North Charleston, SC Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential spill-over cap
- 0.5 footcandle at property line
- Residential fixture height
- 18 ft, cutoff fixtures required
- Industrial fixture height
- 30 ft, full cutoff fixtures
- Lighting mandatory
- Commercial/industrial lots with 10+ parking spaces
- Facade lighting exemption
- Up to 40 lumens per sq ft, shielded
Summary
North Charleston caps how much light a commercial or industrial site can throw onto a neighboring residential lot. Appendix A Section 4-17(a)(i) limits spill-over to one-half footcandle measured at the residential property line, and the same section sets fixture height limits by zoning district and requires a lighting plan with every site plan submission.
(i)Street and site lighting shall be of low intensity from a concealed light source and with effective provisions made to prevent spill-over into adjoining properties or roadways. Any spill-over from a commercial or industrial site into a residential area shall not exceed one-half footcandle measured at the property line of the site of the light source nearest the residential area. ... (iii)Light fixtures in residentially zoned areas shall be limited in height to eighteen (18) feet using cutoff fixtures. ... Exemptions. The following are not regulated by this ordinance:(i)Building façade lighting in commercial or industrial zoning district. For shielded directional façade lighting up to forty (40) lumens per square foot ... where the lights are properly aimed and shielded to not shine visible glare into the public right-of-way or onto adjacent or nearby properties.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 75).
Full Breakdown
Section 4-17 requires a lighting plan as part of site plan review for any project subject to the zoning ordinance. Beyond the one-half footcandle spill-over cap at (a)(i), fixtures must not interfere with the vision of oncoming motorists, and height is tiered by district: 18 feet using cutoff fixtures in residential zones, 24 feet using full cutoff fixtures in commercial zones (or 18 feet for ordinary cutoff fixtures), and 30 feet using full cutoff fixtures in industrial zones. Street lighting fixtures on a major arterial right-of-way may reach 40 feet.
Commercial and industrial lots with ten or more parking spaces must provide site lighting, and that obligation is phased in when an existing building is reoccupied or enlarged: a 50 percent or greater expansion triggers full compliance, a 20 to 50 percent expansion requires lighting for the addition only, and anything smaller triggers no new lighting obligation. Outdoor recreation lighting, such as athletic field lights, may exceed 18 feet and use non-cutoff fixtures, and is not held to the one-half footcandle standard, though spill-over must still be minimized to the maximum reasonable extent and a lighting plan is still required.
The section carves out three exemptions: airport-related lighting such as runway and hazard lighting, shielded façade lighting up to 40 lumens per square foot, and low-voltage landscape lighting under 15 volts and 50 watts that is not mounted to a pole or building.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the one-half footcandle spill-over limit, installing a fixture taller than the district allows, or opening a commercial or industrial lot with ten or more spaces without an approved lighting plan is a violation of the zoning ordinance under Section 7-5, punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to 30 days imprisonment, or both, with each day the condition continues counted as a separate offense. A property owner can appeal a zoning administrator's lighting determination to the board of zoning appeals under Section 7-6.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright can a neighboring business's lights be at my property line?
Are parking lot light poles limited in height?
Is any outdoor lighting exempt from the spill-over standard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in North Charleston
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