Lakewood, NJ Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential light trespass cap
- 0.5 footcandle at property line
- Commercial-to-residential buffer cap
- 0.2 footcandle, § 18-804.02B4
- Dusk-to-dawn fixtures
- Must be shielded to meet 0.5 fc cap
- Floodlights
- Downward-aimed, recessed lamp required
- Enforcing office
- Lakewood Township Zoning Officer
Summary
Residential exterior lighting in Lakewood Township cannot push more than half a footcandle onto a neighbor's property line under UDO § 18-804.06D1. Where a commercial parking lot sits next to a residential zone, the buffer-and-lighting plan has to keep spillover onto the residential area under 0.2 footcandle, per § 18-804.02B4.
All exterior residential lighting shall be so designed and installed so that the resultant light spill skyward is minimal, and light impingement levels on adjacent properties shall not exceed one-half (.5) footcandle at the property line. ... The coordinated buffer/lighting plan submitted shall insure that light spill from the parking lot shall not impinge on the residential area in excess of 0.2 footcandle.
Full Breakdown
The Unified Development Ordinance sets numeric caps, not just design advice, on how much light can cross a property line. 5 footcandle or less, and it flatly prohibits pointing a light source at an adjacent home. 2 footcandle, meaning developers get less headroom than a homeowner does when a residential neighbor is on the other side of the fence. 06D2 requires a box-type body with a recessed lamp and flush refractor, aimed downward, and warns that PAR Reflector Flood type fixtures are for intermittent use only and should never point toward a neighbor's driveway, street, or walkway.
Off-street parking lighting for nonresidential uses generally must also be focused downward so as not to cause light glare onto adjacent properties under § 18-807C5.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the 0.5 footcandle residential property-line limit or the 0.2 footcandle commercial-to-residential buffer limit is a violation of the Unified Development Ordinance, punishable under § 18-1109A by a fine of up to $1,000, up to 30 days in jail, or both, with the Township also able to seek a court order under § 18-1109B to correct the fixture or aiming.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much light can cross my property line from a neighbor's fixture?
Is the light trespass limit different for a business next to a house?
Can I aim a floodlight at my neighbor's yard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
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Light Trespass & Shielding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle light trespass & shielding.