Woodbury, MN Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass (2026)

Light trespass, the unwanted spill of light from one property onto another, is addressed through Woodbury's Chapter 24 zoning lighting standards rather than a stand-alone nuisance light ordinance. Building and site lighting must comply with the city's lighting standards (referenced as Sec. 24-236), and the code repeatedly requires that impacts from light and glare be minimized to the greatest extent practicable. The most concrete numerical control appears in the parking ramp and parking deck standards, where photometric plans for all floors must be designed so that interior lighting extending outside of the structure is limited to 0.4 foot-candles at the property line, a direct cap on light leaving the parcel. Canopy lighting at motor fuel stations must be recessed-mounted with flush lenses and downward directed, which prevents glare and spill toward neighbors and the public way. These provisions act to keep illumination on-site and shielded so it does not trespass onto adjacent residences. Because the most specific foot-candle limits are tied to particular use types, a homeowner dealing with a neighbor's spillover light, or a developer designing a site, should confirm the applicable standard and remedy with city staff; lighting that creates glare onto adjacent property is the kind of impact the code is intended to limit. Confirm specifics and any photometric-plan requirement with the Planning Division before finalizing a lighting design.