Canton, OH Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)

Canton Codified Ordinances Section 1185.02, Lighting Design Requirements, opens by stating the purpose of the chapter: minimizing or substantially reducing disability glare at any location on or off the property, minimizing or substantially reducing light trespass beyond the property lot line, minimizing sky illumination, and keeping an appearance compatible with Canton's character. Subsection (b) applies that standard directly to homes, requiring all outdoor lighting on residential lots to be designed and maintained so as to prevent glare and light trespass onto adjacent properties. Subsection (c) restates the rule generally: all outdoor lighting must be directed to avoid glare outside the property line or boundary, or into the sky.

The chapter also bans searchlights outright except where another provision of the zoning regulations specifically allows them. These standards apply citywide to every exterior lighting system except the narrow exemptions in Section 1185.01, and they are reviewed by the Zoning Inspector as part of the zoning permit process for new construction, additions and site plans under Chapter 1194. A neighbor with a light-trespass complaint can file it under the violation-complaint process in Section 1194.06, which routes to the Zoning Inspector for investigation. The rule was adopted by Ordinance 147-2018, passed July 2, 2018.