Story County, IA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing standard
- no direct light onto adjacent residential buildings
- Remedy required
- redirect fixture or control output
- Also covers
- adjacent land and rights-of-way
- Nonconforming fixture replacement
- like-kind unless over 50% replaced
- Enforcing office
- Planning and Development
- First-offense fine
- up to $750
Summary
Outdoor light fixtures in unincorporated Story County cannot be aimed so that direct light spills onto residential buildings on adjacent or nearby properties, land or rights-of-way. If a fixture is found causing that trespass, the owner must redirect it or control its output to eliminate the problem.
All nonexempt outdoor light fixtures shall be designed, installed, and maintained to prevent light trespass and/or mitigate light pollution. Outdoor light fixtures shall be installed and thereafter maintained so as not to cause direct light from the luminaire to be directed toward residential buildings on adjacent or nearby properties and/or land, or rights-of-way. If such condition should occur, the luminaire shall be redirected or its light output shall be controlled as necessary to eliminate such condition.
Full Breakdown
09(2)(F), part of the Land Development Regulations' site lighting standards, requires that all nonexempt outdoor light fixtures be designed, installed and maintained to prevent light trespass and mitigate light pollution. Fixtures must be installed and maintained so that direct light from the luminaire is not directed toward residential buildings on adjacent or nearby properties or land, or toward rights-of-way; if that condition occurs, the code requires the luminaire to be redirected or its output controlled as necessary to eliminate it. 09(2)(A)-(D), which cap lumen output above 1,800 lumens on a full-cutoff basis, require sports and event lighting to be fully shielded, and ban laser and searchlight advertising outright, so a light trespass complaint is typically evaluated together with those shielding and cutoff requirements.
Legally established nonconforming fixtures may be replaced with a like-kind luminaire unless more than 50 percent of the like-kind fixtures on the same premises are being replaced at once, at which point the replacement fixtures must meet current standards.
Violations & Fines
A light trespass complaint is investigated by Planning and Development, which can issue a Notice of Violation under § 93.02 identifying the offending fixture and giving 30 days to redirect or shield it, or to submit a compliance schedule. If the property owner does not correct the fixture, the county may issue a county infraction citation under § 93.03, carrying a civil penalty up to $750 for a first offense and up to $1,000 for each repeat offense, with each day of continued trespass potentially treated as a separate offense; the notice is appealable to the Board of Adjustment within 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my neighbor's floodlight shine directly into my windows?
What can I do if a neighboring property's lighting trespasses onto mine?
Does the light trespass rule apply to existing fixtures installed before the ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Story County
Compare Story County to another location·View the Iowa outdoor lighting overview
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