Hanover County, VA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Limit at non-residential boundary
- 0.75 foot-candle, 10 ft beyond line
- Limit at residential/agricultural boundary
- 0.5 foot-candle, 10 ft beyond line
- Applies to
- new sports/recreational facility lighting
- Existing lawful lighting
- grandfathered under prior standard
- Relief for brighter lighting
- Special Exception from Board of Supervisors
- Governing section
- Hanover County Code § 26-271(b)(2)
Summary
Hanover County's Zoning Ordinance limits light trespass from recreational and sports facility lighting onto neighboring land. New sports lighting cannot exceed three-quarters of a foot-candle measured ten feet beyond an adjacent non-residential property line, and half a foot-candle ten feet beyond an adjacent residential or agricultural property line.
(2)Light trespass. Recreational and sports facilities lighting shall be installed so as to limit off-site spill to the extent possible consistent with the illumination constraints of the design, and shall be subject to the provisions of Section 26-269 except in the following instances:a.For recreational or sports facilities without lights which are in existence at the time of the adoption of these regulations, the light intensity for new lights shall not exceed three-quarters (0.75) foot-candles measured at ten (10) feet beyond the property line of any adjacent non-residential property and 0.5 foot-candles at ten (10) feet beyond the property line of any adjacent residential or agricultural property, as measured at ground level.
Full Breakdown
Section 26-271(b)(2) of the Zoning Ordinance addresses light trespass, defined in Section 26-268 as light falling where it is not wanted or needed across a property boundary, specifically for recreational and sports facilities lighting such as ball fields and courts. Recreational and sports lighting must be installed to limit off-site spill as much as the design allows and generally follows the same shielding standards as Section 26-269's general lighting requirements. 5) measured ten feet beyond the property line of an adjacent residential or agricultural property, with both readings taken at ground level.
A facility whose light fixtures were lawfully installed before these regulations took effect can keep operating under the standards in place when it was installed, so an older ball-field light rig is not automatically forced to retrofit. An operator of an existing facility who wants to add lighting brighter than these limits must request a Special Exception from the Board of Supervisors rather than install it outright. Where full cutoff fixtures cannot practically light a field or court, the Director can approve fixtures with internal or external glare-control louvers or fixtures aimed to minimize light projecting above the horizontal.
Violations & Fines
Sports or recreational lighting installed after adoption of these regulations that exceeds 0.75 foot-candles at a non-residential boundary or 0.5 foot-candles at a residential or agricultural boundary, both measured ten feet beyond the property line, violates Section 26-271(b)(2). A facility that wants to exceed these caps without an approved Special Exception is out of compliance and subject to correction through the county's zoning enforcement process at site plan review or inspection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright can a new ball field's lights be at the property line?
Can an older ball field keep its existing lights?
What if a facility wants brighter lighting than the code allows?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hanover County
Compare Hanover County to another location·View the Virginia outdoor lighting overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.