Clarksville, TN Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Site plan lighting rule
- Excludes one and two-family homes
- Sign spillover rule
- Applies in all districts
- Illuminated sign buffer
- 25 feet from residential property
- Residential district signs
- No flashing or intermittent illumination
- Neighbor floodlight standard
- None in city code
Summary
Clarksville's no-spillover language is real but narrow. Zoning Ordinance 5.10 exempts single-family and two-family dwellings from site plan review, so a neighbor's floodlight falls outside it. Sign illumination is the one standard that reaches residential districts.
No illuminated sign shall be permitted within twenty-five (25) feet of property in any residential district unless the illumination of the sign is so designed that it does not shine or reflect light onto the property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 110 Update 2 | Zoning Ordinance: Supplement 6).
Full Breakdown
Zoning Ordinance 5.10 requires site lighting to be directed inward with shielded hoods and forbids spill onto adjacent properties, but 5.10(1)(A) applies the section "to all uses, except single-family and two-family dwellings and their accessory structures on individual lots." That scoping matters: a homeowner glared at by a neighbor's pole light has no city standard to invoke. Signs are different. Zoning Ordinance 8.2 applies in every district and bars illumination that spills onto adjacent property or right-of-way, or that is bright enough to impair a driver's vision, and separately restricts illuminated signs within 25 feet of residential property. Section 8.3 also prohibits flashing or intermittent illumination on residential district signs.
Violations & Fines
Sign illumination breaches are zoning violations handled by Building and Codes. Residential fixture glare has no city standard, so it is a private nuisance matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
My neighbor's floodlight shines in my bedroom. What can the city do?
What about a business parking lot next door?
Can a lit sign shine onto my yard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clarksville
Compare Clarksville to another location·View the Tennessee outdoor lighting overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.