Aurora, CO Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Building light direction
- Must be aimed downward
- Wall packs
- Banned unless glare-eliminating cutoff angle
- Above-parapet mounting
- Allowed only for security/decorative lights
- Spillover cap
- 0.1 footcandle, 10 ft from lot line
- Governing instrument
- UDO, current through Feb. 2026
Summary
Aurora's Unified Development Ordinance requires building-mounted lights to point downward, bars wall-pack fixtures unless their cutoff angle eliminates off-site glare, and caps light spillover onto neighboring lots at 0.1 footcandle measured ten feet from the property line.
2. No wall packs or similar lights shall be permitted unless the cutoff angle effectively eliminates glare from beyond the property lines. ... 3. Lights shall not be mounted above the parapet or above the eave on a pitched roof except for motion-activated security lighting, and decorative lighting.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-30, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Aurora's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) governs how building-mounted lights, including security fixtures, must be aimed and shielded. UDO § 146-4.9.4.A requires all building-mounted light to be directed downward, bans wall-pack or similar fixtures unless their cutoff angle keeps glare from crossing the property line, and prohibits mounting lights above the parapet or roof eave: except for motion-activated security lighting and decorative lighting, which are allowed there. A separate citywide standard, UDO § 146-4.9.2.G, caps light spillover onto an abutting lot at 0.1 footcandle measured 10 feet from the property line. The UDO is current through Ordinance 2026-03 (Feb. 23, 2026) and applies across all of Aurora, Colorado, regardless of which of the three counties (Arapahoe, Adams, or Douglas) the property sits in.
Violations & Fines
Non-compliant fixtures are caught at building-permit and site-plan review, where the city can condition approval on refitting or re-aiming the light; unpermitted or ongoing violations are enforceable through the UDO's general zoning code enforcement process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I mount a security light on my building's wall in Aurora?
Can a motion-activated security light go above the roofline?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Aurora
Compare Aurora to another location·View the Colorado outdoor lighting overview
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Light Trespass & Shielding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Arapahoe County handle light trespass & shielding.