Leander, TX Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass (2026)

Light trespass — unwanted light crossing onto a neighbor's property — is controlled in Leander through the outdoor-lighting standards in Article VI, Section 12 of the Composite Zoning Ordinance. The ordinance requires that exterior lighting be 'shielded such that the light source (cone of direct light) is not visible from the public ROW or adjacent residential uses at the property line,' which directly limits spillover toward neighbors, and it forbids unshielded horizontal wall-pack lighting aimed where streets or residential uses are located. The ordinance also sets a measurable spillover cap: illumination 'as measured in foot candles at a height of three (3') feet at the property line' may not exceed 'two (2') foot candles.' For ordinary homes, the ordinance applies a nuisance standard rather than a separate foot-candle test: residential outdoor lighting 'will be located so as not to create a nuisance for adjoining property owners' and must follow applicable City Code standards. In practice, the detailed shielding and 2-foot-candle limit are aimed primarily at non-residential and multifamily site lighting (which must submit a photometric plan), while a homeowner bothered by a neighbor's floodlight would typically pursue relief through the city's nuisance and code-compliance process. The standards reinforce Leander's broader Dark Sky objectives.