Lakeville, MN Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass (2026)

Light trespass - unwanted light crossing onto a public street or a neighbor's property - is addressed in Lakeville's zoning ordinance at section 11-16-17 (Exterior Lighting). The ordinance sets a measurable limit: no light source or combination of sources that casts light on a public street may exceed a one-foot-candle meter reading as measured at the right-of-way or property line. To achieve that, exterior lighting for commercial, industrial, and institutional uses must use fixtures with a cutoff that directs light at an angle of 90 degrees or less, keeping illumination pointed downward rather than spilling sideways. Where a fixture is within 30 feet of residentially zoned property, additional shielding is required on the property-line side below the 90-degree cutoff to direct light away from the residential property - a direct light-trespass protection for homes near commercial sites. The ordinance also prohibits direct or reflected glare from high-temperature processes such as combustion or welding from being visible from any adjoining property. Certain lighting is excepted, including temporary holiday lighting, emergency lighting, flag illumination, government-required aircraft-operation lighting, and city or school-district park and recreational facility lighting. Residents experiencing light spilling from a neighboring commercial property can reference the one-foot-candle property-line standard when raising a concern with the city. Property owners should aim and shield fixtures so that light measured at the property line or right-of-way stays within the limit.