Portsmouth, VA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential lot-line limit
- 0.5 foot-candles
- Public/institutional limit
- 1.0 foot-candles
- Commercial/mixed-use limit
- 2.0 foot-candles
- Measured at
- Ground level at the lot line
Summary
Portsmouth caps light spilling onto a neighboring lot line at 0.5 foot-candles next to residential uses, 1.0 next to public and institutional uses, and 2.0 next to commercial, mixed-use, or parking-lot uses.
(4)Maximum Illumination Levels. All outdoor lighting shall be designed and located so that the maximum illumination measured in foot-candles at ground level at a lot line shall not exceed the standards in Table 40.2-306 Maximum Illumination Levels... TYPE OF USE / MAXIMUM ILLUMINATION AT LOT LINE (FOOT-CANDLES): Residential Use 0.5; Public and Institutional Use 1.0; Commercial or Mixed Use 2.0.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 2-306, and requires cut-off lighting to be designed to direct light downward, shoe-box style. 0 for commercial or mixed use, the D1 T4/T5/T6/SD and Innovation Overlay districts, and stand-alone parking lots. This lot-line standard works together with the shielding and height rules in the same section, Sec. 2-306(D)(2)-(3), which require full cut-off fixtures over 60 watts or 100 lumens and cap mounting heights at 16 to 30 feet, so a property cannot rely on a taller or brighter unshielded fixture to justify exceeding the lot-line cap.
2-306 must be submitted with every development plan application and approved by the City before permits issue. Government facilities, parks, and other sensitive-use properties may apply for a security plan deviation under Sec. 2-306(F), but only on written findings that the deviation is the minimum necessary and will not have a significant adverse effect on neighboring land.
Violations & Fines
A lighting plan or as-built condition exceeding the applicable foot-candle limit at the lot line fails Zoning Administrator review; noncompliant fixtures can be required to be re-aimed, re-shielded, or replaced, and the City can withhold Certificate of Occupancy approval until the exterior lighting plan is brought into compliance with Table 40.2-306.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much light can spill onto a neighbor's property in Portsmouth?
Where is Portsmouth's light trespass limit measured?
Can a property get an exception to the lot-line lighting limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Portsmouth
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