Clifton, NJ Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)

Chapter 305, Lighting, was adopted 10-15-1985 by Ord. No. 5016-85. ' The chapter does not carve out any use-specific exemption for residential floodlights, commercial security lighting or sign illumination; it applies chapter-wide to any fixture whose glare crosses a property line. Cross-referenced provisions in the same title address related lighting: string lighting is separately regulated under Ch. 461 § 461-17, illumination of signs falls under Ch. 461 Art. IX, and lighting at new or used motor vehicle dealerships is governed by Ch. § 305-2 sets the citywide penalty for any Chapter 305 violation, including a light-trespass complaint under § 305-1: conviction carries a fine of up to $500, imprisonment of up to 90 days, or both, at the Municipal Court's discretion.

Because the standard is phrased as a nuisance/annoyance test tied to shading and direction rather than a numeric footcandle limit, enforcement in Clifton turns on whether the fixture is aimed and shielded to keep light off the neighboring lot, not on measuring light levels at the property line.