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Board tightens outdoor lighting rules to limit LEDs and reduce light pollution
Summary
Ordinance 8-2025 was approved to move outdoor-lighting limits to lumen-based SI measures, cap color temperature and add exemptions for seasonal and security lighting; staff said the move follows dark-sky best practices.
The Village Board approved Ordinance 8-2025 on June 23, 2025, updating outdoor-lighting regulations to modern lumen-based measurements, cap color temperature and set fixture lumen limits to address increased LED lighting and potential light pollution.
Robin (village planner) said the original 2021 lighting code capped temperature at 3,000 K but the proliferation of efficient LEDs required metric-based limits. The ordinance converts measures to lumens (the unit now used on retail bulbs), sets stricter total-lumen allowances per fixture, and provides exemptions and allowances for seasonal holiday lighting, emergency and government lighting and motion-activated security lights. "5,000 lumens is, like, basically the highest high intensity high beams of an LED car right now," Robin told the board to illustrate scale.
No public speakers addressed the lighting ordinance and the board approved the ordinance by roll call (Karas: aye; Ventrini: aye; Washburn: aye; Doxey: aye; Anastasio: aye; Bhatia: aye). The ordinance updates code chapters 90-425 and 90-621 and adds clarity to definitions and enforcement measures.
