Martin County, FL Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- LDR §§ 3.420.A.2.g (M-1) and 3.421.A.2.g (M-2)
- Standard
- Glare cannot be seen from outside the property boundary
- Applies to
- Light and general manufacturing operations in M-1/M-2
- Type of test
- Absolute visibility test, no footcandle limit set
- Related standard
- LDR § 11.6.4 requires full cutoff fixtures in village zones
Summary
Martin County's Land Development Regulations require industrial operations that create glare to shield it completely from view off-site. In both the M-1 Industrial District (LDR Sec. 3.420.A.2.g) and M-2 Industrial District (LDR Sec. 3.421.A.2.g), manufacturing operations creating glare "shall be so shielded that the glare cannot be seen from outside the real property boundary," a zero-trespass standard tied to industrial permitting.
Operations creating glare shall be so shielded that the glare cannot be seen from outside the real property boundary.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 62 | Land Development Regulations: Supplement 62).
Full Breakdown
The county's zero-trespass glare rule appears twice, once for each industrial zoning district, worded identically. In the M-1 Industrial District, LDR Sec. " The M-2 Industrial District carries the same language for general manufacturing plants at LDR Sec. g. 2 grains per cubic foot of flue gas, off-site odor nuisances, and noxious gas or fume releases, so glare shielding is one line item in a broader industrial nuisance-control package rather than a stand-alone lighting ordinance. The standard sets no footcandle or lumen ceiling; it is a strict visibility test, if any glare from the operation is visible from beyond the property line, the use is out of compliance.
This differs from the county's Public Realm lighting standards at LDR Sec. 4, which apply inside Transect-based planned village zoning and require downcast, full-cutoff fixtures and International Dark-Sky Association-approved fixtures, but govern village site design rather than a boundary-line trespass test for ordinary industrial parcels. Because the M-1/M-2 glare rule is written as a condition of the permitted manufacturing use itself, Growth Management can treat a documented glare complaint as a zoning compliance issue tied to the underlying use approval rather than a general nuisance complaint.
Violations & Fines
A manufacturing operation in the M-1 or M-2 Industrial District whose glare is visible beyond the property line is out of compliance with LDR Sec. 3.420.A.2.g or 3.421.A.2.g. Martin County Growth Management can pursue this as a zoning violation of the conditions attached to the permitted use, issuing a notice of violation and requiring shielding, screening or fixture changes, with unresolved cases referred to the county's Code Enforcement Board or a special magistrate for fines that accrue until corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Martin County limit light trespass onto neighboring property?
Is there a footcandle or lumen limit for outdoor lighting?
What happens if a manufacturer's lighting spills onto a neighbor's property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Martin County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Martin County to another location·View the Florida outdoor lighting overview
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