For the purposes of this article, the following definitions
shall apply, unless clearly indicated to contrary:
Direct light.
Light emitted directly from the lamp, off of the reflector
or reflector diffuser, or through the refractor or diffuser lens,
of a luminaire.
Fixture.
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.
Flood or spotlight.
Any light fixture or lamp that incorporates a reflector or
a refractor to concentrate the light output into a directed beam in
a particular direction.
Fully shielded.
A technique or method of construction and/or manufacture
which does not allow any light dispersion to shine above the horizontal
plane from the highest light-emitting point of the light fixture.
In addition, the light emitting, distributing, reflecting and refracting
components of the light fixture, i.e., lamp, lens, reflective surface,
etc., shall not extend beyond the shielding of the fixture. Any structural
part of the light fixture providing this shielding shall be permanently
affixed to the light fixture.
Glare.
Artificial light that causes annoyance, discomfort, or loss
of visual performance and visibility.
Height of luminaire.
The height of a luminaire shall be the vertical distance
from the ground directly below the centerline of the luminaire to
the lowest direct-light-emitting part of the luminaire.
High intensity discharge (HID).
An electric lamp that produces light directly from an arc
discharge under high pressure. Metal halide, high-pressure sodium,
and mercury vapor are types of HID lamps.
High-pressure sodium.
A type of HID lamp that uses sodium under high pressure as
the primary light-producing element. These lights produce a golden
white color and are typically used for interior industrial applications,
such as in warehouses and manufacturing, and for security, street,
and area lighting.
Indirect light.
Direct light that has been reflected or has scattered off
of other surfaces.
Installed.
The initial installation of outdoor light fixtures defined
herein, following the effective date of this article. A project with
an approved building permit prior to the effective date of this article
is excluded from compliance with this article for the initial installation
only.
Lamp.
The component of a luminaire that produces the actual light.
Light pollution.
Any artificial light that causes a detrimental effect through
uplighting on the environment or causes undesirable glare or light
trespass.
Light trespass.
The shining of light produced by a luminaire beyond the boundaries
of the property on which it is located.
Low-pressure sodium.
A discharge lamp in which light is produced by radiation
from sodium vapor operating at a low pressure (0.1 - 1.5 pascals).
Low-pressure sodium is commonly used for outdoor, roadway, parking
lot, and pathway lighting and light output is monochromatic yellow.
Lumen.
A unit of luminous flux. One footcandle is one lumen per
square foot. For the purposes of this article, the lumen-output values
shall be the initial lumen output ratings of a lamp.
Luminaire.
This is a complete lighting system, and includes a lamp or
lamps and a fixture.
Metal halide.
A HID light source in which radiation from a mixture of metallic
vapors produces visible light, characterized by a white color.
Outdoor light fixtures.
Outdoor electrically powered illuminating devices, outdoor
light or reflective or refractive surfaces, lamps and similar devices
including all parts used to distribute the light and/or protect the
lamp, permanently installed or portable, used for flood lighting,
general illumination or advertisement. Such devices shall include,
but are not limited to, lights for:
(1)
Buildings and structures, including canopies and overhangs;
(6)
Display and service areas; and
Outdoor lighting.
The nighttime illumination of an outside area or object by
any man-made device located outdoors that produces light by any means.
Outdoor recreation facility.
An area designed for active recreation, whether publicly
or privately owned, including, but not limited to, baseball and softball
diamonds, soccer and football fields, golf courses, tennis courts
and swimming pools.
Partially shielded.
An outdoor light fixture designed or constructed so that
ninety-five percent (95%) of the light rays emitted by the fixture
are projected below the horizontal plane passing through the photometric
center of the fixture from which the light is emitted.
Temporary outdoor lighting.
The specific illumination of an outside area or object by
any man-made device located outdoors that produces light by any means
for a period of less than 7 days, with at least 180 days passing before
being used again.
Uplighting.
Any artificial light source that distributes light above
an imaginary horizontal plane passing through the highest light-emitting
point of the light fixture.
Wall pack.
A building-mounted luminaire installed for the purpose of
lighting the adjacent ground areas, walkways, streets and/or parking
lots.
(Ordinance 2003-08-01, sec. 1, adopted 8/7/03)
(a) Notice of violation; legal actions.
If, after investigation,
the code enforcement officer finds that any provision of this article
is being violated, he shall give notice by hand delivery or by certified
mail, return receipt requested, of such violation to the owner and/or
to the occupant of such premises, requesting that the violation be
abated within thirty (30) days of the date of hand delivery or of
the date of mailing of the notice. If the violation is not abated
within the thirty-day period, the code enforcement officer may institute
actions and proceedings, either legal or equitable, to enjoin, restrain,
or abate any violations of this article and to collect the penalties
for such violations.
(b) Penalty.
A violation of this article, or any provision thereof, shall be punishable by a criminal penalty in accordance with the general penalty provided in section
1.01.009 of this code, and each day of violation after the expiration of the thirty-day period provided in subsection
(a) of this section shall constitute a separate offense for the purpose of calculating the civil penalty.
(Ordinance 2003-08-01, sec. 6, adopted 8/7/03; Ordinance adopting 2018 Code)
(a) Shielding.
All outdoor light fixtures installed after
the effective date of this article and thereafter maintained upon
private property used for commercial, industrial or multifamily purposes
shall be fully shielded in accordance with table 1. In addition, light
trespass and glare shall be limited to a reasonable level through
the use of shielding, and directional lighting methods, including,
but not limited to, fixture location and height. Refer to figures
1.1 and 1.2 for shielding examples. Lighting in the public right-of-way
is exempted from this article.
Table 1
|
---|
Fixture Lamp Type
|
Shielding
|
---|
Low-pressure sodium
|
Partial
|
High-pressure sodium
|
Fully
|
Metal halide
|
Fully
|
Fluorescent
|
Fully
|
Quartz
|
Fully
|
Incandescent greater than 160 watts
|
Fully
|
Incandescent less than 160 watts
|
None
|
Any light source 100 watts or less
|
None
|
Glass tubes filled with neon, argon or krypton
|
None
|
Other
|
Determined by city
|
Figure 1.1. Fully Shielded Fixture
|
Figure 1.2. Partially Shielded Fixture
|
(b) Externally illuminated signs and building identification.
Externally illuminated signs, advertising displays, billboards, and
building identification shall use top mounted light fixtures which
shine light downward and which are fully shielded.
(c) Low-pressure sodium lighting.
Low-pressure sodium lighting
by itself shall not be used in outdoor light fixtures due to poor
color rendition and the need by public safety personnel to identify
color in the nighttime environment. A combination of low-pressure
sodium lighting and other type(s) of lighting, such as fluorescent,
may be used if color rendition can be maintained.
(d) Illumination of flags or other objects on pole or platform.
Outdoor light fixtures used to illuminate flags, statues, or
any other objects mounted on a pole, pedestal, or platform shall use
a very narrow cone of light for the purpose of confining the light
to the object of interest and minimize spill-light and glare.
(e) Outdoor recreational facilities.
Outdoor light fixtures
used for outdoor recreational facilities shall be fully shielded except
when such shielding would cause an impairment to the visibility required
in the intended recreational activity. In such cases, partially shielded
fixtures and directional lighting methods shall be utilized to limit
light pollution, glare and light trespass to a reasonable level, as
determined by the city, without diminishing the performance standards
of the intended recreational activity. Illumination from recreational
facility light fixtures shall be shielded to minimize glare extending
toward roadways where impairment of motorist vision might cause a
hazard.
(f) Light trespass on adjacent property.
Light trespass
on adjacent residential or unlighted properties shall be minimized
by complying with the following:
(1) Provide material, methods, and designs so that no more than 0.25
footcandle is measured at the property line of the adjacent property
and at six feet, six inches above the ground.
(2) Wall packs shall not be mounted higher above the ground than their
distance to the lot (property) line unless they are mounted so as
to direct the light away from the adjacent property, i.e., on a wall
on the property line, but directed inward.
(3) Where the adjacent property is residential, all lighting shall be
arranged so as to direct the light away from the adjacent property.
(g) Glare.
Direct or nuisance glare shall be minimized by
compliance with the following luminaire construction and mounting
height requirements:
(1) Wall pack type luminaries may be partially shielded if they are mounted
so as to direct the light away from the adjacent property or if the
adjacent property is commercial.
(2) All wall packs shall have optics designed to direct the light away
from the wall and shall incorporate internal house (wall) side shields,
baffles or reflectors to minimize wall brightness.
(3) All building-mounted luminaries shall be a maximum of fifteen feet,
zero inches in height above ground to the luminaire in residential
areas, and a maximum of twenty feet, zero inches in height above ground
to the luminaire in all other areas.
(h) Height of freestanding luminaires.
Freestanding luminaries
are permitted to be a maximum of thirty (30) feet in height. When
a luminary is located within one hundred (100) feet of residential
property, the maximum permitted height shall be twenty-five (25) feet.
Freestanding luminaries shall be fully shielded.
(i) Time of operation.
(1) On-premises advertising signs may be illuminated all night;
(2) Outdoor recreational facilities may remain lighted past ten p.m.
to complete recreational activities that are in progress and under
illumination at ten p.m. and still be in conformance with this article,
i.e., activities in progress may complete after ten p.m., but they
cannot start under illumination after ten p.m.
(Ordinance 2003-08-01, sec. 2, adopted 8/7/03)
(a) All
outdoor light fixtures existing and legally installed prior to the
effective date of this article are exempt from the provisions of this
article; provided, however, that no replacement, structural alteration,
or restoration of outdoor light fixtures shall be made unless it thereafter
conforms to the provisions of this article. However, exemptions shall
be granted to this conformance standard if:
(1) Utilization of conforming outdoor light fixtures would have the effect
of decreasing the lighting levels to below the minimum illumination
levels required by the city, and the additional cost necessary to
meet the minimum illumination levels would pose an unreasonable financial
burden; and/or
(2) Utilization of conforming outdoor light fixtures would negatively
impact the aesthetic quality/architectural design of the property
or immediate area by mixing substantially different styles and types
of fixtures/poles.
(b) All
outdoor light fixtures producing light directly by the combustion
of fossil fuels, such as kerosene lanterns or gas lamps, are exempt
from the requirements of this article.
(c) Temporary
lights used for holiday decorations are exempt from the requirements
of this article during holiday periods.
(d) Construction
or emergency lighting is exempt, provided such lighting is temporary
and is discontinued immediately upon completion of the construction
work or abatement of the emergency necessitating said lighting.
(e) Signs
of the type constructed of translucent materials and wholly illuminated
from within are exempt from the shielding requirement.
(f) All
temporary emergency lighting needed by the police or fire departments
or other emergency services, as well as all vehicular luminaires,
shall be exempt from the requirements of this article.
(Ordinance 2003-08-01, sec. 3, adopted 8/7/03)
(a) Light or glare on residential properties.
Exterior lighting
luminaries existing on the effective date of this article which are
found to direct light or glare onto residential properties may be
declared a public nuisance if the level of illumination on residential
property is greater than 0.25 footcandle. Such fixtures shall be altered
to comply with the provisions of this article within two (2) months
of receiving a written notice of violation from the city.
(b) Prohibited fixtures and lamps.
The installation, sale, offering for sale, lease or purchase of any low-pressure sodium, high-pressure sodium, metal halide, fluorescent, quartz or incandescent outdoor lighting fixture or lamp the use of which is not allowed by table 1 in section
4.07.003 is prohibited.
(c) 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.
(d) Searchlights.
The operation of searchlights in the city
is prohibited.
(Ordinance 2003-08-01, sec. 4, adopted 8/7/03)
(a) The
city may grant a temporary exemption, as defined herein, for such
activities including, but not limited to, circuses, fairs, carnivals,
sporting events, and promotional activities, if the following apply:
(1) The purpose for which the lighting is proposed is not intended to
extend beyond thirty (30) days:
(2) The proposed lighting is designed in such a manner as to minimize
light pollution as much as feasible; and
(3) The proposed lighting will comply with the general intent of this
article.
(b) The
application for a temporary exemption shall include the following
information:
(1) Name and address of the applicant and property owner;
(2) Location of proposed fixtures;
(3) Type, wattage and lumen output of lamp(s);
(4) Type and shielding of proposed fixture(s);
(5) Intended use of lighting:
(6) Duration of time for requested exemption;
(7) The nature of the exemption;
(8) Such other information as the city may request.
(c) The
city may grant one (1) renewal of the application for up to an additional
thirty (30) days if, because of an unanticipated change in circumstances,
a renewal would be in the public interest. The city will not grant
more than one (1) thirty (30) day temporary exemption and one (1)
renewal for up to a thirty (30) day period for the same property within
one (12) month period.
(Ordinance 2003-08-01, sec. 5, adopted 8/7/03)