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Glen Cove, NY Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Standard
No glare visible beyond the property line
Citation
City Code § 280-45.F
Applies to
All zoning districts, every principal/accessory use
Enforcing agency
Building Department Director
First-offense fine
$1,000 to $2,000 (§ 280-74.A)
Repeat offense
Each week is a separate violation

Summary

Glen Cove's zoning code bans glare that crosses a property line. Under City Code § 280-45.F, no glare from lighting tied to any principal or accessory use, anywhere in the city, may be visible beyond the lot line, one of several citywide performance standards the Building Department enforces alongside district-specific bulk rules.

Glare. No glare from lighting from any principal or accessory use shall be visible beyond the property line.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5003439; v76 updated 2026-08-26; through 08-26-2026).

Full Breakdown

The glare ban sits in § 280-45, the article of the Zoning Chapter titled 'Regulations applicable to all districts,' meaning it reaches every zone from the two-acre R-1A district to the city's industrial waterfront parcels, not just residential streets. Subsection F reads simply: no glare from lighting from any principal or accessory use shall be visible beyond the property line. That single sentence covers floodlights on a house, security lighting on a commercial lot, sport-court fixtures in a backyard, or parking-lot poles at a shopping plaza; if the glare itself is visible past the lot line, the fixture is out of compliance regardless of wattage or fixture type.

, and a requirement that rooftop mechanical equipment be screened to the Planning Board's satisfaction, showing the city treats light spillage as part of a broader set of neighbor-facing performance limits rather than a stand-alone nuisance category. Because § 280-45 sits outside any single district schedule, it applies on top of whatever setback, coverage, or use table governs a particular lot. The Building Department Director administers compliance, typically after a complaint from an adjoining property owner, and can require a fixture to be re-aimed, shielded, or replaced to bring the glare back inside the lot line.

Violations & Fines

A first zoning violation, including a glare complaint sustained under § 280-45.F, is punishable under § 280-74.A by a fine of $1,000 to $2,000 or up to 15 days imprisonment. A second conviction for the same offense within five years carries $2,000 to $3,500, and a third within five years of the second carries $3,500 to $5,000. Each week the glare continues is a separate violation, and the city may also seek an injunction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Glen Cove's glare rule apply to homes or just businesses?
It applies to both. Section 280-45 opens by stating its rules 'shall apply to all districts,' and Subsection F bars glare from any principal or accessory use, so a homeowner's floodlight and a shopping center's parking lot lighting are held to the identical standard: no glare visible past the lot line.
What can a neighbor do about a floodlight that shines onto their yard?
They can file a complaint with the Building Department, which enforces § 280-45.F. The Director can require the fixture be shielded, re-aimed, or replaced, and a sustained violation exposes the property owner to the escalating fines set in § 280-74.A.
Are there separate noise rules alongside the lighting rule?
Yes. The same section of the code, § 280-45.G, bars any loudspeaker or amplifying device that can be heard beyond the property line between 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., a companion nuisance standard enforced the same way as the glare rule.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Glen Cove

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