Fort Worth, TX Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)

This standard is narrow by design: it applies only to large retail stores sited in the E, FR, F, G and H commercial districts, and to large retail stores in the I, J and K industrial districts located within 500 feet of residential property, unless an existing commercial lot at least 100 feet wide or an existing industrial use already sits between the store and the homes. 134(b)(8) sets a hard numeric ceiling: lighting inside the required 20-foot landscaped bufferyard adjacent to residential property can't exceed one foot-candle measured at ground level.

Light poles within 140 feet of residential property are capped at 20 feet in height and must be shielded away from the homes; poles farther out can reach 35 feet, matching the general parking-lot pole cap the same section sets under subsection (a)(11). Every pole, near or far, has to be painted black, dark gray or dark green, or finished with a bronze oxidant protective coating, so the fixtures themselves don't stand out against the residential backdrop at night. 134(c) if literal enforcement would create an unnecessary hardship unrelated to cost, and the city manager or a designee must report every variance granted under this section to city council each month.