning before any permit issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this lighting cap apply to my house?
What happens if a parking lot exceeds the limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Annapolis
Compare Annapolis to another location·View the Maryland outdoor lighting overview
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