[1]
Editor’s Note: This Part was enacted as Exhibit A of Ord. 263, 9/17/2007, which provides, in pertinent part:
"Section 1: Title. This Ordinance is to be known as the “Wrightstown Township Outdoor Lighting Ordinance”, and is attached hereto as Exhibit “A” and incorporated herein by reference.
"Section 2. Purpose. To require and set minimum standards for outdoor lighting in:
"A. Provide lighting in outdoor public places where public health, safety and welfare are potential concerns;
"B. Protect drivers and pedestrians from the glare of nonvehicular light sources that shine into their eyes and thereby impair safe traverse;
"C. Protect neighbors and the night sky from nuisance glare and stray light from poorly aimed, place, applied, maintained or shielded light sources.
"”Section 3. Interpretation. This Ordinance shall be interpreted and applied as minimum requirements for the promotion of the public health, safety, comfort, convenience and general welfare."
[Ord. 263, 9/17/2007]
1. 
To require and set minimum standards for outdoor lighting to:
A. 
Provide lighting in outdoor public places where public health, safety and welfare are potential concerns.
B. 
Protect drivers and pedestrians from the glare of nonvehicular light sources that shine into their eyes and thereby impair safe traverse.
C. 
Protect neighbors and the night sky from nuisance glare and stray light from poorly aimed, placed, applied, maintained or shielded light sources.
[Ord. 263, 9/17/2007]
1. 
Outdoor lighting shall, at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors, be required for safety and personal security in areas of public assembly and traverse; including, but not limited to, single family and multi-family dwelling unit developments, commercial, industrial, public recreational and institutional uses.
2. 
The Board of Supervisors may require lighting be incorporated for other uses or locations, as they deem necessary.
3. 
The glare control requirements herein contained apply to lighting in all above mentioned uses as well as, but not limited to, sign, architectural, landscaping and residential lighting.
4. 
This Part does not apply to temporary holiday lighting for residential uses; provided, they shall not be operated for more than 60 days.
[Ord. 263, 9/17/2007]
1. 
Illumination Levels.
A. 
Lighting, where required by this Part, shall have intensities and uniformity ratios in accordance with the current recommended practices of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) as contained in the IESNA Lighting Handbook.
B. 
Future amendments to the recommended practices of the IESNA shall become a part of this Part without further action of the Township.
C. 
Examples of intensities for typical outdoor applications, as extracted from the 8th Edition of the Lighting Handbook, are presented below.
D. 
See Table below:
Use/Task
Maintained Footcandles
Uniformity Avg: Min.
(1)
Streets, local residential
0.4 Avg.
6:1
(2)
Streets, local commercial
0.9 Avg.
6:1
(3)
Parking, residential, multi-family
Low vehicular/pedestrian activity
0.2 Min.
4:1
Medium vehicular/pedestrian activity
0.6 Min.
4:1
(4)
Parking, industrial/commercial/ institutional/municipal
High activity, e.g., regional shopping centers/fast food facilities, major athletic/civic/cultural events.
0.9 Min.
4:1
Medium activity, e.g., community shopping centers, office parks, hospitals, commuter lots, cultural/civic/recreational events
0.6 Min.
4:1
Low activity, e.g., neighborhood shopping, industrial employee parking, schools, church parking.
0.2 Min.
4:1
(5)
Walkways and bikeways
0.5 Avg.
5:1
(6)
Building entrances
5.0 Avg.
—
Notes:
1.
Illumination levels are maintained horizontal footcandles on the task, e.g., pavement or area surface
2.
Uniformity ratios dictate that average illuminance values shall not exceed minimum values by more than the product of the minimum value and the specified ratio, e.g., for commercial parking high activity, the average footcandles shall not be in excess of 3.6 (0.9 x 4).
2. 
Lighting Fixture Design.
A. 
Fixtures shall be of a type and design appropriate to the lighting application and aesthetically acceptable to the Board of Supervisors.
B. 
For lighting horizontal tasks such as roadways, pathways and parking areas, fixtures shall meet IESNA cutoff criteria (not have more than 2.5% of their light output emitted above 90° at any lateral angle around the fixture).
C. 
The use of floodlighting, spotlighting, wall-mounted fixtures, decorative globes and other fixtures not meeting IESNA cutoff criteria shall be permitted only with the approval of the Board of Supervisors, based upon acceptable glare control.
D. 
Fixtures shall be equipped with or be capable of being back-fitted with light directing devices such as shields, visors or hoods when necessary to redirect offending light distribution.
3. 
Control of Nuisance and Disabling Glare.
A. 
All outdoor lighting, whether or not required by this Part, on private, residential, commercial, industrial, municipal, recreational or institutional property, shall be aimed, located, designed, fitted and maintained so as not to present a hazard to drivers or pedestrians by impairing their ability to safely traverse, i.e., disabling glare, and so as not to create a nuisance by projecting or reflecting objectionable light onto a neighboring use or property, i.e., nuisance glare.
B. 
Directional fixtures such as floodlights, spotlights and sign lights shall be so installed or aimed so that they do not project their output into the windows of neighboring residences, adjacent uses, directly skyward or onto a roadway.
C. 
Unless otherwise permitted by the Board of Supervisors, e.g., for safety or security, lighting shall be controlled by automatic switching devices such as time clocks or combination motion detectors and photocells, to permit extinguishing offending sources between 11:00 p.m. and dawn, to mitigate nuisance glare and sky lighting consequences.
D. 
Where all-night safety or security lighting is to be provided, the lighting intensity levels shall not exceed 25% of the levels normally permitted by this Part for the use, but in no case shall they be less than the minimum levels for safety or security as invoked by IESNA.
E. 
Vegetation screens shall not be employed to serve as the primary means for controlling glare. Rather, glare control shall be achieved primarily through the use of such means as cutoff fixtures, shields and baffles, and appropriate application of fixture mounting height, wattage, aiming angle and fixture placement.
F. 
The intensity of illumination projected onto a residential use from another property shall not exceed 0.1 vertical footcandle, measured at 30 inches above the ground at the property line.
G. 
Externally illuminated signs and billboards shall be lighted by fixtures mounted at the top of the sign and aimed downward. Such fixtures shall be automatically extinguished between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and dawn.
H. 
Fixtures meeting IESNA cutoff criteria shall not be mounted in excess of 20 feet above finished grade. Fixtures not meeting IESNA cutoff criteria shall not be mounted in excess of 16 feet above grade except as specifically approved by the Board of Supervisors.
I. 
Fixtures used for general area lighting shall be aimed so as to project their output straight down, unless approved otherwise.
J. 
Fixtures used for architectural lighting, e.g., facade, fountain, feature and landscape lighting, shall be aimed so as not to project their output beyond the objects intended to be illuminated and shall be extinguished between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and dawn.
K. 
With the exception of temporary holiday lighting no lighting fixture shall have any blinking, flashing or fluttering lights or other illuminating device which has a changing light intensity, brightness or color nor is any beacon permitted, except those required for fire alarm and/or emergency systems.
L. 
Under-canopy lighting for such applications as gas/service stations, hotel/theater marquees, fast-food/bank/drugstore drive-ups, shall be accomplished using flat-lens full-cutoff fixtures aimed straight down and shielded in such a manner that the lowest opaque edge of the fixture shall be below the light source at all lateral angles. The average illumination in the area directly below the canopy shall not exceed 20 initial footcandles and the maximum shall not exceed 30 initial footcandles.
4. 
Installation.
A. 
Electrical feeds for lighting standards shall be run underground, not overhead.
B. 
Lighting standards in parking areas shall be placed a minimum of five feet outside paved area, or on concrete pedestals at least 30 inches high above the pavement, or suitably protected by other approved means.
5. 
Maintenance. Lighting fixtures and ancillary equipment shall be maintained so as to always meet the requirements of this Part and all Township ordinances and building codes.
[Ord. 263, 9/17/2007]
1. 
Street lighting fixtures in residential developments shall, at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors, be placed at the following locations:
A. 
At the intersection of public roads with entrance roads to the proposed development.
B. 
Intersections involving proposed public or nonpublic major thoroughfare roads within the proposed development.
C. 
In multi-family unit parking areas one fixture for every 10 contiguous parking spaces provided or sufficient to meet the requirements as specified in § 16-103, Subsection 1A.
[Ord. 263, 9/17/2007]
1. 
The nighttime illumination of outdoor recreational facilities for such aerial sports as outdoor riding arenas, baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, track and field, and football typically necessitate higher than normally allowed fixture mounting heights and aiming angles, utilize very high-wattage lamps and potentially produce unacceptable levels of light trespass and glare when located near residential properties. Permission to illuminate such facilities shall be granted only when the Township is satisfied that the health, safety and welfare rights of nearby property owners and the Township as a whole have been properly protected. When recreational uses are specifically permitted by the Township for operation during hours of darkness, the following requirements shall apply:
A. 
Lighting shall be accomplished through the use of fixtures conforming to IESNA full-cutoff criteria. The Township may consider the use of other than full-cutoff fixtures only when it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Township that acceptable control of glare and light trespass can be achieved, taking into account the proximity of the facility to adjacent properties that could be adversely impacted.
B. 
Race tracks and such recreational venues as golf driving ranges, trapshooting facilities and outdoor riding arenas that necessitate the horizontal, or near horizontal projection of illumination, shall not be permitted to be artificially illuminated.
C. 
Recreational facilities for basketball, baseball, football, soccer, miniature golf, tennis or track shall not be illuminated if located within a residential district or sited on a nonresidential property located within 1,000 feet of a property containing a residential use.
D. 
Sporting events shall be timed to end at such time that all lighting in the sports facility, other than lighting for safe exit of patrons, shall be extinguished by 10:00 p.m., regardless of such occurrences as extra innings or overtimes.
E. 
Maximum mounting heights for recreational lighting shall be in accordance with the following:
(1) 
Basketball: 20 feet.
(2) 
Football: 70 feet.
(3) 
Soccer: 70 feet.
(4) 
Little League Baseball.
(a) 
Two hundred feet Radius: 60 feet.
(b) 
Three hundred feet Radius: 70 feet.
(5) 
Miniature Golf: 20 feet.
(6) 
Pool Aprons: 20 feet.
(7) 
Tennis: 20 feet.
(8) 
Track: 20 feet.
F. 
To assist in determining whether lighting will be permitted, applications for illuminating recreational facilities shall be accompanied not only with the information required in this section below, but also by a visual impact plan that contains the following:
(1) 
Plan views containing a layout of the recreational facility and showing pole locations and the location of residences on adjoining properties.
(2) 
Elevations containing pole and fixture mounting heights, horizontal and vertical aiming angles and fixture arrays for each pole location.
(3) 
Elevations containing initial vertical illuminance plots at the boundary of the site, taken at a height of five-foot line-of-sight.
(4) 
Elevations containing initial vertical illuminance plots on the windowed facades of all residences facing and adjacent to the recreational facility. Such plots shall demonstrate compliance with the light trespass and glare control requirements of this Part.
(5) 
Proposed frequency of use of the facility during hours of darkness on a month-by-month basis and proposed time when the sports lighting will be extinguished.
(6) 
A narrative describing the measures proposed to achieve minimum off-site disturbance.
[Ord. 263, 9/17/2007]
1. 
Lighting plans shall be submitted to the Township for review and approval and shall include:
A. 
Layout of the proposed fixture locations.
B. 
Iso-footcandle plots of individual fixture installations and 10 by 10 illuminance-grid plots for multi-fixture installations that demonstrate compliance with the intensities and uniformities set forth in this Part.
C. 
Description of the equipment, including fixture catalog cuts, photometrics, glare reduction devices, lamps, control devices, mounting heights and mounting methods proposed.
2. 
All proposed development plans shall, at the time of preliminary plan submittal, include lighting plans indicating proposed placement of all lighting fixtures incorporated with the above referenced specifications. The lighting plans shall also provide an engineering detail of fixtures, manufacturer, model, and installation of same.
3. 
When requested by the Board of Supervisors, applicant shall submit a visual impact plan that demonstrates appropriate steps have been taken to mitigate on-site and off-site glare.
4. 
Post-approval alterations to lighting plans or intended substitutions for approved lighting equipment shall be submitted to the Township for review and approval.
[Ord. 263, 9/17/2007]
The Township reserves the right to conduct a post-installation nighttime inspection to verify compliance with the requirements of this Part and if, appropriate, to require remedial action at no expense to the Township.
[Ord. 263, 9/17/2007]
1. 
Safety Hazards.
A. 
If the Township judges a lighting installation creates a safety or personal security hazard, the person(s) responsible for the lighting shall be notified and required to take remedial action.
B. 
If appropriate corrective action has not been effected within 30 days of notification, the Township may levy a fine for as long as the hazard continues to exist.
2. 
Nuisance Glare and Inadequate Illumination Levels.
A. 
When the Township judges an installation produces unacceptable levels of nuisance glare, skyward light, excessive or insufficient illumination levels or otherwise varies from this Part, Township may cause notification of the person(s) responsible for the lighting and require appropriate remedial action.
B. 
If the infraction so warrants, Township may act to have the problem corrected as in Subsection 1B above.
[Ord. 263, 9/17/2007]
1. 
Any lighting fixture or lighting installation existing on the effective date of this Part that does not conform with the requirements of this Part shall be considered as a lawful nonconformance subject to the following:
A. 
A nonconforming lighting fixture or lighting installation shall be made to conform to the requirements of this Part when:
(1) 
It is deemed by the Township to create a nuisance or safety hazard.
(2) 
At the time of resale, change of occupancy or when deemed necessary by Township Officials.
[Ord. 263, 9/17/2007]
1. 
When street lighting is to be dedicated to the Township, applicant shall be responsible for all costs involved in the lighting of streets and street intersections until the street in accepted for dedication.
2. 
Prior to dedication and in the event of the formation of a homeowners association and/or property management declaration, Township shall require said agency to enter into an agreement guaranteeing the Township payment of all costs associated with dedicated street lighting.
3. 
Assumption of Costs of Dedicated Street Lighting.
A. 
Upon dedication of public streets, the Township shall assess the homeowners association, individual property owners, or corporations, as may be necessary, to collect all revenues required that are directly or indirectly associated with all costs of each specific street lighting fixture. These costs shall include:
(1) 
Administration.
(2) 
Collection.
(3) 
Proration of nonpayables.
(4) 
Actual utility electrical charges.
(5) 
Maintenance and maintenance contracts for maintenance of fixtures and associated equipment.
4. 
Streetlights not dedicated to the Township will remain the responsibility of the developer or appropriate private entity to which the lights are turned over. Said private entity shall then assume all cost and responsibilities for the lighting in perpetuity.
[Ord. 263, 9/17/2007]
The provisions of this Part shall be enforced by Wrightstown Township. Any person, firm, or corporation who shall violate any provision of this Part, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a magisterial district judge in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $35 nor more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this Part continues or each section of this Part which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.