Maple Grove, MN Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- Fixtures must be hooded or controlled
- Banned
- Bare bulbs visible from neighbors
- Citation
- Maple Grove City Code § 36-793(a)
- Applies to
- Parking lots, signs, floodlights
Summary
Maple Grove requires outdoor lighting near parking areas, signs, and other structures to be hooded or shielded so it doesn't glare onto neighboring property or public streets.
Any lighting used to illuminate an off-street parking area, sign or other structure shall be arranged so as to deflect light away from any adjoining residential zone or from the public streets. Direct or sky-reflected glare, where from floodlights or from high temperature processes such as combustion or welding, shall not be directed into any adjoining property. The source of lights shall be hooded or controlled in some manner so as not to light adjacent property. Bare incandescent lightbulbs shall not be permitted in view of adjacent property or public right-of-way.(b)Any light or combination of lights which cast light on a public street shall not exceed one footcandle (meter reading) as measured from the centerline of the street. Any light or combination of lights which cast light on residential property shall not exceed one footcandle (meter reading) as measured from such property. (Code 1984, § 375:12(9); Code 2003, § 36-819)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 6 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Maple Grove City Code § 36-793(a) requires that lighting illuminating an off-street parking area, sign, or other structure be arranged to deflect light away from adjoining residential zones and public streets. Glare from floodlights or high-temperature sources such as welding cannot be directed onto adjoining property, and every fixture's light source must be hooded or otherwise controlled so it doesn't illuminate the neighboring lot. Bare incandescent bulbs are banned wherever they'd be visible from adjacent property or the public right-of-way. Enforcement runs through the city's zoning code alongside the one-footcandle cap in subsection (b).
Violations & Fines
Unshielded fixtures, exposed bare bulbs visible from adjoining land, or floodlight glare directed onto a neighbor's property violate § 36-793(a) and can trigger a zoning enforcement order to hood or redirect the light.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a bare bulb fixture outdoors in Maple Grove?
What does the security-lighting rule require beyond just aiming a light away?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Maple Grove
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