Baytown, TX Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential cap
- 0.5 footcandles at property line
- Nonresidential-to-nonresidential cap
- 2.5 footcandles
- Cut-off fixture zone
- within 20 ft of residential lot line
- Measuring height
- 5 ft above grade at property line
- Residential exemption
- single-unit, duplex, manufactured homes exempt
Summary
Baytown's Unified Land Development Code bars outdoor lighting from shining directly into a neighbor's home and caps illumination at the property line. Fixtures near residential lots must be full cut-off, and non-residential light cannot exceed 0.5 footcandles measured five feet above grade on the adjoining property.
1. Full Cut-Off Fixture Required. In all mixed-use and nonresidential zoning districts, all light fixtures within 20 feet of and adjacent to a residential lot line shall be a full cut-off light fixture. 2. Direct Shine onto Adjacent Dwelling. Outdoor lighting shall not be designed or located in such a way as to shine directly into an adjacent dwelling unit, regardless of the applicable zoning district. 3. Screened or Shielded. All outdoor lighting for non-residential uses shall be located, screened, or shielded so that adjacent lots or streets located in residential districts are not directly illuminated.
Full Breakdown
B of the Unified Land Development Code, "Design Standards for Outdoor Lighting Adjacent to Residential Districts," requires that in all mixed-use and nonresidential zoning districts, every light fixture within 20 feet of a residential lot line be a full cut-off fixture. 5 footcandles only where the adjoining lot is itself mixed-use or nonresidential). The table note fixes the measuring point: illumination "at a height of five feet above the property line of the subject property" cannot exceed the maximum permitted "in a vertical plane on the adjacent property," which is how the city measures spillover onto a neighbor's land rather than just at the source fixture. 51 exemption list, so these numeric limits and cutoff requirements bind commercial, mixed-use, and multi-family development rather than a homeowner's porch light.
Violations & Fines
The Planning and Development Services Department enforces Division 3.5 through the site plan and lighting plan review required for covered development; a photometric drawing must demonstrate compliance with the Table 3.52-3 maximum illumination figures before a permit issues. A property found spilling light beyond the 0.5-footcandle residential cap or running an unshielded fixture within 20 feet of a residential lot line is subject to the city's standard code enforcement process for Unified Land Development Code violations, including a correction order and civil penalties for noncompliance that continues after notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my neighbor's business lighting shine into my house in Baytown?
What is the maximum light spillover allowed onto a residential lot?
Does a homeowner's yard light have to meet these limits?
Do fixtures near my property line have to be shielded?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Baytown
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Baytown to another location·View the Texas outdoor lighting overview
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