South Fulton, GA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential/agricultural line
- 1.0 foot-candle maximum
- Office/commercial/industrial line
- 1.5 foot-candles maximum
- Flood/spot lamp aim limit
- No higher than 45° above straight down
- Sports field off-site spill
- 0.5 fc residential, 1.5 fc nonresidential
- Measurement point
- Any point along the property line
Summary
South Fulton caps light spilling across property lines at 1.0 foot-candle where it abuts a residential or agricultural use, and 1.5 foot-candles next to office, institutional, commercial or industrial uses, measured at the property line.
Shall be located, aimed or shielded so as to minimize glare and stray light trespassing across property boundaries and into the public right-of-way in accordance with the following standards: At Property Lines Including Rights-of-Way Maximum Foot-candles At property line abutting a residential or an agricultural use 1.0 At property line abutting an office or institutional use 1.5 At property line abutting a commercial or industrial use 1.5
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
06(b) of the South Fulton Zoning Ordinance requires every nonexempt outdoor lighting fixture to be located, aimed, or shielded so as to minimize glare and stray light trespassing across property boundaries and into the public right-of-way. 5 foot-candles where it abuts an office, institutional, commercial, or industrial use. 06(f). 0 maximum foot-candle in commercial areas. 06(c) adds that flood or spot lamps must be aimed no higher than 45 degrees above straight down whenever the light source is visible from an off-site residential property or public roadway. curfew on scheduled play.
Violations & Fines
A fixture that pushes light across a property line above the 1.0 foot-candle residential/agricultural cap or the 1.5 foot-candle office/commercial cap violates Section 408.06(b) and is enforceable by the CDRA Department, which can require reshielding, redirection, or removal of the offending fixture before a Certificate of Occupancy will be finalized under Section 408.09(f). A flood or spot lamp aimed higher than 45 degrees above straight down where visible from a residential property or public roadway is a separate violation of Section 408.06(c).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much light can cross into my neighbor's yard from my property in South Fulton?
Are floodlights restricted near homes in South Fulton?
What lighting curfew applies to sports fields near homes?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in South Fulton
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Light Trespass & Shielding in Nearby Cities
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