Bonneville County, ID Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Spillover cap
- 0.5 foot-candle increase max
- Governing section
- Bonneville County Code Section 156.350
- Shielding required
- Fixtures aimed away from adjacent property
- Applies to
- LNC Zone uses only
- Penalty
- $100 fine per day, Section 156.999
Summary
Bonneville County limits how much light a Limited Neighborhood Commercial (LNC) Zone business can throw onto its neighbors: fixtures must be shielded and aimed away from adjacent property, and spillover illumination cannot exceed a 0.5 foot-candle increase.
all lighting shall be directed away from adjacent properties and shielded to avoid any direct glare; illumination on adjacent properties will not be increased by more than 0.5 foot-candles
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-1: Ordinance 280-26, passed 1-20-2026).
Full Breakdown
5 foot-candles. 5 foot-candle allowance. The same section bundles this lighting standard with the zone's 70 dBa noise cap and its dust and odor restrictions, treating light spillover as one of several off-site impacts the LNC Zone's performance standards are designed to contain. The LNC Zone is meant for carefully regulated neighborhood-serving commercial development sited at an arterial-collector intersection in a residential area, so the shielding and foot-candle requirements exist specifically to protect the residential uses that surround it. 5 foot-candle figure. The County Zoning Administrator reviews lighting plans and site compliance as part of the permitting and enforcement process for LNC uses.
Violations & Fines
A violation of the LNC Zone's lighting standard under Section 156.350 is enforced under the general zoning penalty, Section 156.999: an infraction punishable by a $100 fine, with no imprisonment, and each day the excess spillover continues counted as a separate offense. The court may also order an injunction requiring the fixture to be re-aimed, shielded or removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much extra light can spill onto a neighbor's property in Bonneville County's LNC Zone?
Does this lighting rule apply outside the LNC Zone?
Who enforces the light trespass limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bonneville County
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