Southampton, NY Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential-abutting limit
- 0.05 footcandle at the property line
- Nonresidential/ROW-abutting limit
- 0.1 footcandle at the property line
- Governing section
- Southampton Town Code § 330-346H
- Residential rule
- No light may shine on a neighbor's lot
- Abatement notice
- 30 days after Town notice, § 330-348B
- First penalty
- Up to $250-$500 per day
Summary
In the Town of Southampton outside the villages, Town Code § 330-346H caps how much light a nonresidential property can throw across its property line: 0.05 footcandle where it abuts a residence, nature preserve or waterway, and 0.1 footcandle where it abuts a nonresidential lot or public right-of-way.
§ 330-346. Nonresidential lighting standards. ... ... H. Light trespass limits. (1) Illuminance at or beyond a property line abutting a residential parcel, nature preserve, or waterway shall not exceed 0.05 footcandle as measurable from any orientation of the measuring device. (2) Illuminance at or beyond a property line abutting a nonresidential property or public right-of-way shall not exceed 0.1 footcandle as measurable from any orientation of the measuring device.
Full Breakdown
Light trespass, defined at § 330-341 as light projected onto another property or the public right-of-way from a fixture on a different property, is regulated separately for nonresidential and residential land. Section 330-346H sets the numeric limits: illuminance measured at or beyond a property line may not exceed 0.05 footcandle where the line abuts a residential parcel, nature preserve or waterway, and may not exceed 0.1 footcandle where it abuts a nonresidential property or a public right-of-way, measured from any orientation of the light meter.
For residential properties, § 330-345A requires that light not shine on or illuminate any neighboring property at all, and preexisting residential and nonresidential lighting is judged against the same 0.05/0.1 footcandle thresholds under § 330-342B(4)(a) when the Town investigates a nuisance-lighting complaint, with glare that causes discomfort or impaired visibility from a neighboring property or roadway also counting as nuisance lighting under § 330-342B(4)(b). Where the Town determines nuisance lighting exists on a property, § 330-342B(5) requires the fixture to be re-aimed, re-lamped, shielded, retrofitted, removed or relocated so the light source is no longer visible across the property line, following the notice procedure in § 330-348B.
Violations & Fines
Section 330-348 requires the Chief Building Inspector or a Code Enforcement Officer to serve written notice by hand or certified mail giving the property owner 30 days to abate a light-trespass violation. If it is not corrected in that window, residential violations draw a civil penalty of up to $250 per day, escalating to a fine up to $500 or 15 days in jail for a repeat conviction within a year and a misdemeanor of up to $1,000 and 30 days for two or more convictions within three years; nonresidential violations draw up to $500 per day, escalating to $1,000 or 15 days, and ultimately up to $3,000 and 30 days for repeated nonresidential offenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much light can cross my property line in the Town of Southampton?
What if my neighbor's outdoor light shines onto my house?
Is there a grace period before I'm fined for a light trespass violation?
Do residential lighting rules apply differently than nonresidential?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Southampton
New York rules heatmap·Compare Southampton to another location·View the New York outdoor lighting overview
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