Tuscaloosa, AL Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass (2026)

Light trespass - light spilling from one property onto a neighbor's - is handled in Tuscaloosa by a general performance standard rather than a precise numeric code. The current Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 24) requires that all light fixtures be designed and oriented so as not to direct glare or excessive illumination onto adjacent properties, streets, or sidewalks. The code does not set a maximum foot-candle reading at the property line, nor does it mandate shielding for every residential fixture. For most disputes, the practical question is whether a neighbor's lighting causes glare or excessive illumination on your property; if it does, that is the standard the city can apply, and persistent problems may also be addressed under the city's nuisance authority. The pending "Framework" zoning rewrite proposes a more detailed exterior-lighting standard (draft Sec. 24-6.6) that would add explicit shielding and spillover controls, but that draft has not been adopted and cannot be enforced. Alabama has no statewide light-trespass statute, so this is purely a local matter. Residents experiencing light trespass should document the glare/excessive illumination and contact the Office of Urban Development or code enforcement; new commercial or multifamily projects can also be conditioned during site-plan review to prevent spillover onto neighboring homes.