Waukesha County, WI Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential lot-line cap
- 0.2 footcandles
- Other lot-line cap
- 0.5 footcandles
- Applies to
- Off-street parking area lighting
- Paired fixture rule
- Cutoff fixtures required
- Paired pole-height rule
- 25-foot cap, waivable
Summary
Off-street parking lighting in unincorporated Waukesha County towns cannot exceed 0.2 footcandles measured at a residential property line, or 0.5 footcandles at any other property line, under the county's parking lot design standard.
5. Lighting. Lights provided in any parking area shall be hooded or beamed so as not to create undesirable glare or illumination of adjacent residential properties.
a. Lights shall be cut off type fixtures or decorative fixtures that do not direct light at abutting properties.
b. Lights levels shall not exceed 0.2 footcandles at residential property lines and 0.5 footcandles at all other property lines.
c. Light poles shall not exceed twenty-five (25) feet in height, with the following exceptions:
i. A waiver is granted by the Zoning Administrator based on site and surrounding conditions.
Full Breakdown
Sec. " That footcandle cap is paired with two related requirements in the same subsection: fixtures must be cutoff or decorative types that do not direct light at abutting properties under subitem (a), and light poles are capped at 25 feet under subitem (c), though the Zoning Administrator can waive the pole height based on site conditions. Because the rule is written into the off-street parking design standards, it applies to developments required to provide off-street parking, such as commercial, institutional and multi-family projects, rather than functioning as a blanket residential porch-light ordinance. 5 footcandle ceiling, so a commercial parking lot next to a home faces a tighter standard than one next to another business.
Violations & Fines
A parking lot lighting installation that measures above 0.2 footcandles at a residential lot line, or 0.5 footcandles elsewhere, is treated as a zoning violation under Sec. 22.03(1), carrying a forfeiture of $50 to $1,000 per offense with each day counted separately, plus costs and up to six months in jail for nonpayment. The Zoning Administrator can also revoke the zoning permit and require the lighting be corrected under Sec. 22.02(3)(B).
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright can a neighboring parking lot's lights be at my property line?
Does this cover my neighbor's house floodlight, not just businesses?
How is light trespass measured for enforcement?
What happens if a parking lot exceeds the footcandle limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waukesha County
Compare Waukesha County to another location·View the Wisconsin outdoor lighting overview
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