Winston-Salem addresses light trespass through UDO performance standards and nuisance provisions. Commercial lighting cannot exceed 0.5 foot-candles at residential property lines. Residential disputes typically resolved as civil nuisance matters rather than code violations.
Light trespass - the spillover of artificial light onto adjacent properties - is regulated primarily for commercial and multi-family developments in Winston-Salem. The UDO requires that exterior lighting on non-residential properties not produce more than 0.5 foot-candles of illumination at any point on an adjacent residential property line. This is enforced through lighting plan review at site plan approval and can trigger code enforcement action after complaints. For residential-to-residential light trespass (for example, a homeowners bright backyard floodlight shining into a neighbors bedroom), no specific ordinance applies; affected parties may pursue the matter as a private nuisance in civil court or file a complaint with Code Enforcement under general nuisance provisions. Motion-activated security lighting is generally permitted. The city encourages use of warm-color LED fixtures (3000K or less) and timers to reduce unnecessary nighttime illumination.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Winston-Salem, NC
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See how Winston-Salem's light trespass rules stack up against other locations.
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