Fountain, CO Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Trespass limit
- 0.1 foot-candle maximum, 20 feet past property line
- Measured toward
- Adjacent residential uses and rights-of-way
- Traffic hazard ban
- No light creating a hazard to drivers, (H)(2)
- Applies to
- Multifamily and nonresidential parking lots
- Reviewed at
- Site plan/parking plan filing, § 17.09.040
- Adopted
- Ordinance No. 1742, January 14, 2020
Summary
Fountain caps spillover light from multifamily and nonresidential parking lots at one-tenth of a foot-candle measured 20 feet past the property line, under Fountain Municipal Code § 17.09.100(H)(6), the code's direct trespass ceiling for neighboring homes and rights-of-way.
Light levels measured 20 feet beyond the property line of the development site (adjacent to residential uses and public or private rights-of-way) shall not exceed one-tenth foot-candle as a direct result of the on-site lighting.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 3).
Full Breakdown
09 as enacted by Ordinance No. 1742 on January 14, 2020, set a numeric light-trespass ceiling rather than leaving glare complaints to a nuisance standard. 100(H)(6) measures the spillover 20 feet beyond the property line of the development site, specifically where that line adjoins residential uses or a public or private right-of-way, and caps it at one-tenth of a foot-candle as a direct result of the on-site lighting. 100(H)(2) reinforces the point from the driver's side: neither direct nor reflected light from any source may create a traffic hazard for vehicles on public or private roads, and flashing or colored lights cannot be used in a way that could be confused with a traffic control device; parking areas and circulation drives must be lit only as unobtrusively as safety requires.
100(H); it is not a general residential-to-residential light nuisance ordinance. 040, with photometric information typically required to show the 20-foot reading meets the cap before a permit is issued.
Violations & Fines
Lighting shown, or later measured, above one-tenth foot-candle at the 20-foot line is a Title 17 zoning violation. The zoning administrator can require re-aiming, shielding or fixture replacement, and prosecution proceeds under Fountain's Chapter 1.12 general penalty, capped at a $2,650 fine with no jail time, with each day the excess light continues charged as a separate offense under § 1.12.010(C).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much light can spill onto my property from a neighboring parking lot in Fountain?
Where exactly is the light level measured from?
What if lot lighting is bright enough to blind drivers on the street?
Does this trespass limit apply to a neighbor's house lights, not a business?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fountain
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