Norfolk County does not handle light trespass complaints. Each town's code enforcement, with common-law nuisance backstop, addresses light trespass. Residential limits typically 0.5-1.0 foot-candles at property line.
Light trespass enforcement in Norfolk County is municipal. Where local bylaws exist (Brookline, Dover, Sherborn, Medfield), property line limits typically cap illumination at 0.5-1.0 foot-candles on residential property and 2-5 foot-candles on commercial. Security lights must be aimed and shielded to illuminate only the owner's property. Floodlights aimed at neighbors are prohibited under most bylaws and can support a private nuisance claim under Massachusetts common law (Rattigan v. Wile, 2007). String lights and decorative lighting must not create glare. Holiday lighting often has seasonal exemptions. Commercial properties face stricter standards with measured lumen limits at property boundaries. MassDEP 310 CMR 7.10 nuisance authority not used for light.
No county enforcement. Municipal warning and 30-day correction; $100-$300 fines thereafter. Commercial: up to $1,000. Common-law nuisance suit: damages, injunction.
Norfolk County, MA
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Norfolk County, MA
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Norfolk County, MA
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Medfield, MA
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Norfolk County, MA
Norfolk County does not restrict rainwater harvesting. MA has no statewide restrictions on residential rain barrel or cistern use. Many Norfolk County towns ...
Norfolk County, MA
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See how Medfield's light trespass rules stack up against other locations.
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