[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Board of the Township of Cannon by Ord. No. 99-06. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to provide reasonable regulations for the location and use of certain outdoor lighting, so as to accomplish, where possible, the following benefits for the public health, safety and general welfare, and otherwise in the public interest:
A. 
Maintain safe nighttime driver performance on public roadways by minimizing both brightly lighted surfaces and lighting glare.
B. 
Preserve the rural community character of the Township.
C. 
Promote lighting which provides security, but is not unduly intrusive or a nuisance to nearby residents or drivers.
D. 
Eliminate intrusive artificial light and lighting that unnecessarily contributes to sky glow.
E. 
Reduce light pollution from outdoor lighting sources and avoid light trespass onto adjacent properties.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CUTOFF ANGLE
An angle measured upward from a vertical line.
CUTOFF PLANE
A horizontal plane around a light source, above which light from the light source does not penetrate.
FIXTURE
The assembly that holds the lamp (bulb) in a lighting system. It includes the elements designed to give light output control, such as a reflector (mirror) or refractor (lens), the ballast, housing, and other attached parts.
GLARE
Light directly visible to a viewer's eye, either directly from a light source, reflected or refracted.
ILLUMINATION
Light directed at a working surface or into a space to be illuminated.
LIGHT SOURCE
A light bulb or other source within a luminaire.
LUMINAIRE
An outdoor lighting fixture, including the lamp and the fixture.
OUTDOOR LIGHT FIXTURES
Outdoor artificial illuminating devices, outdoor fixtures, lamps and other devices, permanent or portable, used for illumination or advertisement. Such devices shall include, but are not limited to, search-, spot-, or floodlights, or other lights, for:
[Amended 1-12-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-2]
A. 
Buildings and structures, including canopies and overhangs.
B. 
Recreational areas.
C. 
Parking lot lighting.
D. 
Landscape lighting.
E. 
Billboards and signs.
F. 
Streetlighting.
G. 
Display and service areas.
H. 
Oil and/or gas exploration, production and/or recovery uses and activities, including any of the procedures, processes, and operations relating thereto or associated therewith, and the discontinuance or abandonment of such uses and activities.
SHIELDED OR FULL CUTOFF FIXTURES
Fixtures that are shielded in such a manner that light rays emitted by the fixture, either directly from the lamp or indirectly from the fixture, are projected only below a horizontal plane running through the lowest point on the fixture where light is emitted.
SPILL LIGHT
Light emitted by a luminaire that falls outside the boundaries of the property on which the luminaire is located.
A. 
All outdoor light fixtures shall be shielded, except those exempted under § 282-5 and as otherwise permitted under § 282-8. The intensity of light emitted from the fixture at any angle above a cutoff angle of 80° from the vertical must be less than 10% of the peak candle power of the outdoor light fixture, as shown in Figure 1 in § 282-13 of this chapter. Light shall not be emitted above a horizontal plane running through the lowest point on the fixture where light is emitted, as shown in Figure 1.
B. 
All outdoor fixtures shall be installed and placed to ensure that light does not spill onto adjacent properties or roadways and does not produce a glare.
C. 
Outdoor light fixtures shall not exceed a height of 23 feet above the ground directly below the fixture, except for outdoor light fixtures serving those outdoor recreation areas regulated by § 450-23.32, Outdoor recreation uses, of Chapter 450, Zoning.
D. 
An outdoor light fixture shall not have a light source which is greater than 400 watts, except that any light source for a sign shall be limited as stated in § 282-7.
[Amended 1-12-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-2]
A. 
Unshielded dusk-to-dawn lights are prohibited in all zoning districts, except that such lights shall be permitted in the RR Rural Residential/Agricultural District and other residential districts if they comply with all other provisions of this chapter and if such lights are only for a Township-permitted agricultural use, a Township-permitted residential use or a Township-permitted nonresidential use.
B. 
The use of searchlights, except by law enforcement agencies and civil authorities, is prohibited.
The following outdoor light fixtures are exempt from the provisions of this chapter.
A. 
Outdoor light fixtures installed prior to the effective date of this chapter are exempt from the provisions of this chapter; provided, however, that when there is any change in the use, or any replacement, structural alteration or restoration of such outdoor light fixture, then the fixture shall thereafter conform to all provisions of this chapter.
B. 
Fossil fuel light produced directly or indirectly by the combustion of natural gas or other utility-type fuels.
C. 
Streetlights located within a public or private street right-of-way, except that such lights shall be shielded in accordance with the definition of "shielded or full cutoff fixtures" in § 282-2 and with § 282-3 of this chapter and shall also comply with § 282-6 of this chapter.
D. 
Outdoor light fixtures which use an incandescent light bulb of 150 watts or less, except where they create a hazard or nuisance from glare or spill light.
E. 
Lighting necessary for road, construction or traffic emergencies or the construction or maintenance of equipment or facilities owned and operated by a state-regulated public utility that provides electricity or natural gas to the public under a Township-approved franchise or other lawful authority.
[Amended 1-12-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-2]
Types of streetlights located in a public or private street right-of-way shall be only those that are listed on the current Cannon Township List of Approved Types of Street Lights, maintained in the Township office.
Sign lighting shall be subject to applicable provisions of Article 25, Signs in All Districts, of Chapter 450, Zoning, of the Code of the Township of Cannon.
An outdoor recreational facility, whether public or private, or any other outdoor recreation activity, shall not be illuminated after 11:00 p.m., except to conclude any recreational or sporting event or activity conducted at an athletic field, outdoor amphitheater, arena or similar facility or area, where the event or activity was in progress prior to 11:00 p.m., and further except that a ski area may be illuminated after 11:00 p.m. in order to provide for the artificial production of snow or other maintenance of the ski area.
Outdoor light fixtures for off-street parking lots shall be turned off no later than one hour after the ending of the use on the site, except for lights which are necessary for security purposes.
The Township Zoning Administrator shall administer and enforce this chapter.
A. 
Any person applying for a building or electrical permit for a commercial or industrial use which includes the installation of one or more outdoor lighting fixtures shall, as a part of the application for such permit, submit evidence that the proposed outdoor lighting fixtures and the work relating thereto will comply with this chapter.
B. 
The evidence to be submitted with any such application for a commercial or industrial building or electrical permit shall include but need not be limited to the following, as determined necessary by the Zoning Administrator:
(1) 
Plans showing the type and location of the lamps, supports and other lighting devices.
(2) 
A description of the fixtures, lamps, supports and other equipment or devices. The description may include but need not be limited to manufacturer's catalog cuts, luminaire photometric reports, and drawings, including cross sections where required.
C. 
The Township shall prepare and keep on file in the Township office a written summary of the principal provisions of this chapter that affect outdoor lighting for residential uses, and will make such information available to applicants for residential building permits.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Sec. 11, Violations and penalties; enforcement, which immediately followed this section, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II). See now Ch. 70, Violations and Penalties.
A variance from the terms and provisions of this chapter may be granted by the Township Zoning Board of Appeals as follows:
A. 
If the applicant demonstrates that literal enforcement of any term or provision of this chapter is seriously impractical, or that it will impose undue hardship in the use of the land because of special or peculiar conditions pertaining to the land, the Township Zoning Board of Appeals may permit a variance from any such term or provision of the chapter. In granting any such variance, the Board of Appeals may impose conditions and other requirements.
B. 
An applicant seeking a variance shall file an application with the Zoning Administrator, together with written or graphic materials documenting the facts involved and the stated need for the variance. The Zoning Administrator shall forward the application to the Board of Appeals, for the Board's consideration at the next meeting at which the matter can be accommodated on the Board's agenda.
C. 
Any such application for variance shall be considered by the Board of Appeals at a public meeting, but notice of the meeting need not be specially published or mailed, though such publication and/or mailing may be given in the Board's discretion.
The following drawing depicts the minimum lightshielding requirements, as stated in § 282-3 of this chapter.
Figure 1
282 Fig 1.tif