Question : Stadium lights in a residential section?
I moved to the suburbs about five years to get away from the noise and light pollution of the city. For the first three years, it was really nice. Unfortunately, the local school district saw fit to build a huge multi-million dollar sports stadium right in the middle of the adjacent residential section last year. It baffles me how any taxpayer-funded agency can do that to its citizen. I can hear almost everything going on and it lights up my house like a Broadway stage, sometimes until 11:30pm. The town has a dark skies ordinance and noise restrictions, but apparently they don’t apply to an entity like a school district. The district claims the lights are shielded and pointed down correctly, plus cannot be dimmed. What are my legal options here? Not only does it disturb my quality of living, I’m sure it reduces the value of my five year old house. It’s like living in an industrial section of town. Advice appreciated and best answer will be chosen. Thanks!
Actually I am very involved in the community and try to attend a few council meetings a year. I knew there were discussions of a new stadium, but the possibility of building it right in the middle of a residential section never occured to me. I assumed the planning and zoning board could prevent something that nutty. Shortly, after I moved here, there was a sign on that property that said “future site of ____ ISD”, but nothing about a stadium. Is there an electronic means to measure illumination difference in the neighborhood between lights on and off? Maybe that would prove there’s an excessive disruption? I know we can’t remove the stadium, but I need some way to at least minimize the excessive glare. I tell you, I feel really stomped on here, even as I continue to pay taxes to these guys.
residential staging

Best answer:

Answer by Professor Sheed
I am not sure that you have any legal options beyond imposing a curfew for the lights operations( in most cases 11 oclock).