Spartanburg County, SC Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Fixture aim
- Inward, away from property lines
- Roads
- Away from adjacent travel lanes
- Shielding
- Required to mitigate glare
- Illumination limit
- Across protected residential property line
- Governing code
- PZO Sections 2.3.92 and 2.3.93
Summary
The Performance Zoning Ordinance requires pole-mounted lighting fixtures to direct light inward, away from property lines and away from the travel lanes of adjacent roads, and to be shielded when needed. A separate rule limits how much illumination may cross a protected residential property line.
Pole mounted lighting fixtures must be located such that the direction of the light is inward away from the property lines and away from the travel lanes of adjacent roads. When needed, fixtures must be shielded to mitigate the effects of glare.
Full Breakdown
Light trespass onto neighboring homes is controlled through the county's light-and-glare performance standards. Under Section 2.3.93, pole-mounted lighting fixtures must be located so the light is directed inward, away from property lines and away from the travel lanes of adjacent roads, and fixtures must be shielded when needed to mitigate glare. Section 2.3.92 additionally limits the amount of illumination an activity may cast across the protected property line of a protected residential use in a Restrictive Development District. These are the county's operative light-trespass rules in the ULMO/Performance Zoning areas of the unincorporated county; incorporated cities enforce their own lighting standards.
Violations & Fines
Light spilling across a residential property line above the permitted level, or unshielded fixtures casting glare onto neighbors, is a performance-standard violation subject to County enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
My neighbor's light shines into my yard. What rule applies?
Do these rules apply inside city limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spartanburg County
Compare Spartanburg County to another location·View the South Carolina outdoor lighting overview
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