Baltimore County, MD Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- BCZR § 411.4.B.7
- Applies to
- Utility service centers/yards, west Honeygo Area
- Core requirement
- Limit light trespass onto neighboring lots
- Off-hours limit
- Security lighting only when inactive
- Countywide reach
- Narrow; not a general lighting rule
- Zoning violation penalty
- Up to $100 fine or 30 days jail per day
Summary
The only Baltimore County zoning provision that uses the phrase 'light trespass' verbatim is BCZR § 411.4.B.7, a narrow rule for public utility service centers and storage yards in the western subarea of the Honeygo Area near White Marsh.
All public utility service centers and public utility storage yards in the western subarea of the Honeygo Area are solely subject to the following performance standards.1.Building exteriors shall be of finished quality and similar architectural treatment, as defined in the Honeygo District Guidelines, to grade or, where that is not feasible, shall be finished to within 12 inches of grade on all sides of the building.2.Rooftop equipment shall be screened so it is not visible from the ground level of adjacent buildings.3.Signage shall be limited to one masonry faced, ground mounted identification sign per road frontage, and one directional sign per road frontage.4.Fencing along Belair Road shall be decorative in design in accordance with the Comprehensive Manual of Development Policies (CMDP) and set back at least 20 feet from an adjacent public right-of-way. Fencing adjacent to any single-family lot shall be designed to shield vehicle headlights and be set back at least 30 feet.5.At least a 15-foot-wide landscaped buffer shall be provided between any parking space and a public right-of-way.6.Any parking space located on D.R. zoned property shall be set back at least 75 feet from any adjoining single-family lot.7.Lighting shall be designed to limit light trespass onto neighboring properties and limit useage during periods of inactivity to security lighting only.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 29 | Zoning Regulations: Supplement 10).
Full Breakdown
4 sets performance standards for public utility service centers and public utility storage yards in the western subarea of the Honeygo Area, an overlay tied to the Honeygo Area Plan amendment to the county Master Plan. 4 governs over any conflicting general zoning provision. 7 requires that lighting 'be designed to limit light trespass onto neighboring properties' and that lighting use during periods of inactivity be limited to security lighting only. -zoned land from any adjoining single-family lot. 5 may be required to replace fixtures to reduce glare and light trespass as a discretionary condition, not a standing rule.
Violations & Fines
A Honeygo utility service center or storage yard that fails to limit light trespass under § 411.4.B.7 is in violation of the Zoning Regulations. BCZR § 503.1 makes such a violation a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $100, imprisonment up to 30 days, or both, with every day the noncompliant lighting continues counted as a separate offense. The Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections enforces site-plan compliance for these uses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Baltimore County have a general light-trespass ordinance?
What must a Honeygo utility yard do with its lighting at night?
What other performance standards apply to these Honeygo uses?
What if my neighbor's business lighting shines into my yard elsewhere in the county?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Baltimore County
Compare Baltimore County to another location·View the Maryland outdoor lighting overview
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