Houston County, GA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Direction required
- Away from residential dwellings
- Right-of-way rule
- No direct reflection into public ROW
- Applies to
- Outdoor lighting of all types
- Governing source
- Land Development Regulations Section 67.3
Summary
Houston County's land development regulations require outdoor lighting to be directed away from neighboring homes and public streets. Section 67.3 bans fixtures that reflect onto residential dwellings or shine directly into a public right-of-way, regardless of the zoning district the light sits in.
67.3. Outdoor lighting of all types shall be directed so as to reflect away from all residential dwellings, and shall be so situated as not to reflect directly into any public rights-of-way.
Full Breakdown
3: outdoor lighting of all types shall be directed so as to reflect away from all residential dwellings, and shall be so situated as not to reflect directly into any public rights-of-way. 2 extends that same six-foot solid screening standard to any district where the regulations call for buffering a specified operation, as required by the Houston County Planning Commission or Board of Commissioners. 3 require exterior lighting to be arranged so it is deflected away from adjoining property, and drive-in restaurant conditions bar lights from shining directly into any residential structure.
3 applies countywide rather than to a single use, it is the operative light-trespass provision for any outdoor fixture in unincorporated Houston County, commercial or residential, that spills glare onto a neighbor's dwelling or a public road.
Violations & Fines
Section 67.3 does not carry its own fine table; a lighting installation that reflects onto a neighboring dwelling or into a public right-of-way is enforced as a zoning violation by the Houston County Planning and Zoning Department, and site plans submitted under Section 102.4.6 must show the location and character of proposed outdoor lighting systems for staff review before a permit issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my neighbor's floodlight shine directly into my yard in Houston County?
Does the light-trespass rule apply only to businesses?
What happens if a gas station's lights shine onto homes nearby?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Houston County
Compare Houston County to another location·View the Georgia outdoor lighting overview
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