Mount Vernon, NY Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies in
- MX-1 Commercial Corridor District only
- Rule
- Shield and aim site lighting away from neighbors
- Exposed bulbs
- Should not be used
- Standard type
- Design guidance ("should"), board discretion
- Reviewed by
- Planning Board and Architectural Review Board
Summary
In Mount Vernon's MX-1 Commercial Corridor District, City Code Section 267-19.A(8)(d)(3) tells applicants that spotlighting or glare from site lighting should be shielded from adjacent properties and aimed at a specific object or target area, naming the goal outright as preventing 'light trespass,' and bars exposed bulbs on new or renovated buildings.
Spotlighting or glare from any site lighting should be shielded from adjacent properties and directed at a specific object or target area to prevent light trespass. Exposed bulbs should not be used.
Full Breakdown
' Site lighting is reviewed by the Planning Board during site plan review and by the Architectural Review Board during certificate-of-appropriateness review, for any new building or facade renovation covering 35% or more of the facade. ' The surrounding items reinforce the same goal without setting numeric thresholds: item (2) says footcandle levels 'should be carefully addressed' and that lighting should not be so intense as to draw attention to glow or glare, while item (5) separately makes it an outright, mandatory ban for outdoor lighting to project onto or be visible from adjacent properties, a stricter companion rule reviewed on its own terms.
Because item (3) uses 'should' rather than 'shall,' the Planning Board and Architectural Review Board apply it as a design standard they evaluate case by case rather than a bright-line numeric limit.
Violations & Fines
There is no separate fine keyed to this clause. Compliance is enforced through the same site plan and certificate-of-appropriateness process required for the whole project: the Planning Board or Architectural Review Board can require a lighting plan revision, add conditions, or withhold approval until glare and spotlighting are redirected away from neighboring lots and exposed bulbs are removed from the design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a citywide light trespass law in Mount Vernon?
What counts as light trespass under this MX-1 rule?
Can a Planning Board require changes to a lighting plan under this rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mount Vernon
New York rules heatmap·Compare Mount Vernon to another location·View the New York outdoor lighting overview
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