Fayetteville, NC Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential property-line limit
- 0.5 foot-candle max
- Commercial/industrial limit
- 2.5 foot-candles max
- Shielding trigger
- over 40 watts or 600 lumens
- Max pole height
- 20 ft residential, 30 ft commercial
- Curfew for adjacent-to-residential uses
- off by 10 p.m. or 1 hr post-closing
- Wall pack preferred wattage
- 100 watts or lower
Summary
Fayetteville's UDO limits how much light a property can throw onto its neighbors. Fixtures over 40 watts or 600 lumens need full cut-off shielding, and illumination measured at the property line cannot exceed 0.5 foot-candles next to homes or 2.5 foot-candles next to commercial and industrial land.
30-5.E.5. Design Standards for Exterior Lighting: All exterior lighting shall meet the following standards: ... b. Shielding 1. Exterior: Light fixtures in excess of 40 watts or 600 lumens shall use full cut-off lenses or hoods to prevent glare or spillover from the project site onto adjacent lands and streets. ... c. Maximum Illumination Levels: All outdoor lighting and indoor lighting visible from outside shall be designed and located so that the maximum illumination measured in foot-candles at ground level at a property line shall not exceed the standards in Table 30-5.E.5, Maximum Illumination Levels. Cut-off lighting shall be designed to direct light downward (e.g., shoe box style).
Full Breakdown
5 of the Unified Development Ordinance sets the design standards that keep site lighting from spilling onto adjoining land. Any fixture producing more than 40 watts or 600 lumens must carry a full cut-off lens or hood so glare and spillover stay off the project site and off adjacent streets. Light in canopy structures cannot extend below the canopy's own ceiling, and illuminated awnings must use entirely opaque material or skip internal lighting altogether. Pole, wall, or other mounted fixtures cannot exceed 20 feet in residential, OI, NC, MU, and DT districts, or 30 feet in UC, MAC, LC, CC, BP, and industrial districts, and outdoor seating, entrances, and walkways should use ground-mounted fixtures under eight feet where practical.
2 foot-candle minimum). Cut-off fixtures must be shoe-box style, aimed downward. 6) must be fully shielded, preferably 100 watts or lower, and any wall pack light source visible from off the site is flatly prohibited. or within an hour of closing, whichever comes first. Government facilities, parks, and sites storing sensitive materials may apply to the City Manager for a Security Plan deviating from these standards on a finding of necessity and minimum impact. 8) needs a glare control package and must go dark within 30 minutes after the event ends.
Violations & Fines
Lighting violations run through the Code's general penalty at Sec. 1-7: a civil penalty, with a warning citation issued first that specifies a second citation for the same violation triggers the civil penalty itself. Recipients can request review by an independent administrative hearing officer within ten business days of the citation. Each day a fixture stays out of compliance counts as a separate offense, and the city can also pursue injunction or abatement through the general court of justice for a condition unlawfully affecting the use of real property.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright can my parking lot lighting be at the property line in Fayetteville?
Do all outdoor lights need shields in Fayetteville?
Can a business leave its lights on all night next to a Fayetteville neighborhood?
What happens if a property owner ignores a lighting complaint?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fayetteville
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