What twelve Nashville-area cities say about exterior lighting

Nashville's zoning code addresses outdoor lighting in Metro Code 17.28.100. Section B, Application of Provisions, reads: "1. Residential and Agricultural: All exterior lighting, excluding freestanding floodlights, is subject to subsection E.4 only." Section A defines Residential as "any zoning lot in a residential or agricultural zoning district that has as its primary use a single-family home or duplex or a townhouse, house court, townhouse court, plex house, or manor house."

Subsection E.4 is headed Light Trespass. Its first clause reads: "All site lighting shall be shielded so that substantially all directly emitted light falls within the property line. No illumination in excess of one-half foot-candle shall be permitted across the boundary of any adjacent residential property or the mid-line of a public street." Its second clause, E.4.b, reads in full: "No illumination shall produce direct, incident or reflected light that interferes with the safe movement of motor vehicles on public streets."

Its third clause, E.4.c, is the rope-lighting sentence: "Rope lighting shall not be used on a building, sign, or any property with non-residential zoning located adjacent to an arterial or collector street as identified on the Major and Collector Street Plan. This provision shall not apply to properties zoned as DTC."

Section B's commercial subsection reads: "2. Commercial: For new construction only and the subsequent maintenance of all new construction: any outdoor lighting luminaire." In the text we fetched, we did not find a sentence that settles which parts of E.4.c apply to a single-family home. We publish what the ordinance says and pick no reading.

Franklin's Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 14, effective January 13, 2026, covers lighting directly.

Section 14.2.2.A, Illumination Direction, reads "Exterior lighting shall:" and its item 5 reads: "Be positioned, aimed, or configured so the light source is not visible from a residential lot."

Section 14.3.3.B reads: "Lighting shall not outline buildings, except as part of temporary holiday lighting."

In the pages we fetched, we did not find a sentence that resolves which passage an inspector would apply to a single-family home's permanent lighting. Rather than pick one, we are publishing what the ordinance says.

Brentwood's zoning ordinance (Chapter 78, Code of Ordinances) has no section titled Lighting, but four of its district sections list a private outdoor lighting limit among their technical standards. The AR (Agricultural/Residential Estate) section opens its list with "For all property within the AR zoning districts, the following minimum technical standards shall apply to each lot and the principal structure thereon:" and Sec. 78-124, item (11), reads: "Private outdoor lighting, designed and installed not to exceed three footcandles measured at the property line of any abutting property unless the abutting residential property owners agree in writing to higher illumination standards at the time of installation."

The R-1 (Large Lot Residential) section, Sec. 78-144, item (12), reads: "Private outdoor lighting, designed and installed not to exceed three footcandles measured at the property line of any abutting residential property unless the abutting property owners agree in writing to higher illumination standards at the time of installation." The R-2 (Suburban Residential) section, Sec. 78-164, item (12), carries the same sentence word for word.

The OSRD (Open Space Residential Development) section, Sec. 78-184, subsection (a), item (16), reads: "Private outdoor lighting, designed and installed not to exceed three foot candles measured at the property line of any abutting residential property unless the abutting property owners agree in writing to higher illumination standards at the time of installation."

In a text search of every section of Chapter 78 we found no sentence about blinking, flashing, color-changing or string lights. We publish what the ordinance says and pick no reading.

Hendersonville's 2026 Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance 2026-10), Chapter 11.3, Outdoor Lighting, covers lighting directly.

Its light-distraction standard requires shielding on larger fixtures and bars light that "could interfere with the safe movement of motor vehicles on public thoroughfares." Its light-trespass standard is written for commercial sources only: "No lighting source from a commercial use shall cause more than one foot-candle of illumination of [sic] cross the property line of an adjoining residentially zoned property."

Separately, Section 4.7.3, Authority and Execution, lists in item 2 the work that needs design review to confirm compliance with Chapter 12 (Building Design Standards). The lead-in to that list ends "excluding single-family dwellings:" Subitem C reads: "Placing neon tubing and strings of LED and similar lighting on a site or building or within the windows or doors of a building if visible from outside the building." It carries this exception: "Traditional holiday lighting displayed for not more than two 30-day periods per calendar year, which periods may run consecutively."

In the text we fetched, we did not find a sentence that settles which of these passages applies to a single-family home's permanent lighting. We publish what the ordinance says and pick no reading.

Mt. Juliet's Zoning Ordinance addresses glare in section 12-105.6, and the section states its own reach in its first sentence: "The standards contained within this section shall apply in all commercial and industrial districts and to all community facilities activities located within any district."

That includes the section's ban on "animated, flashing or changing intensity lights," which carries its own exception for temporary holiday displays.

Gallatin's Zoning Ordinance, adopted September 1, 2026, covers lighting in Article 15. Section 15.1 gives the article's reach: "This Article 15 provides standards and requirements for public and private lighting and is applicable within each District as specified herein."

Section 15.2, Lighting Types, reads: "Public and private outdoor light poles and fixtures shall comply with Table 15.2 (Private Lighting Types), provided that private lighting types affixed to House and Duplex Buildings are not regulated; and provided further that all public Street lights for the City must meet the requirements of the Gallatin Department of Electricity."

Section 15.4 opens: "The following specific standards and requirements are applicable within Districts as indicated:" Section 15.4.6, Illuminated Tubing or Light Strings, reads: "In all Districts, use of illuminated tubing or light strings outlining or defining property lines, sales areas, roof lines, doors, windows or similar areas or features in a manner that is not primarily for safety purposes, is prohibited, unless the tubing is shielded from view and not visible, as determined by the Zoning Administrator." It continues: "No flashing, blinking, flickering, scrolling, rotating, pulsating, tracing or revolving lighting shall be permitted."

Section 15.4.8, Color, reads: "In all Districts, light fixtures shall not be permitted to mix different types of light color or hue. Without limitation to the preceding sentence, lighting shall be warm white with the color coordinated temperature defined as 3000k or less."

Section 15.4.12, Exemptions, reads: "Temporary holiday decorative lighting, displayed during traditional holidays, is exempt from this Section."

In the article's text, we did not find a sentence that settles which passage applies to a single-family home's permanent lighting. We publish what the ordinance says and pick no reading.

Nolensville's Zoning Ordinance (Appendix A to its Code of Ordinances) covers private lighting in Section 4.3.17. The section states its own reach: "The following standards and requirements are applicable within all Districts and Civic Districts:"

Paragraph C, Light Poles & Fixtures, begins "Outdoor light poles and fixtures shall comply with the following:" and its item 7 reads: "Use of illuminated tubing or light strings outlining or defining property lines, sales areas, roof lines, doors, windows or similar areas or features in a manner that is not primarily for safety purposes, as determined by the Zoning Administrator, is prohibited. This paragraph shall not limit the use of lights illuminating outdoor dining or gathering areas."

Paragraph E, Color, reads: "Light fixtures shall not be permitted to mix different types of light color or hue. Lighting shall be warm white with the color coordinated temperature defined as 3000k or less."

No residential carve-out is stated in either paragraph, and we found no holiday-lighting exemption in Section 4.3.17. We publish what the ordinance says and pick no reading.

Oak Hill's Municipal Code covers lighting in Section 14-141, Lighting and dark sky regulations, last amended by Ord. No. 2025-07 on November 25, 2025. Subsection (c) reads in part: "Lighting attached to single-family home structures and accessory structures shall not exceed the height of the eave."

Subsection (d)(3) reads: "Light shall be shielded such that the lamp or bulb itself or the lamp is not directly visible outside the property perimeter."

Subsection (e), Lighting that is exempt from these regulations, lists, among its items: "Holiday lighting." and "String/Festoon Lighting." Subsection (a)(2) defines the second term: "Festoon Lighting. A string of outdoor lights supported between two (2) points."

In the text we fetched, we did not find a sentence that settles which of these passages applies to a single-family home's permanent lighting. We publish what the ordinance says and pick no reading.

Spring Hill's Unified Development Code, revised August 28, 2026, covers exterior lighting in Article 9, Section 9.2, which opens: "The following exterior lighting requirements apply to lighting on private property." Item A.1, Lighting Plan Required, includes the sentence: "Single-family, two-family, and three-family developments are exempt from a required lighting plan but are subject to applicable lighting requirements."

Item B.1, Maximum Lighting Regulations, reads "The maximum allowable footcandle at any lot line is as follows:" and its subitem a reads: "Any use abutting a residential use: Zero footcandles." Item C, Permitted Lighting, includes C.1: "All lighting must be of the cut off luminaire design." and C.3: "A cut off luminaire must be designed to completely shield the light source from an observer 3.5 foot above the ground at any point along an abutting lot line."

Item D, Exceptions to Lighting Standards, includes D.3: "Holiday and seasonal lighting is not subject to the requirements of this section."

Item E, Prohibited Permanent Lighting, includes E.2: "Flickering or flashing lights are prohibited." E.4: "Lighting by exposed bulbs is prohibited (may be used as part of a temporary use)." E.5: "Any lighting that may be confused with emergency services, such as red and blue lighting, and any lighting that may be confused with traffic signals, such as red, yellow, and green lighting." and E.7: "Unshielded LED rope lighting."

In the text we fetched, we did not find a sentence that settles which of these passages applies to a single-family home's permanent lighting. We publish what the ordinance says and pick no reading.

Thompson's Station's Land Development Ordinance, effective December 18, 2025, covers lighting in Section 4.10. The section's opening paragraph reads: "The purpose of this section is to regulate outdoor lighting to minimize light trespass and spill-over of light and glare on operators of motor vehicles, pedestrians, and land uses in the proximity of a light source while permitting adequate and safe lighting for non-residential and multi-family developments." Section 4.10.1 begins: "All developments proposing lighting shall require an exterior lighting plan be submitted and reviewed by the Planning Commission with the site plan for development."

Item 4.10.1.f reads: "Residential lighting shall be shielded such that the lamp itself or the lamp image is not directly visible outside the property perimeter."

Item 4.10.1.l, Exemptions, includes subitem iv: "Holiday and temporary lighting, less than forty-five days use in any one year."

In the text we fetched, we did not find a sentence that settles which of these passages applies to a single-family home's permanent lighting. We publish what the ordinance says and pick no reading.

Lebanon's Zoning Ordinance is Title 14 of the city's code. The lighting text below comes from a draft: the City of Lebanon's Planning pages post Chapter 5, Design Standards, as a PDF whose web address begins "Draft-Chapter-5", and as of October 5, 2026 we found no adoption or effective date for it. Its outdoor lighting rules sit in Section 14.508. Chapter 5 begins by saying its standards "shall apply to all zoning districts within the City of Lebanon, unless specifically stated otherwise" (Section 14.502.A). Four passages in Section 14.508 bear on a lit roofline; they are reproduced below, word for word, without interpretation.

Section 14.508.B, Applicability: "Except as provided in this section, all public and private outdoor lighting shall comply with the following standards."

Section 14.508.C.8, Special Lighting: "Moving, fluttering, blinking, or flashing, neon or tubular lights or signs shall not be permitted, except in storefront displays and as temporary seasonal holiday decorations."

Section 14.508.C.11: "Rope lights and similar installations are prohibited."

Section 14.508.D, Exemptions, which opens "The following luminaires are exempt from the standards in this section:" and lists in item 5: "Seasonal holiday lighting and illumination of the American and state flags, providing that such lighting does not produce glare on roadways and neighboring residential properties."

In Section 14.508 we found no limit on color or color temperature. We also did not find a sentence that settles which passage applies to a single-family home's permanent lighting. We publish what the draft says and pick no reading.

Goodlettsville's Zoning Ordinance is Title 14 of its Code of Ordinances, codified through Ordinance No. 25-1118, adopted August 14, 2025. Title 14 has no outdoor lighting article. The rules that bear on lighting are in Section 14-211, Performance standards, and in the temporary uses list in Section 14-208.

Section 14-211(1), Purpose and intent, reads: "The purpose of this section is to establish regulations and standards for the installation and operation of industrial, commercial, community facility uses, based upon consideration of the objectionable characteristics of such uses and the districts in which they are permitted." It continues: "In all districts, as indicated in each respective district, any permitted use or any conditional use and every building or structure or tract of land that is established, developed, or constructed shall comply with each and every performance standard contained herein."

Section 14-211(2) opens: "The following performance standard regulations shall apply to all uses of property as indicated in each respective district:"

Section 14-211(2)(g)(ii), Limitation of glare, reads: "In all districts, any operation or activity producing glare shall be conducted so that direct and indirect light from the source shall not cause illumination in excess of one-half feet candles when measured at a residential district boundary or at the street right-of-way line." The paragraph that follows reads: "All site lighting shall be shielded so that substantially all directly emitted light falls within the property line of the lot emitting the light. No illumination shall produce direct, incident or reflected light that interferes with the safe operation of motor vehicles on public streets. Lighting prohibited by this provision shall include, but not be limited to any light that may be confused with or construed as a traffic-control device." (The code's "one-half feet candles" is quoted as printed.)

Section 14-208(1)(o), Standards for specific temporary uses, begins: "Temporary uses include special events which by their nature continue for the limited period of time provided in this title." Item (viii) reads: "Commercial special lighting exhibits and holiday lighting displays. Maximum 60 days in any commercial and industrial zoning district as a part of an existing business or as a free-standing use provided that adequate parking and traffic circulation is available and any existing business operations will not be disrupted, provided further, that in the event amplified sound systems are used, such sound shall not be a public nuisance nor be conducted later than 11:00 p.m. A temporary use permit may be issued in any residential or agricultural district provided that any traffic generated by the temporary use shall not use minor residential or neighborhood streets and can be accommodated on major thoroughfares or collector streets, and provided further, that in the event amplified sound systems are used, such sound shall not be a public nuisance nor be conducted later than 9:00 p.m."

In Title 14 we found no limit on lighting color or color temperature, and no rule on rope, string, flashing or blinking lights outside the sign chapter. We also did not find a sentence that settles which passage applies to a single-family home's permanent lighting. We publish what the ordinance says and pick no reading.