Commissioners push for simpler, shielding‑focused outdoor‑lighting rules to reduce trespass

Albany County planning staff presented proposed revisions to the outdoor‑lighting section of the county zoning resolution after receiving periodic nuisance complaints (holiday lighting, yard displays). Staff recommended removing a technical foot‑candle metric that staff said was difficult to measure in practice and replacing it with a clear shielding requirement: fixtures must be full‑cutoff so light does not escape the top or sides and does not trespass onto neighboring properties.

Commission discussion focused on making the language enforceable and avoiding content‑based limits (which could raise First Amendment concerns). Commissioners suggested removing references that singled out ‘‘advertising’’ or ‘‘entertainment’’ as the only prohibited uses for lasers or high‑intensity displays and instead rely on temporal and nuisance exemptions (temporary events, short durations). Several members asked staff to simplify variance criteria that contained repetitive language and to remove non‑conforming deadlines that are not allowed under Wyoming law.

Technical measurement questions arose: some commissioners asked whether the county should regulate lumens, fixture height, or property‑line foot‑candles; staff argued that shielding is often the most practical and visible enforcement approach. Staff agreed to refine the draft to: (a) focus on shielding/full‑cutoff definitions, (b) remove obsolete references and impossible nonconforming deadlines, and (c) clarify exemptions for temporary displays and flags.

No final regulatory change was adopted; staff will revise the draft and return with simpler, enforceable language.