Macon-Bibb County, GA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Core rule
- No glare or spillage onto adjacent property
- Right-of-way reflection
- Also prohibited
- Athletic field mounting height cap (within 100 ft of line)
- Max district building height
- Deviation review
- Executive Director at plan review
Summary
Macon-Bibb County requires every outdoor light fixture, regardless of where it sits on a property, to be designed and installed so it does not glare or spill onto neighboring properties or reflect into any public right-of-way.
All lighting, regardless of location, shall be designed and installed to prevent direct glare and light spillage onto adjacent properties and shall be so situated as not to reflect into any public right-of-way.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Comprehensive Land Development Resolution: Supplement 4 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
09[1](a) of the Comprehensive Land Development Resolution, the county's zoning code, is the operative light-trespass rule: all lighting, regardless of location, shall be designed and installed to prevent direct glare and light spillage onto adjacent properties and shall be so situated as not to reflect into any public right-of-way. 09[1](b), which requires IES cutoff-rated, shielded fixtures for most outdoor lighting, so a property owner cannot satisfy the trespass rule with an unshielded fixture merely by aiming it away from a neighbor. 09[3](b) caps mounting height for fixtures within 100 feet of a property line at the maximum building height allowed in the adjacent zoning district, measured from finished grade to the bottom of the luminous opening, and requires those fixtures to be aimed away from the property line.
Scoreboards and timer clocks near a property line must also be oriented so their illumination points away from the closest adjacent property line. 09[1](c), with the Executive Director deciding whether to accept it.
Violations & Fines
A fixture that glares or spills light onto a neighboring property in violation of Section 4.09[1](a) is enforced as a misdemeanor under Section 33.01 of the Comprehensive Land Development Resolution, with each day of the violation a separate offense; the zoning enforcement officer may also issue a cease-and-desist order under Section 33.04 giving the owner up to 30 days to correct the fixture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my neighbor's floodlight shine directly onto my yard in Macon-Bibb County?
Does the light-trespass rule apply to parking lot lighting too?
Are there height limits on lights near a property line?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Macon-Bibb County
Compare Macon-Bibb County to another location·View the Georgia outdoor lighting overview
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