Grand Prairie, TX Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Max at residential line
- 0.25 foot candles
- Beam height limit
- Not directed across line above 3 feet
- Governing section
- UDC Sec. 10.15.2
- Enforcement point
- Site plan / Certificate of Occupancy review
- Related rule
- Non-residential lots lit sunset to midnight
Summary
Grand Prairie caps how much light any use can throw onto a neighbor's land: outdoor fixtures must be aimed so the beam never crosses the property line above three feet, and at a residential lot in a residential district the maximum is 0.25 foot candles measured at the line. Unified Development Code Section 10.15.2 treats a brighter spillover as a nuisance.
Any use shall be operated so as not to produce obnoxious and intense glare or direct illumination across the bounding property line from a visible source of illumination of such intensity as to create a nuisance or detract from the use or enjoyment of adjacent property. All outside lights shall be constructed of a light source and reflector so selected that acting together the light beam is controlled and not directed across any bounding property line above a height of three (3) feet. The allowable maximum intensity measured at the property line of a residential use in a residential district shall be 0.25 foot candles.
Full Breakdown
25 foot candles. 3 separately requires non-residential parking areas used after dark to stay lit from half an hour after sunset through the close of business or midnight, whichever is earlier. Because the rule sits in the UDC's development standards rather than the penal code, it is enforced through site plan review and the Certificate of Occupancy process administered by planning and code compliance staff rather than through a stand-alone citation ticket, and a use found out of compliance can be required to re-aim, shield or relamp its fixtures before occupancy is approved.
Violations & Fines
A use that throws glare or illumination across a bounding property line above three feet, or that exceeds 0.25 foot candles at a residential property line, is out of compliance with Article 10's performance standards; code compliance and building officials can withhold or condition a Certificate of Occupancy and require re-aiming, shielding or relocation of the offending fixtures until the site meets the intensity limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much light can spill onto my neighbor's yard in Grand Prairie?
Who enforces the light trespass rule?
Does this rule apply to homes or only businesses?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grand Prairie
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