Greece, NY Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Town Code § 211-35
- Light spill rule
- No spill onto adjoining property or ROW
- Waiver authority
- Planning Board may expressly permit
- Shielding exemption
- Low-voltage walkway lights under 18 inches
- First-offense fine
- Up to $1,000 or 6 months
Summary
Greece's zoning code bans exterior spotlighting or other high-intensity lighting that spills onto an adjoining property or a public highway right-of-way unless the Planning Board expressly permits it. Any outdoor light fixture must be shielded so its source is not visible from off the site.
Light spill. No exterior spotlighting or other high-intensity lighting on a property shall spill onto an adjacent public highway right-of-way or onto adjoining property unless expressly permitted by the Planning Board. Shielding light sources. The source of any outdoor light which is permitted shall be shielded so that it is not visible when viewed off the site. Exempt from this requirement are incandescent lights which are located near an entrance to a principal building and low-voltage lights (as defined in the National Electrical Code) not more than 18 inches above grade that also delineate a walkway or access to a building.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4702072; v22 updated 2025-08-21; through 08-21-2025).
Full Breakdown
Town Code § 211-35, Outdoor lighting, sits in Chapter 211 alongside the district use standards enforced by the Building Inspector. Subsection A is a flat trespass ban: no exterior spotlighting or other high-intensity lighting on a property may spill onto an adjacent public highway right-of-way or onto adjoining property, and the only way around that is express permission from the Planning Board, typically granted (or denied) as part of site plan review for a commercial or multifamily project. Subsection B goes further than a spill ban and reaches fixture design: the source of any permitted outdoor light has to be shielded so it cannot be seen when viewed from off the site.
The code carves out two narrow exemptions from the shielding rule: incandescent fixtures mounted near an entrance to a principal building, and low-voltage walkway or access lights, as defined in the National Electrical Code, that sit no more than 18 inches above grade. Everything else, parking lot floodlights, wall packs, sports-court lighting, security spotlights, has to be shielded and aimed so glare and spill do not cross the lot line. Because this sits in the general regulations article of the zoning chapter, it applies townwide outside Greece's incorporated villages, across every zoning district, not just commercial ones.
A homeowner installing a bright motion-triggered floodlight aimed at a neighbor's yard, or a business lighting a rear lot without shielding, is squarely within the reach of this section.
Violations & Fines
Violations of Chapter 211, including § 211-35, are prosecuted under § 211-72 as offenses punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or up to six months' imprisonment, or both, for a first offense within a five-year window. A second offense in that period carries a fine of $1,000 to $5,000, and a third or subsequent offense carries $2,500 to $10,000; each week a violation continues is a separate offense. The Town Board may also sue to compel compliance or to enjoin the violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my neighbor's floodlight legally shine into my yard in Greece?
Do all outdoor lights in Greece need shields?
Who enforces the outdoor lighting rule in Greece?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greece
New York rules heatmap·Compare Greece to another location·View the New York outdoor lighting overview
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