Bucks County municipalities regulate outdoor lighting through local zoning ordinances. Most Bucks townships cap light trespass at 0.5 to 1.0 foot-candles at residential property lines and require full-cutoff fixtures for new commercial lighting.
Bucks County has no uniform county-wide lighting ordinance; standards are set by each of the 54 municipalities. Most Bucks townships (Lower Makefield, Newtown, Buckingham, Doylestown Township) require full-cutoff or fully-shielded fixtures that emit no light above the horizontal plane, and cap illuminance at property lines to 0.5 fc for residential zones and 1.0 fc where residential abuts commercial. Uplighting of buildings, trees, and flagpoles is often restricted. Security floodlights must be aimed downward and shielded so the bulb is not visible from neighboring properties. Holiday lighting generally exempt between Thanksgiving and January 15. Complaints are handled by township zoning officers or code enforcement.
First complaint: written notice with 30 days to correct. Continued non-compliance: citation through district court with fines typically $100 to $600 per violation plus court costs. Commercial violations may reach $1,000 per day under municipal zoning enforcement.
Doylestown, PA
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See how Doylestown's light trespass rules stack up against other locations.
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