[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of Trustees of the
Village of Lima 2-14-2012 by L.L.
No. 3-2012. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to promote the public safety
and welfare by regulating outdoor lighting to reduce the problems
created by improperly designed and installed outdoor lighting. This
chapter is intended to eliminate problems of glare and minimize light
trespass to keep unnecessary direct light from shining onto abutting
properties or streets, to help reduce the energy costs of outdoor
lighting, and to reduce sky glow.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall be defined
as follows:
Luminaires not conforming to the provisions of this chapter
that were in place on the effective date of this chapter.
The assembly that houses the lamp or lamps and can include
all or some of the following parts: a housing, a mounting bracket
or pole socket, a lamp holder, a ballast, a reflector or mirror, and/or
a refractor or lens.
Any light fixture or lamp that incorporates a reflector,
a refractor, or a prismatic lens to concentrate the light output into
a directed beam in a particular direction.
A luminaire constructed and installed in such a manner that
all light emitted by it, either directly from the lamp or a diffusing
element, is projected below a horizontal plane through the luminaire's
lowest light-emitting part.
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The component of a luminaire that produces the actual light
(commonly called a "bulb").
The shining of light produced by a luminaire beyond the boundaries
of the property on which it is located.
The unit used to measure the actual amount of light which
is produced by a lamp. One footcandle is one lumen per square foot.
For the purposes of this chapter, the lumen-output values shall be
the initial output ratings of a lamp. The lumen output of most lamps
is listed on the packaging.
A complete lighting system, including a lamp or lamps and
a fixture.
The nighttime illumination of an outside area or object by
any man-made device located outdoors that produces light by any means.
The overhead glow from light emitted sideways and upwards,
including light reflected upward from the ground or other surfaces.
Sky glow is caused by the reflection and scattering of various forms
of light by dust, water, and other particles suspended in the atmosphere.
The specific illumination of an outside area or object by
an man-made device located outdoors that produces light by any means
for a period of less than seven days, with at least 180 days passing
before being used again.
All new and replacement public and private outdoor lighting installed in the Village of Lima after the effective date of this chapter shall be in conformance with the requirements of this chapter. Certain lighting in place on the effective date of this chapter shall also be subject to the requirements of this chapter, as specified in § 102-10, Existing nonconforming luminaires. Any inconsistent provision or requirement in the Village of Lima Code is superseded by the requirements of this chapter.
A.
All nonexempt outdoor lighting fixtures shall be fully shielded,
except glass tubes filled with neon, argon, or krypton do not require
any shielding.
B.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, any lamp of 2,000 lumens or less does
not require any shielding. Any lamp greater than 2,000 lumens shall
be fully shielded, or shall be situated such that no direct light
shall shine upon any adjoining property.
C.
Photometrics shall be provided to demonstrate that the light levels
at the property line will be less than five-footcandles. Light trespass
shall be avoided to the extent practicable.
A.
All temporary emergency lighting needed by police or fire departments
or other emergency services, as well as all automobile luminaires,
shall be exempt from the requirements of this chapter.
B.
All hazard-warning luminaires required by federal regulatory agencies
are exempt from the requirements of this chapter, except that all
luminaires used must be as close as possible to the federally required
minimum lumen output requirement for the specific task.
C.
Fossil fuel light. All outdoor light fixtures producing light directly
by combustion of fossil fuels (such as kerosene lanterns and gas lamps)
or equivalent are exempt from the requirements of this chapter.
D.
Holiday decorations. Lights used for holiday decorations are exempt
from the requirements of this chapter.
E.
Farm uses are exempt.
F.
Shared outdoor lighting intended by agreement of two or more adjacent
property owners to illuminate a common or shared area such as a common
driveway or walkway servicing more than one property may be exempted
from strict compliance with the requirement prohibiting light trespass
from one property to another. Such exemption is premised upon mutual
agreement between the adjacent property owners to permit such light
trespass in furtherance of a plan to provide common illumination to
a shared area, and further conditioned upon compliance with the other
requirements of the lighting code.
A.
Top-mounted fixtures required. Lighting fixtures used to illuminate an outdoor sign shall be mounted on the top of the sign structure. All such fixtures shall comply with the shielding requirements of § 102-4. Bottom-mounted outdoor sign lighting shall not be used. The Planning Board may grant an exception to this requirement during Site Plan Review, provided that the applicant demonstrates that the proposed lighting will not illuminate beyond the sign area.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
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Any light source permitted by this chapter may be used for lighting
of outdoor recreational facilities (public or private), such as, but
not limited to, football fields, soccer fields, baseball fields, softball
fields, tennis courts, or show areas, provided that all fixtures used
for event lighting shall be fully shielded as defined in this chapter.
A.
Lights shall not be mounted on the top or sides (fascias) of the
canopy, and the sides of the canopy shall not be illuminated.
A.
Spotlights and floodlights shall be aimed 45° or more below the
horizontal.
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B.
Laser source light. The use of laser source light or any similar high-intensity light for outdoor advertising or entertainment, when projected above the horizontal, is prohibited. The temporary use of laser source lights that project light into the sky may be allowed subject to the restrictions of temporary outdoor lighting contained in § 102-9, Temporary outdoor lighting.
C.
Searchlights and strobe lights. The operation of searchlights or
strobe lights is prohibited.
D.
Mercury vapor fixtures and lamps. The installation of any mercury
vapor fixture or lamp for use as outdoor lighting is prohibited.
A.
Nonconforming temporary outdoor lighting may be permitted by the
Code Enforcement Officer after considering: 1) the public and/or private
benefits that will result from the temporary lighting; 2) any annoyance
or safety problems that may result from the use of the temporary lighting;
and 3) the duration of the temporary nonconforming lighting. The applicant
shall submit a detailed description of the proposed temporary nonconforming
lighting to the Code Enforcement Officer, who shall consider the request.
The Code Enforcement Officer shall render the decision on the temporary
lighting request within two weeks.
B.
Upon application to the Village Board of Trustees, a person or organization
may request a permit to authorize in a specified location and for
a limited duration, a special lighting display or "celebratory lighting,"
which may or may not include the use of search lights and/or strobe
lights or a laser light show or other special lighting in furtherance
of a public celebration, commemoration or event. Such approval may
be given or withheld, at the sole and exclusive discretion of the
Village Board, provided that the Village Board is reasonably certain
that such temporary special lighting will be properly monitored, of
limited duration, and that it will not be offensive or a nuisance
to persons or properties in the vicinity.
A.
All luminaires lawfully in place as of the effective date of this
chapter that do not meet the requirements of this chapter are exempt
from enforcement hereof for a period of six months from the effective
date of this chapter. To the extent that violating or nonconforming
luminaires have been located or identified, the Code Enforcement Officer
or other designated Village officer or designee shall inform the identified
property owner by written notice that the luminaire is noncompliant,
and advise that party that it must be made compliant or replaced within
six months of the notice date. Failure to replace or make the noncompliant
luminaire compliant with the lighting requirements of the code shall
be deemed to be a violation of the code.
B.
Any luminaire that replaces an existing nonconforming luminaire,
or any existing and nonconforming luminaire that is moved must meet
the lighting requirements of the code.
A.
Submission contents. The applicant for any permit or approval required
by any provision of the Village of Lima Code in connection with proposed
work involving outdoor lighting fixtures shall submit (as part of
the application for permit or approval) evidence that the proposed
work will comply with the requirements of this chapter. The submission
shall contain but shall not necessarily be limited to the following:
(1)
Plans indicating the location on the premises, and the type of illuminating
devices, fixtures, lamps, supports, reflectors, and other devices;
(2)
Description of the illuminating devices, fixtures, lamps, supports,
reflectors and other devices, and their lumen output. The description
may include, but is not limited to, catalog cuts by manufacturers
and drawings (including sections where required);
(3)
Photometric data, such as that furnished by manufacturers, or similar
data showing the angle of cut off or light emissions, and the lumen
output.
B.
Additional submission. The above-required plans, descriptions and
data shall be sufficiently complete to enable the plans examiner or
board to readily determine whether compliance with the requirements
of this chapter will be secured. If such plans, descriptions and data
cannot enable this determination, by reason of the nature or configuration
of the devices, fixtures, or lamps proposed, the applicant shall submit
additional evidence of compliance to enable such determination, such
as certified test reports by a recognized testing laboratory.
C.
Subdivision plat certificates. If any subdivision proposes to have
installed street or other common or public area outdoor lighting,
the final plat shall contain a statement certifying that the applicable
provisions of this chapter will be adhered to.
D.
Lamp or fixture substitution or addition. Should any outdoor light
fixture, or the type of light source therein, be changed or added
after the permit or approval has been issued, a change request must
be submitted to the Code Enforcement Officer for approval, together
with adequate information to assure compliance with this chapter.
Approval must be received prior to substitution or addition.
See the following illustrations.
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This chapter shall be effective immediately upon filing thereof
with the Secretary of State.
