Columbia Ornamental street lighting on residential streets ordinance (§ 27-151)
Chapter 27: Utilities · Article III. Water and Light System
In short: Ornamental lights go on residential streets with underground lines. Where lines are overhead, requesters pay costs above normal city lighting; where adequate lighting exists, they pay everything minus salvage. Lights must span intersection to intersection, to street end, or a whole subdivision or area, never spots.
Our plain-English summary, not the official text or legal advice. The ordinance below is what counts.
(a) Ornamental street lighting will be installed on residential streets where electric lines are underground.
(b) When ornamental street lighting is installed on residential streets where electric lines are overhead, the parties requesting such ornamental lighting shall pay to the city all costs incurred for such ornamental lighting in excess of the cost of installing or upgrading the normal street lighting which would be provided by the city.
(c) When ornamental street lighting is requested and installed on any residential street having an existing lighting system which is adequate and which complies with the requirements of the city as set forth in this division, the parties requesting such lighting shall pay the entire cost, including the cost of removing the existing lighting system, less the value of any salvaged material.
(d) Ornamental lighting on residential streets shall extend from one major intersection to another or from a major intersection to the end of the street or throughout an entire subdivision or other area. In no case will spot installations of ornamental lights (one or more ornamental lights located intermediately with normal street lights) be installed on any given street.
Official source: City of Columbia official Code of Ordinances (online): look up Sec. 27-151
Text from Supplement 139 (September 3, 2026).
Last checked November 1, 2026. The city's official copy controls; this page is a reading copy, not legal advice.