Cedar Park, TX Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Accent lighting rule
- Must be shielded from night sky
- Governing code
- § 12.12.021(a)(12)
- Laser/searchlight advertising
- Prohibited outright
- Sports field lighting curfew
- Off by 10:00 p.m.
Summary
Cedar Park requires accent, architectural, and landscape lighting fixtures to be located, aimed, or shielded so they don't spill light into the night sky.
Fixtures used to accent architectural features, landscaping or art shall be located, aimed or shielded to minimize light spill into the night sky.
(13) Architectural and landscaping lighting.Outdoor lighting used to illuminate flags, statues, signs or other objects mounted on a pole, pedestal or platform, spotlighting or floodlighting used for architectural or landscape purposes, must use full cutoff or directionally shielded lighting fixtures that are aimed and controlled so that the directed light is substantially confined to the object intended to be illuminated.
(b) Recreational facilities.Any light source permitted by this Article may be used for lighting of outdoor recreational facilities (public or private), such as, but not limited to, football fields, soccer fields, baseball fields, softball fields, tennis courts, or show areas, provided all of the following conditions are met:
(1) The mounting height of outdoor sports field and outdoor performance area lighting fixtures shall not exceed eighty (80) feet from finished grade unless approved by the Development Services Committee as having no adverse effect or approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission as part of a variance request;
(2) All outdoor sports field and outdoor performance area lighting fixtures shall be equipped with a glare control package (louvers, shields, or similar devices);
(3)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4973212; v14 updated 2026-06-25).
Full Breakdown
Cedar Park's Article 12.12 design standards regulate light pollution across the city's outdoor lighting, from general site fixtures to decorative lighting. Beyond the citywide full-cutoff mandate for site lighting, § 12.12.021(a)(12) separately requires that fixtures used to accent architectural features, landscaping, or art be located, aimed, or shielded to minimize light spill into the night sky. Laser and searchlight sources used for advertising are banned outright under subsection (c), and stadium and sports-field lighting must go dark by 10:00 p.m. Development Services enforces the standards through site plan review.
Violations & Fines
Accent or architectural lighting shown spilling into the night sky is rejected at plan review; laser or searchlight advertising and post-10 p.m. sports field lighting draw code enforcement action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Cedar Park regulate light pollution from decorative or accent lighting?
Are searchlights allowed for advertising in Cedar Park?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cedar Park
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Cedar Park to another location·View the Texas outdoor lighting overview
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