Elgin, IL Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Max spillover onto residential land
- 0.5 horizontal footcandle
- Measurement height
- 3.5 feet above grade
- Measured with
- Direct-reading portable light meter
- Exempt uses
- Public street lights, seasonal decor, safety/airport lighting
- Relief path
- Variation under § 19.13.150; appeal under § 19.13.155
Summary
Elgin's outdoor lighting code puts a hard number on spillover: light escaping from any community facility, business, or industrial property onto an adjoining residential lot or public street right-of-way cannot exceed one-half horizontal footcandle under § 19.13.130(D), with readings taken at 3.5 feet above grade per § 19.13.135.
D.The maximum light trespass permitted to spill over onto any residential zoned property or public street right-of-way from any community facility, business, or industrial zoned property shall not exceed one-half (½) horizontal footcandles.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 7).
Full Breakdown
130(D) sets the citywide light trespass ceiling: no more than one-half (½) horizontal footcandle may spill over onto any residential-zoned property or public street right-of-way from land zoned community facility, business, or industrial. 5 feet above the ground. 115: public street lighting, temporary seasonal decorative lighting, safety lighting such as airport or heliport navigational lights, and outdoor recreational uses like ball diamonds or tennis courts, which may exceed the standards provided glare is minimized toward residential property and a landscaped buffer is used where spillover can't be avoided. 120, which specifically calls for the maximum footcandles expected at a residential property line or public right-of-way line. 155.
Violations & Fines
A commercial, industrial, or institutional property owner whose fixtures push more than one-half footcandle onto a neighboring residential lot or street right-of-way is in violation of § 19.13.130(D); the city can require re-aiming, additional shielding, or fixture replacement, and lighting installed before the chapter took effect that still exceeds the trespass limit is treated as nonconforming lighting subject to correction under chapter 19.52.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much light can spill onto my property from a business next door in Elgin?
How does Elgin measure light trespass?
Is residential outdoor lighting subject to the light trespass limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Elgin
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Light Trespass & Shielding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle light trespass & shielding.