Taunton, MA Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)

Section 440-707 of the Zoning Ordinance addresses light trespass citywide, in every zoning district, and applies to both temporary and permanent private outdoor lighting fixtures. The trigger distance is 100 feet from an adjacent street side line: any fixture within that band must be placed or hooded so that the light source itself, not just its glow, cannot be seen directly from any point beyond the lot lines of the illuminated property. The ordinance frames this as a safety measure, aimed at preventing glare that could distract drivers or pedestrians along the street and at limiting spillover onto neighboring lots.

Two narrow exemptions are written into the same section: it does not apply to an incandescent bulb under 200 watts if the bulb is frosted or otherwise treated to be translucent rather than transparent, and it does not apply to a gaseous tube light, covering ordinary porch and yard fixtures that diffuse rather than beam their light source. The rule sits within Article VII of the Zoning Ordinance alongside the City's sign, parking, and dwelling-conversion standards, and like those provisions it is administered by the Zoning Enforcement Officer and City Planner under § 440-301A.

There is no separate lighting permit fee named in this section; compliance is assessed as part of site plan review and building permit issuance for any project that adds exterior lighting near a street line. A property owner who leaves an un-hooded floodlight or spotlight aimed toward the street or a neighboring lot within the 100-foot band is out of compliance regardless of whether a complaint has been filed, since the section applies automatically in all zoning districts.