Cook County Code Ch. 38 environmental nuisance provisions and Ch. 102 zoning lighting standards require security and floodlights in unincorporated areas to be fully shielded full-cutoff fixtures aimed downward, with light trespass capped at the property line and color temperatures preferably under 3000 Kelvin.
Cook County zoning lighting standards in Ch. 102, paired with Ch. 38 nuisance language, require new security lighting on commercial and multifamily properties to use full-cutoff fixtures emitting no light above the horizontal plane. Pole-mounted floodlights must be aimed downward and shielded so the bulb is not visible from beyond the property line. Light trespass onto adjacent residential parcels is generally capped at 0.1 foot-candles measured five feet inside the receiving property. The county encourages warm color temperatures at or below 3000 Kelvin. Single-family residential security lights are typically exempt from permits but remain subject to nuisance complaints if they trespass.
Installing unshielded floodlights, aiming security lights horizontally, or causing measurable light trespass onto neighboring residential properties violates Cook Ch. 38 nuisance and Ch. 102 zoning. Code enforcement issues correction notices; uncorrected violations escalate to administrative hearings and daily fines.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Cook County, IL
Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance covers fast food and other large employers within Chicago city limits only. Cook County has not extended predictable scheduli...
Cook County, IL
Illinois has not enacted a healthcare worker minimum wage equivalent to California SB 525. Cook County has no industry-specific healthcare wage ordinance. He...
Cook County, IL
Cook County has not adopted a grocery worker premium wage ordinance like Los Angeles GWRO. Illinois state law sets a $15 statewide minimum wage as of January...
Cook County, IL
Illinois has no statewide utensils-on-request statute. Cook County has not adopted countywide rules. Some Cook suburbs including Evanston restrict automatic ...
Cook County, IL
Illinois Eavesdropping Act 720 ILCS 5/14 makes it a felony to record private conversations without consent of all parties. Doorbell cameras with audio captur...
Cook County, IL
Illinois Lead Poisoning Prevention Act 410 ILCS 45 and Cook County Department of Public Health Childhood Lead Program require lead inspections in pre-1978 re...
See how Cook County's security light shielding rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.