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

Section 1421-39, 'Exterior Lighting,' is a single, sweeping standard that applies to every private property in the city, not just commercial sites: 'All exterior light sources on private property, including canopy, perimeter, and flood, must be energy-efficient, stationary and shielded or recessed within the roof canopy to ensure that all light is directed away from adjacent properties and public rights-of-way. ' Three separate requirements are packed into that sentence. First, fixtures must be energy-efficient, ruling out inefficient light sources for exterior use. Second, they must be stationary, so rotating, sweeping, or otherwise moving light sources aren't permitted.

Third, and central to light-trespass control, every fixture must be shielded or recessed within a roof canopy so the light is 'directed away from adjacent properties and public rights-of-way', meaning the fixture's beam has to be cut off or aimed inward, not just generally downward. The section also imposes a flat 20-foot height ceiling above grade for any exterior light source, regardless of use or zoning district, which keeps tall pole-mounted floodlights out of residential-adjacent areas. Compliance is reviewed by the Zoning Administrator as part of site plan and building permit review under Chapter 1421, General Site Standards; a lighting plan that shows spillover onto a neighboring lot or the public right-of-way does not meet the standard and won't be approved as submitted.