Decatur, GA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)

The City of Decatur's Unified Development Ordinance treats light trespass, light crossing onto a neighbor's property, as a measurable standard rather than a vague nuisance. For outdoor sports fields, courts, tracks and performance areas, Sec. 5 foot-candles at any point along a residential property line, a standard that applies from municipal league fields up through college and professional-level facilities. Field lighting must also go dark within 30 minutes of the last event under Sec. 4, and light poles must sit back from any residential line the greater of 50 feet or one foot of setback for every foot of pole height under Sec.

5. Security lighting is separately restricted under Sec. C: it must be directed toward the targeted area and not adjacent properties, and sensor-activated lighting must be positioned to prevent direct glare and lighting into properties of others or into a public right-of-way, and cannot be triggered by activity happening off the protected property. Commercial parking-lot fixtures face their own trespass control in Sec. F, which requires cutoff fixtures directed downward rather than toward buildings or adjoining areas. Where a property owner cannot meet these limits and wants relief, Sec.

6 requires the variance application to the Zoning Board of Appeals to address, among other things, how light trespass and glare will be limited, so trespass is a factor the Board must weigh rather than something a variance can wave away. The UDO Administrator collects photometric data and site plans under Sec. 7 to confirm compliance before signing off on lighting installations.