Franklin County, NC Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)

UDC § 6.8.3.A caps residential light trespass at 0.2 foot-candles measured at the lot line of any residential zoning district property or residential use, the strictest of the code's illumination limits. Section 6.8.3.C sets a separate, higher ceiling of one foot-candle at a lot line shared by two adjacent nonresidential zoned properties, recognizing commercial and industrial sites tolerate more ambient light between each other. Section 6.8.3.B adds an interference-based standard on top of the numeric caps: lighting that unnecessarily illuminates another lot and substantially interferes with that lot's use or enjoyment is prohibited outright, and the code treats any lighting that clearly exceeds the section's standards as unnecessary illumination.

These caps connect to the design requirements in § 6.8.2, which require a submitted lighting plan to demonstrate that area lighting is directed downward and won't spill onto adjacent properties, and § 6.8.3.E, which separately bars lighting that casts glare or interferes with vehicle operation. Because these are UDO standards, the Planning Department Administrator enforces them under Article 3's investigation and correction-order process, and an uncorrected exceedance can draw a civil penalty up to $500 or a Class 3 misdemeanor charge, appealable to the Board of Adjustment.