Lincoln, NE Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Governs
- Private landing strips, AG/AGR districts
- Standard
- No light cast above horizontal plane
- Permit body
- Planning Commission special permit
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $100/day
- Citywide lighting rule
- None in Title 27 zoning code
Summary
Lincoln has no citywide dark-sky ordinance, but private landing strips permitted in AG and AGR districts must shield floodlights and spotlights so no light beams upward past a horizontal plane.
Private landing strips and appurtenances may be allowed by special permit in AG and AGR districts under the following conditions: ... g. Lighting devises such as flood lights and spot lights shall be so designed or shielded as not to cast illumination in an upward direction above an imaginary line extended from a light source parallel to the ground.
Full Breakdown
Lincoln Municipal Code § 27.63.550(g) requires floodlights and spotlights at any private landing strip approved by special permit in the AG or AGR district to be designed or shielded so they never cast illumination above a horizontal line extended parallel to the ground: an anti-upward-glare rule aimed at protecting pilots and airspace, not general neighborhood light pollution. The Planning Commission attaches this as one of several special permit conditions alongside site plans, buffer areas, and flight-pattern diagrams. Title 27 has no citywide outdoor-lighting ordinance covering residential or commercial properties generally; the city separately adopts Design Standards for other lighting classes outside this code text. Violating a special permit condition is enforced by the Director of Building and Safety and is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $100 per day under § 27.81.070.
Violations & Fines
Unshielded floodlights or spotlights casting light above the horizontal at a permitted landing strip violate the special permit; enforcement is a misdemeanor fined up to $100 per day under § 27.81.070.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lincoln have a general light pollution ordinance?
What lighting standard applies to a private landing strip in Lincoln?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lincoln
Compare Lincoln to another location·View the Nebraska outdoor lighting overview
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