Johnson County's UDO prohibits outdoor lighting that spills past your property line. Fixtures must be designed so light does not extend beyond the property boundaries, and bulbs must be shielded from neighboring properties and the right-of-way.
Under the county's Downcast Lighting Regulations (UDO 8:1.25), lighting must be designed so it is prevented from extending beyond the boundaries of the property. Bulbs must be shielded from the view of other properties and the road, and accent lighting for flags, signs, or statues must use a narrow cone that does not spill past the object. This gives unincorporated neighbors a real code basis to complain about a floodlight aimed across a property line, rather than relying only on nuisance law. Inside Iowa City, light trespass and glare are addressed through the city zoning code. Persistent glare can also be pursued as a nuisance under Iowa Code Chapter 657.
The county requires non-compliant lighting be corrected to keep illumination on the owner's property. Beyond the zoning remedy, unreasonable light spilling onto a neighbor can support a private nuisance action under Iowa Code Chapter 657.
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