Dallas Development Code Chapter 51A-4.6 requires outdoor security and area lighting to be fully shielded with cutoff fixtures, aimed downward, and limited so light does not trespass onto adjacent residential property in violation of light-trespass standards.
Section 51A-4.6 of the Dallas Development Code regulates outdoor lighting for parking lots, building exteriors, and security applications across non-residential and multi-family sites. Fixtures must be full-cutoff or fully shielded so the source is not visible from adjacent property or the public right-of-way. Pole-mounted lights are typically capped at 30 feet, lower near residential zones, and must be aimed straight down. Light-trespass onto an adjacent residential property may not exceed approximately 0.2 foot-candles measured at the property line. Wall packs, flood lights, and motion-activated security fixtures fall under the same standards. Single-family homeowners are not subject to the cutoff rule but remain bound by the city's general light-trespass nuisance provisions.
Unshielded fixtures or trespass exceeding 0.2 foot-candles are Class C misdemeanors under Chapter 51A-4.6 with fines up to $2,000 per day. Code Compliance may require retrofit to cutoff fixtures, repointing, or shielding before re-inspection.
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