Douglas County's lighting standards limit light spilling onto neighbors. Fixtures within 15 feet of a residential property line must be shielded, and light may not exceed 0.1 foot-candles measured 20 feet from the property line. No fixture may create disability glare on adjacent property.
Section 30 defines light trespass as light from an artificial source intruding where it is not wanted. Section 3005.04 requires fixtures mounted within 15 feet of a residential property line to be shielded with house-side reflectors and limits light to 0.1 foot-candles measured 20 feet from the abutting property line. Section 3005.18 bars any fixture, including interior fixtures visible through windows, from creating disability glare on adjacent properties. The definitions section treats glare exceeding 2,500 nits as disability glare. These limits mainly govern commercial and multi-family sites; single-family lighting is largely exempt but still may not cause disability glare.
A property owner whose lighting exceeds these limits can be required, through enforcement or site-plan conditions, to shield, re-aim, or replace the offending fixtures.
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See how Douglas County's light trespass rules stack up against other locations.
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