Outdoor Lighting

Springdale is proud to be one of only four Dark Sky International Certified Communities in Utah. To find out more about this initiative and Dark Sky International, please visit our Dark Sky Preservation Page here Version OptionsOutdoor LightingHeadline.

To make sure our night sky remains inspiring, we carefully plan our outdoor lighting. The Town has adopted ordinances to manage outdoor lighting in Springdale. If you are developing a new project, or changing the outdoor lighting on your property, you will need to prepare a lighting plan and submit it to the Town for approval. Your lighting plan should address the following:

1. Lighting Layout

You’ll need to provide a plan showing where on your property you intend to install outdoor lighting. Outdoor lighting should be minimized as much as possible, and limited to entryways, or other locations where lighting is needed for safety purposes.

2. Lumens

The brightness of lighting is measured in lumens. Information on lumens is often found on the bulb itself. Each property is allowed a maximum amount of lumens, based on the size of the property, and its zoning. If you are not sure what the land use zoning of your property is, you can check with the Community Development Department or on the zoning map here. 2. Lumens 

Table 1. Lumen Allowances

Your lighting plan should include details of how many lumens are proposed. If you are developing a commercial property with illuminated signage - make sure to include the lumens of your sign lighting within your total lumen count.  

3. Color Temperature

Color temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin. Warmer color temperatures cause less glare than cooler temperatures. For this reason, the color temperature of outdoor lighting in the Town is required to be 3,000 degrees Kelvin or less. This information is often available on the bulb itself. Using lights with warmer color temperatures does not add to the cost of lighting.

4. Light Fixtures

Light fixtures are required to be downward facing, directional, and shielded. The bottom of the light source must be at least 2 inches higher than the bottom of the fixture housing, so that no light is escaping above the horizontal plane. Note, not all light fixtures that are advertised as “dark sky compliant” actually comply with the Springdale Code. If in doubt, check with Community Development Staff. Here 4. Light Fixtures is a list of places you can buy dark sky compliant fixtures. The Town does not endorse any of these businesses, and this list is not exhaustive.

Town Code

Chapter 10-15C of the Town Code is our Outdoor Lighting ordinance. For full details, please follow this link.

Additional Information

If you have any questions about outdoor lighting, please get in touch with the Community Development staff at (435) 522-4130.