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

Division 3 of chapter 27, Dunwoody's zoning code, governs outdoor lighting on new land uses, new buildings and expansions of 25 percent or more in dwelling units, parking or floor area. Section 27-250(b)(1) requires outdoor lighting fixtures to be full cutoff, placed to allow no light above the horizontal at the luminaire, with limited exceptions for period fixtures and sign lighting. Subsection (b)(2) is the core light-trespass rule: outdoor lighting fixtures must be located, aimed or shielded to minimize glare and stray light trespassing across lot lines and into the public right-of-way.

5 footcandles for a commercial or industrial use. Flood or spot lamps visible from off-site residential property or a public roadway may not point higher than 45 degrees above straight down. Security lighting gets its own rule under subsection (c)(3): sensor-activated lights must be directed at the targeted area and positioned to prevent direct glare or lighting into other people's properties or the public right-of-way, and the system can't be triggered by activity occurring off the subject property. Applicants seeking a variance from these lighting standards must submit supporting evidence under section 27-251, and any commercial permit application must include photometric plans under section 27-252, with a licensed professional's certification of as-built compliance required before a certificate of occupancy issues under section 27-253.