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Garden City adopts updated Dark Sky ordinance limiting outdoor lighting
Summary
The Garden City Town Council on Oct. 9, 2025, approved Ordinance No. 25-12, amending Chapter 11A-600 to set shielding, color-temperature, lumen and timing limits for exterior lighting, with staged compliance deadlines for commercial and residential properties.
Garden City—s Town Council approved Ordinance No. 25-12 on Oct. 9, 2025, updating the town—s Dark Sky rules (Chapter 11A-600) to regulate exterior lighting across all zoning districts. The ordinance establishes technical standards intended to reduce glare and light trespass, preserve night-sky viewing and promote safe roadways and public areas.
Under the adopted language, all new exterior lighting and replacements exceeding 25% of fixtures on a property must comply with the ordinance. Key technical limits include a correlated color temperature of 3,000 Kelvin or lower, a maximum of 1,800 lumens per individual fixture, and fully shielded fixtures directed downward so no light is emitted above a horizontal plane (180°). Motion-activated security lights are allowed but must not remain on more than five minutes after the last detected motion and must not trespass onto adjacent properties. Flag lighting and landscape lighting are permitted when focused and fully shielded.
The ordinance also sets rules for sports and recreational facilities: lighting must not exceed the horizontal plane, illumination may be limited to playing surfaces and viewing stands, and exempted recreational lighting must end no later than 10:30 p.m. or within 30 minutes after play ends if earlier. The text requires radio, communication and navigation towers to use red lights at night and allows white strobes for daytime operation.
Enforcement is by civil penalty established by Town Council resolution. The ordinance lists exemptions for temporary emergency lighting used by police, fire or other emergency services and for lighting required by federal, state or county regulations. Seasonal holiday lighting between Nov. 15 and Jan. 15 is allowed if it meets the 3,000 K requirement.
Compliance timelines are staged: immediate compliance for new construction, remodels requiring building permits or replacement of more than 25% of exterior fixtures; full compliance for commercial and public properties within two years of adoption; and full compliance for residential properties within four years. Fixtures creating severe glare or trespass must be corrected within 90 days of notice.
The ordinance repeals conflicting town ordinances or resolutions and references illustrative figures (light-trespass vs. properly directed light, color-temperature guide, BUG diagrams, and fully shielded fixture examples). The document includes a severability clause and records the ordinance as "approved and adopted" on Oct. 9, 2025.
Votes at a glance: Ordinance No. 25-12 (amendment to Chapter 11A-600, Dark Sky Ordinance) — Approved and adopted Oct. 9, 2025. The text indicates approval but does not specify the motion language, mover/second or roll-call tally in the provided document.
