Gulfport, FL Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies in
- 49th Street Redevelopment Master Overlay District
- Trespass standard
- no more than a diffuse shadow beyond the parcel
- Companion rule
- cut-off fixtures above 40°, § 22-5.16(j)(4)
- Site lighting wiring
- must be underground
- Enforcement
- zoning misdemeanor, § 22-14.01
Summary
Within the 49th Street Redevelopment Master Overlay District, City Code § 22-5.16(j)(5) requires outdoor fixtures to be positioned so land beyond the parcel's boundaries is not illuminated beyond producing a diffuse shadow; it pairs with the cut-off fixture rule to keep spillover light off neighboring property.
(5)All outdoor light fixtures shall be located so that objects or land which are located beyond the boundaries of the parcel of land are not illuminated to an extent of producing more than a diffuse shadow.
Full Breakdown
16(j)(5) is Gulfport's specific light-trespass standard, and it only reaches properties within the 49th Street Redevelopment Master Overlay District (the CMUOD, LWOD and TPOD sub-areas along 49th Street). It works alongside the cut-off fixture requirement in (j)(4): where (j)(4) governs the fixture's beam angle, (j)(5) governs where that fixture sits on the lot so its light does not reach beyond the property line to a degree greater than 'a diffuse shadow' on neighboring land. The same subsection requires site lighting wiring to be installed underground (j)(6), and within the LWOD and TPOD sub-areas exterior lighting must additionally be residential in scope, scale and design (j)(7), a stricter standard aimed at the overlay's most residential-feeling blocks.
16(g); no site plan approval is required, however, where the property remains a single-family or duplex dwelling both before and after the change. There is no separate citywide light-trespass ordinance outside the 49thMOD; the diffuse-shadow test in (j)(5) is written specifically into this overlay's development standards.
Violations & Fines
Positioning a fixture so it casts more than a diffuse shadow onto neighboring land violates § 22-5.16(j)(5). As a zoning violation it is a misdemeanor under § 22-14.01, with each day the fixture remains out of position a separate offense under § 22-14.02. The city council can also condition or withhold site plan approval under § 22-5.16(g) until the lighting is repositioned or shielded.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Gulfport's rule against light spilling onto a neighbor's yard?
Is the light-trespass rule the same as the cut-off fixture rule?
Who enforces the light-trespass standard and what happens if it's violated?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gulfport
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Gulfport to another location·View the Florida outdoor lighting overview
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Light Trespass & Shielding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Pinellas County handle light trespass & shielding.