The following general performance standards shall apply to all uses and activities in any residential, commercial or employment center district:
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
1. 
Except as permitted under Part 12, no flammable or explosive liquids, solids, or gasses shall be stored in bulk above the ground except for tanks or drums of fuel directly connecting with energy devices, heating devices, or appliances located and operated on the same lot as the tanks or drums of fuel.
2. 
All permanent outdoor storage facilities for fuel, raw materials, and products stored outdoors, including those permitted in Subsection 1 above, shall be enclosed by a fence of a type, construction and size as shall be satisfactory to the Township to protect and conceal the facilities from any adjacent properties. Fences shall not only encompass the question of safety, but also of screening and the screening shall preferably be evergreens. Anything less than one year is considered temporary.
3. 
No materials or wastes shall be deposited upon a lot in such form or manner so as to permit transportation off of the lot by natural causes or forces, nor shall any substance which can contaminate a stream or watercourse or otherwise render such stream or watercourse undesirable as a source of water supply or recreation, or which will destroy aquatic life, be allowed to enter any stream or watercourse.
4. 
All materials or wastes which might cause fumes or dust, or which constitute a fire hazard, or which may be edible or otherwise attractive to rodents or insects, shall be stored outdoors only if enclosed in containers adequate to eliminate such hazards.
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
All methods of sewage and waste treatment and disposal shall be approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and in accordance with the sewage plan for the Township of Lower Macungie. All methods of sewage and waste treatment and disposal shall be in accordance with Chapter 22A of the Lower Macungie Township Code of Ordinances, specifically §§ 22A-706 and 22A-806 as they relate to sanitary sewage disposal standards.
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
1. 
Buffer yards shall comply with the following standards:
A. 
The buffer yard shall be measured from the district boundary line or from the ultimate street right-of-way line where a street serves as the district boundary line. Buffer yards may not be part of an existing or future ultimate street right-of-way but shall be in addition to that right-of-way.
B. 
A fifty-foot buffer yard shall be required along the district boundaries between any nonresidential and residential district boundary lines in the Township or adjoining municipalities.
C. 
A fifty-foot buffer yard may be located within the required side or rear yards, or any other buffer yards; and in the case of conflict, the larger yard requirements shall apply.
D. 
In all buffer yards, the exterior width beyond the fence or planting screen shall be planted with grass seed, sod or ground cover, and shall be maintained and kept clean of all debris, rubbish, weeds and overgrown grass.
E. 
The buffer yard shall be a landscaped area free of structures (except fences and walls), manufacturing or processing activity, materials and vehicular parking. No driveways or streets shall be permitted in the buffer yards except at points of ingress or egress. No recreation use shall be permitted in a buffer. Buffer yards shall exclude recreation space (but not open space) area required by the Township subdivision and land development Ordinance.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 22A.
F. 
In cases where a buffer yard would normally be located in the floodplain, the buffer yard area shall instead start at the 100-year floodplain elevation line. If the buffer yard and floodplain are dedicated to the Township, then no planting screen will be required.
G. 
All buffer yards shall include a dense screen planting of trees, shrubs or other plant materials to the full length of the lot line to serve as a barrier to visibility, airborne particles, glare and noise, and, when determined by the Township to be necessary for public safety, a fence as described below. Such screen planting shall be in accordance with the following requirements:
(1) 
Plant materials used in the screen planting shall be of such species and size as will produce, within three years, a complete visual screen of at least six feet in height.
(2) 
A fence, when required, shall be located within the buffer yard and shall not be less than six feet in height, and in no case shall it be located in the existing street right-of-way.
(3) 
The screen planting shall be maintained permanently, and any plant material which does not survive shall be replaced within one year.
(4) 
The screen planting shall be so placed that at maturity it will not be closer than three feet from future right-of-way or property lines.
(5) 
The screen planting or fence shall be broken only at points of vehicular or pedestrian access.
(6) 
A built-up earthen bank may be incorporated in the landscaping of buffer yards as long as the following conditions are met:
(a) 
It may not be located in the future street right-of-way.
(b) 
The maximum allowable slope shall be one to three.
(c) 
The buffer yard landscaping shall be visible from the exterior of the property.
(d) 
The surface of the bank shall be stabilized with a naturalized grass seed mix.
(e) 
Example of a possible buffer:
H. 
The depth of any required buffer yard not otherwise specified by this chapter or by subdivision and land development Ordinance [Chapter 22A] shall be 10 feet.
I. 
Buffer screens shall utilize design schemes provided in the Lower Macungie Design Guidelines.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Said Design Guidelines are included as an attachment to this chapter.
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
All easements required by this chapter, shown on a plan of record, or set forth in a deed of record, shall be kept clear of any and all structures and obstructions, including but not limited to, buildings, fences, trees, berms, driveways and shrubs, unless authorized by the easement owner. The surface grade of any such easement shall not be altered without Township approval.
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
1. 
This section is enacted for the following purposes:
A. 
To establish requirements for outdoor lighting installations which promote public safety and welfare during the nighttime while minimizing the adverse effects of glare and light trespass often associated with outdoor lighting;
B. 
To protect the privacy of property owners by limiting the potential for glare and light trespass from outdoor lighting installations located on adjacent properties and roadways;
C. 
To prohibit outdoor lighting installations which are of excessive intensity and/or are deficient of photometric control such that the resulting glare and light trespass create a nuisance to pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists on neighboring properties and roadways;
D. 
To promote outdoor lighting installations which serve to enhance the nighttime safety and enjoyment of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists throughout the community;
E. 
To set forth outdoor lighting requirements which are consistent with lighting industry standards and practices, available technologies, and the lighting sciences.
2. 
Applicability. The requirements of this section shall apply to the following outdoor lighting installations:
A. 
Outdoor lighting installations which are newly designed, constructed, erected, or otherwise placed into operation after the effective date of this chapter.
B. 
Alterations, rehabilitations, or renovations to existing outdoor lighting installations, which are commenced after the effective date of this chapter, and which involve the complete replacement of an existing lighting system with a new lighting system.
C. 
Whenever a new outdoor light fixture replaces an outdoor light fixture that existed on the effective date of this chapter, the new fixture must meet the standards of this section.
3. 
Nonapplicability. The requirements of this section shall not apply to, nor be retroactive to, existing outdoor lighting installations which began operation before the effective date of this chapter. Routine maintenance of said existing outdoor lighting installations shall not be required to comply with the requirements of this section. Routine maintenance activities include the following:
A. 
Replacement of lamps that are burned out or inoperative.
B. 
Replacement or repair of damaged or inoperative fixture components, such as ballasts, ignitors, lenses, reflectors, refractors, sockets, or photocell controls.
4. 
Adoptions by Reference.
A. 
Unless superseded by requirements listed in this section of this chapter, the IESNA Lighting Handbook, most recent edition, as published by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), is hereby adopted by reference and made a part hereof as if fully set out in this section. The publication is on file in the Township office.
B. 
Unless superseded by requirements listed in this section of this chapter, the publication, a copy of which is on file in the Township office, being marked and designated as "American National Standard, Nomenclature and Definitions for Illuminating Engineering," most recent edition, as published by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) and approved by the American National Standards Institute, Inc. (ANSI), and referred to in this section as the "ANSI/IESNA Lighting Definitions," is hereby adopted by reference and made a part hereof as if fully set out in this section.
5. 
Design Calculations in Accordance with the IESNA Lighting Handbook. In addition to the specific requirements established in this section, the design calculations for outdoor lighting installations shall be in accordance with the IESNA Lighting Handbook. This includes, but is not limited to, technical definitions, terminology, calculation methods and procedures, photometric classifications, and photometric testing procedures. Illuminance selection should be based on the usage of the area to be illuminated, the level of activity, and nighttime security requirements.
6. 
Performance Standards and Design.
A. 
In all residential zones, any lighting used to illuminate an off-street parking area or other structure or area shall be arranged so as to deflect light away from any adjoining property or from the public street. The light source shall be downcast, hooded, shielded or controlled so as not to light adjacent property in excess of the maximum intensity as defined below.
B. 
Illumination of a driveway entrance near the intersection with a roadway is encouraged for the enhanced safety of motorists and pedestrians. However, lighting intensity and glare shall be limited to not be a distraction or nuisance to vehicles on the roadway or nearby properties. This applies to all zoning districts.
C. 
In commercial and industrial zones, any lighting used to illuminate an off-street parking area or other structure or area shall be arranged so as to deflect light away from any adjoining property or from the public street. All commercial and industrial light standards (poles) shall be black powder coated for uniformity, unless otherwise approved by the Zoning Officer.
(1) 
Use of Full Cutoff Fixtures is Required. Except as noted below in § 27-1805.6C(4), all fixtures employed in outdoor lighting installations shall be the full cutoff fixture type.
(2) 
The candlepower distribution classification of the fixture as a cutoff type shall be in accordance with the ANSI/IESNA Lighting Definitions and the IESNA Lighting Handbook. The manufacturer of the fixture shall provide certification of the cutoff classification based on photometric testing performed in accordance with the IESNA Lighting Handbook and the applicable testing procedures referenced therein. The requirement for the use of full cutoff fixture types shall include but is not limited to the following outdoor area and roadway lighting configurations.
(a) 
Pole-mounted fixtures.
(b) 
Fixtures mounted on the exterior of buildings and structures.
(c) 
Fixtures mounted on or within exterior canopies of buildings and structures.
(d) 
Pedestal- or bollard-mounted fixtures.
(3) 
Full cutoff fixtures shall be mounted plumb and level in accordance with the intended application of their design. For the purposes of this requirement, the center of the downward angle of the fixture (zero degree vertical angle of the candlepower distribution) shall be oriented plumb and the vertical angle of 90° above the horizon shall be oriented level. Full cutoff fixtures shall not be installed in a canted or titled position which permits candlepower distribution above the horizontal.
(4) 
Fixtures which do not meet the strict definition for full cutoff fixtures yet employ advanced or alternative technology which causes the photometric performance to approach that of full cutoff fixtures may be approved by the Township on a case-by-case basis. Such fixtures include, but are not limited to, period-style fixtures with refractive globes and internal cutoff reflectors.
(5) 
Fixtures with a total initial lumen output of 10,000 lumens or less shall be permitted for decorative, accent, or supplementary lighting applications, provided that glare shields are incorporated which cut off the candlepower distribution at and above the horizontal (level).
D. 
Illumination Levels. Outdoor lighting where required by this chapter or any other applicable ordinance or provided on property within the Township shall be provided within the range of permitted lighting levels as specified in the following table.
Required Lighting Levels
Measurement in Footcandles
Use
Minimum
Average
Maximum
Local street, where lighting is provided
0.2
0.4
2.5
Collector and arterial streets where lighting is provided
0.2
0.9
5.0
Residential off-street parking lots
Under 50 spaces
0.2
0.8
2.0
Over 50 spaces
0.2
0.8
3.0
Nonresidential off-street parking lots
Under 50 spaces
0.2
0.5
2.5
50 to 100 spaces
0.2
0.8
3.0
Over 100 spaces
0.5
2.0
5.0
Off-street loading areas
2.0
5.0
8.0
Walkways and bikeways at hazards (stairways, tunnels, bridges, elevation changes, ramps, obstructions, where lighting is provided)
0.1
N/A
2.0
Building entrances and signs
0.5
N/A
2.0
Building facades, monuments, fountains and similar
0
N/A
5.0
Parks and athletic courts or fields
As recommended by the IESNA
Park and recreation lighting is also subject to the requirements of § 27-1805, Subsection 6M.
E. 
Intensity. No light source or combination thereof which casts light on a public street shall exceed a meter reading of one footcandle as measured from the centerline of said street nor shall any light source or combination thereof which casts light on adjacent residential property exceed 0.1 footcandle as measured at the property line or 1.0 footcandle on an adjacent nonresidential property.
F. 
Method of Measuring Light Intensity. The footcandle level of a light source shall be taken after dark with the light meter held six inches above the ground with the meter facing the light source. A reading shall be taken with the light source on, then with the light source off. The difference between the two readings will be identified as the illumination intensity.
G. 
Height. The maximum mounting height above the adjacent grade permitted for light sources mounted on a pole is 25 feet. A light source mounted on a building shall not exceed the height of the face of the building to which it is attached, and no light sources shall be located on the roof unless said light enhances the architectural features of the building, as approved by the Zoning Officer.
H. 
Location. The light source of an outdoor light fixture shall be set back a minimum horizontal distance equal to its height from each property line but in no case less than 10 feet from a street right-of-way and five feet from all side or rear lot lines.
I. 
Hours. Outdoor lighting which serves commercial or industrial uses that do not operate after dark must be turned off 1/2 hour after closing except for approved security lighting in accordance with the following § 27-1805.6.J. For those commercial or industrial uses that offer services after dark, outdoor lighting may be utilized during the nighttime hours, provided that the commercial or industrial use is open for service. Once the commercial or industrial use closes, the outdoor lighting must be turned off one hour after closing except for security lighting.
J. 
Security Lighting. In all zones, exterior lighting of a building and/or grounds for security surveillance purposes is permitted. Such lighting shall be arranged and of sufficient illumination to enable the detection of suspicious movement rather than the recognition of definitive detail. For security lighting of grounds and parking lots, the level of illumination shall not exceed a maximum average illumination of 25% that level required in § 27-1805.6.D of this chapter. Security lighting for buildings/structures shall be directed toward the face of the building/structure rather than the area around it and shall not exceed a maximum illumination of five footcandles.
K. 
Illumination Under Outdoor Canopies. Under-canopy lighting 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 illumination in the area directly below the canopy shall not exceed eight average footcandles and the maximum shall not exceed 11 footcandles. Outdoor canopies include, but are not limited to, the following applications:
(1) 
Fuel island canopies associated with service stations and convenience stores.
(2) 
Exterior canopies above storefronts in shopping centers and malls.
(3) 
Exterior canopies above driveways and building entrances.
(4) 
Pavilions and gazebos.
L. 
Billboards and Signs. The lighting of new, or replacement of lighting systems of existing, billboards and signs shall be subject to the following requirements:
(1) 
Externally illuminated billboards and signs shall have fixtures mounted at the top of the billboard or sign and aimed downward. The fixtures shall be designed, fitted and aimed to shield the source from off-site view and to place the light output onto the billboard or sign and not to project their output into the windows of neighboring residences, adjacent uses, past the face of the billboard or sign, skyward or onto a public roadway. Lighting shall be by linear fluorescent or equivalent LED technology. At no point on the face of the sign or billboard and at no time shall the illumination exceed 15 vertical footcandles during nighttime.
(2) 
The light source for internally illuminated signs and billboards shall not exceed 1,000 initial lumens per square foot of sign face.
(3) 
The illumination of billboards shall be limited to the HE Zone, and the illumination of billboards shall not be permitted within 500 horizontal feet of a residential use. The maximum illumination on the face of an externally illuminated billboard or sign shall not exceed 15 footcandles and shall have a maximum to minimum uniformity ratio not to exceed 6:1.
(4) 
Rotating, traveling, pulsing, flashing, animated, "marching" or oscillating light sources, lasers, beacons, or strobe lighting shall not be permitted except within the Industrial Zone and not within 500 feet of a signalized traffic intersection or a residential zone.
(5) 
Signs incorporating LCD, LED, plasma, CRT, pixelized lights or other animated and/or video-like displays shall be limited to the I and HE Zones and shall comply with the requirements of § 27-1805.6.L(4), of this chapter.
(6) 
The use of highly reflective signage that creates nuisance glare or a safety hazard shall not be permitted.
(7) 
Applications for the lighting or relighting of signs and billboards shall be accompanied by a point-by-point plot of illuminance on the sign or billboard face, catalog cuts of proposed fixtures and any glare reduction devices and a description of lamps, mounting locations, aiming angles and proposed hours of operation and method for automatically extinguishing the lighting.
M. 
Outdoor Recreation. No lighting of recreation facilities shall be permitted brighter than that necessary for security purposes except during recreation events. The nighttime illumination of outdoor recreational facilities for 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. The following requirements shall apply to the lighting of outdoor recreation facilities:
(1) 
Lighting shall be accomplished only through the use of fixtures conforming to IESNA cutoff criteria or as otherwise approved by the Township based on suitable control of glare and light trespass.
(2) 
No outdoor recreation facility, whether public or private, shall be illuminated after 11:00 p.m.
(3) 
Maximum mounting heights for recreational lighting shall be in accordance with the following:
Outdoor Recreation Activity
Maximum Mounting Height
(feet)
Basketball
20
Football
70
Soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, rugby and other similar field sports
70
Baseball 200-foot radius
70
Baseball 300-foot radius
75
Golf driving range
30
Miniature golf
20
Swimming pool aprons
20
Tennis
20
Track
30
(4) 
Off-street parking areas for outdoor recreation uses which are illuminated shall meet the requirements stated in § 27-1805.6.D of this chapter.
(5) 
In addition to the normal lighting plan submission requirements listed in § 27-1805, Subsection 8, of this chapter, applications for illuminating recreational facilities shall also contain the following:
(a) 
Plan views containing a layout of the recreational facility and showing pole locations and the location of residences on adjoining properties within 200 feet of the subject property.
(b) 
Elevations containing pole and fixture mounting heights, horizontal and vertical aiming angles and fixture arrays for each pole location.
(c) 
Elevations containing initial vertical illuminance plots at the boundary of the site, taken at a height of five-foot line-of-sight.
(d) 
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.
(e) 
A narrative describing the measures proposed to achieve minimum off-site disturbance.
7. 
Prohibitions. No search lights, flashing lights or lights that may cause a hazard by impairing driver's vision shall be permitted.
8. 
Submission of Lighting Plans. Except in the case of lighting on an individual residential property or farm, where site lighting is required by this chapter, or is otherwise required by the Township, or is proposed by the applicant, lighting plans shall be submitted for review and approval simultaneously with a zoning application, if applicable. The submission shall contain the following in addition to other required data for the specific permit:
A. 
Plans indicating the location on the premises and the type of illuminating devices, color temperature of the lamp, fixtures, lamps, supports, reflectors and other devices.
B. 
Description of illuminating devices, fixtures, lamps, supports, reflectors and other devices and the description may include, but is not limited to, catalog cuts by manufacturers and drawings (including sections where required, the angle of the cutoff or light emissions, etc.).
C. 
A point-by-point illuminance-grid plot on ten-foot-by-ten-foot centers (or as necessary for suitable legibility) of footcandles overlaid on the site plan, plotted out to 0.0 maintained footcandles, which demonstrate compliance with the light trespass, illuminance and uniformity requirements as set forth in this section.
D. 
When landscaping plans are involved, they shall contain the lighting fixture locations and shall demonstrate that the site lighting and landscaping have been coordinated to minimize conflict between vegetation and intended light distribution, both initially and at vegetation maturity.
E. 
When requested by the Township, the applicant shall also submit a visual impact plan that demonstrates appropriate steps have been taken to mitigate the potential consequences of on-site and off-site glare. This plan may require the inclusion of footcandle values at specific off-site locations (e.g., bedroom windows of adjacent residential uses, street centerlines, etc.).
F. 
Required Plan Notes. The following notes shall appear on the lighting plan:
(1) 
Post-approval alterations to lighting plans or intended substitutions for approved lighting equipment shall be submitted to the Township for review and approval.
(2) 
The Township reserves the right to conduct post-installation nighttime inspections to verify compliance with the requirements of this chapter and as otherwise agreed upon by the Township and, if appropriate, to require remedial action at no expense to the Township.
9. 
Exemptions. The standards of this § 27-1805 shall not apply to the following:
A. 
Temporary Holiday Lighting. This section does not prohibit the use of temporary outdoor lighting used during customary holiday seasons.
B. 
Civic Event Lighting. This section does not prohibit the use of temporary outdoor lighting used for civic celebrations and promotions.
C. 
Lighting fixtures and standards required by the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Aviation Administration, or other federal, state, county or municipal agencies to include streetlights within the public right-of-way.
D. 
Outdoor lighting fixtures required by law enforcement, fire and rescue, or other emergency response agencies to perform emergency or construction repair work or to perform nighttime road construction.