It is the intent of this division to preserve, protect, and enhance the lawful nighttime use and enjoyment of any and all property through the use of appropriate lighting practices and systems. Such individual fixtures and lighting systems are designed, constructed, and installed to: control glare and light trespass, minimize obtrusive light, conserve energy and resources while maintaining safety, security and productivity, and curtail the degradation of the nighttime visual environment.
(Ordinance 1999-12-00426.1 adopted 12/6/99; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
Cut-off angle (of a luminaire).
The angle, measured up from the nadir, between the vertical axis and the first line of sight at which the bare source is not visible.
Footcandle.
A unit of illuminance amounting to one (1) lumen per square foot.
Full cut-off type fixture.
A luminaire or light fixture that, by design of the housing, does not allow any light dispersion or direct glare to shine above a ninety degree (90°) horizontal plane from the base of the fixture. Full cut-off fixtures must be installed in a horizontal position as designed, or the purpose of the design is defeated.
Fully shielded.
A fully shielded luminaire is a luminaire constructed or shielded in such a manner that all light emitted by the luminaire, either directly from the lamp or indirectly from the luminaire, is projected below the horizontal plane through the luminaire's lowest light-emitting part as determined by photometry test or certified by the manufacturer. Fixtures will be installed in a horizontal position as designed, or disability glare will result.
Glare.
The sensation produced by luminance within the visual field that is sufficiently greater than the luminance to which the eyes are adapted to cause annoyance, discomfort, or loss in visual performance and visibility.
Illuminance.
The quantity of light, or luminous flux, arriving at a surface divided by the area of the illuminated surface, measured in lux or footcandles.
Light trespass.
Light emitted by a lighting installation which falls outside the boundaries of the property on which the installation is sited.
Luminaire.
A complete lighting unit consisting of a lamp or lamps together with the parts designed to distribute the light, to position and protect the lamps and to connect the lamps to the power supply.
Luminance.
The physical quantity corresponding to the brightness of a surface (e.g., a lamp, luminaire, sky, or reflecting material) in a specified direction. It is the luminous intensity of a area of the surface divided by that area. The unit is candela per square meter.
Lux (lx).
The SI unit of illuminance. One (1) lux is one (1) lumen per square meter.
Obtrusive light.
Spill light which, because of quantitative, directional or spectral context, gives rise to annoyance, discomfort, distraction or a reduction in the ability to see essential information.
Spill light.
Light emitted by lighting installation that falls outside the boundaries of the property on which the installation is sited.
Up-lighting.
Any light source that distributes illumination above a ninety degree (90°) horizontal plane.
(Ordinance 1999-12-00426.1 adopted 12/6/99; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
(a) 
Curfew.
All nonessential lighting in any district will be required to be turned off after business hours in the commercial zones and after midnight in residential areas, leaving only the necessary lighting for site security. The nonessential lighting shall remain off until dawn or one-half hour before a business opens, whichever is earlier. "Nonessential" can apply, but is not limited to: display, aesthetic, parking, sign lighting, playground, or yard lights excluding seasonal lighting in residential.
(b) 
Light trespass limits.
No use or operation in any district shall be located or concentrated so as to produce intense glare or direct illumination across the bounding property line for a visible source of illumination nor shall any such light be of such intensity as to create a nuisance or detract from the use and enjoyment of adjacent property. The pre-curfew illuminance level measured on the property line at eye height on a plane perpendicular to the line of sight shall be no greater than three (3) lux. The post-curfew illuminance level measured on the property line at eye height on a plane perpendicular to the line of sight shall be no greater than one (1) lux.
(c) 
Streetlights.
All street or other common or public area pole-mounted lights shall be fully shielded. General requirements applicable to all outdoor lighting:
(1) 
When the outdoor lighting installation or replacement is part of a development proposal for which a site plan or plat is required under these regulations, the planning and zoning commission shall review and recommend approval or disapproval to the city council for the lighting installation as part of its site plan or platting process. All other lighting installations or replacements shall be reviewed for compliance with this chapter, and approved or denied by the city manager or his or her designee.
(2) 
Exterior lighting fixtures, whether attached to a building and/or freestanding, shall be of harmonious design.
(3) 
The applicant shall submit to the city sufficient information, in the form of an overall exterior lighting plan, to enable the city to determine that the applicable provisions will be satisfied. The lighting plan shall include subsections (A) through (E) below and also conform to subsections (F) through (M) below:
(A) 
A site plan, drawn to a scale of one-inch equaling twenty feet (20'), showing buildings, landscaping, parking area, and all proposed exterior fixtures including lamps, supports, reflectors and other devices.
(B) 
Specifications for all proposed lighting fixtures including photometric data, designation as IESNA full cut-off fixtures where required, and other descriptive information on the fixtures.
(C) 
Proposed mounting height of all exterior mounting fixtures.
(D) 
Luminance level diagrams showing that the proposed installation conforms to the lighting level standards in this chapter.
(E) 
Drawings of all relevant building elevations showing the fixtures, the portions of the walls to be illuminated, the illuminance levels of the walls, and the aiming points for any remote light fixtures.
(F) 
All exterior floodlights, pole lights, and carriage lights should be designed or retrofitted with shielding in a manner such that all of the luminous flux falls upon either the surface of the structure to be illuminated or on the ground wholly within the property on which it is installed.
(G) 
All new lighting installations shall include timers, dimmers, and/or sensors to reduce overall energy consumption, and eliminate unneeded lighting when required by the planning and zoning commission and city council.
(H) 
When an outdoor lighting installation is being modified, extended, expanded, or added to, the entire outdoor lighting installation shall be subject to the requirements of this section, and shall be reviewed by the city manager or his or her designee.
(I) 
Expansions, additions, or replacements to outdoor lighting installations shall be designed to avoid harsh contrasts in color and/or lighting levels.
(J) 
Electrical service to outdoor lighting fixtures shall be underground.
(K) 
Proposed lighting installations that are not covered by the special provisions in this chapter may be approved only if the planning and zoning commission and city council find they are designed to minimize glare, do not direct light beyond the boundaries of the area being illuminated or onto adjacent properties or streets, and do not result in excessive lighting levels.
(L) 
In the case of flags, statues, or other top-of-pole mounted objects which cannot be illuminated with down-lighting, upward lighting may be used only in the form of one narrow-cone spotlight which confines the illumination to the object of interest.
(M) 
Shielding requirements.
Full cut-off shielding is required on undirected light sources of one hundred fifty watts (150 W) or greater, and for directed or focused light sources with spot output of one hundred watts (100 W) or greater, not to exceed one thousand eight hundred lux (1,800 lx).
(4) 
Lighting plans, written according to the requirements listed in subsections (3)(A), (B), (C) and (D) of this section, shall contain descriptive data sufficiently complete to enable the plans examiners to readily determine whether compliance with this chapter has been met. If such plans do not enable this ready determination by reason of the nature or configuration of the proposed devices, fixtures or lamps, the applicant may be required to submit analyses and data performed and certified by a recognized testing laboratory as evidence of compliance.
(5) 
Should any outdoor light fixtures or the type of light source therein be changed after the plan has been filed and approved, a change request must be submitted to the city for approval. The lighting plan change request must be received by the city prior to the change and it must contain adequate information to assure compliance with this chapter.
(d) 
Security lighting.
(1) 
For the purposes of this section, security lighting is defined as lighting primarily designed to illuminate a fence line, barn or outdoor building which is intended to reduce the risk (real or perceived) of personal attack, to discourage intruders, vandals, or burglars, and to protect property.
(2) 
All lighting districts.
(A) 
All security lighting fixtures shall be shielded and aimed so that illumination is directed only within the owner's property boundaries and not cast on other areas. In no case shall lighting be directed above a horizontal plane through the top of the lighting fixture, and the fixture shall include shields that prevent the light source or lens from being visible from adjacent properties and roadways. The use of general floodlighting fixtures shall be prohibited unless it meets the shielding requirements of this chapter.
(B) 
Security lighting may illuminate vertical surfaces (e.g. building facades and walls) up to a level eight feet (8') above grade or eight feet (8') above the bottoms of doorways or entries, whichever is greater.
(C) 
Security lighting fixtures may be mounted on poles located no less than ten feet (10') from the perimeter of the property boundary.
(D) 
Security lights intended to illuminate a perimeter (such as a fence line) shall include motion sensors and be designed to be off unless triggered by an intruder located within five feet (5') of the perimeter. The zone of activation sensors must be within the property boundaries of the property wishing to be illuminated.
(E) 
Security lights shall combine timers with dusk-to-dawn photocells to ensure lights are on only when it is dark.
(F) 
Security lighting standards in the various lighting districts are as shown in appendix A, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA).
(G) 
In addition to the application materials set forth in the general provisions of this chapter, applications for security lighting installations shall include a written description of the need for and purposes of the security lighting, a site plan showing the area to be secured and the location of all security lighting fixtures, specifications of all fixtures, the horizontal and vertical angles in which light will be directed, and adequate cross-sections showing how light will be directed only onto the area to be secured.
(Ordinance 2007-08-00595 adopted 8/2/07; Ordinance 2015-08-00816 adopted 8/20/15; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
Lighting installed and maintained by a public utility company or a public cooperative installed prior to May 1, 1995 amending this section shall be exempt.
(Ordinance 2007-08-00595 adopted 8/2/07; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
The following provisions shall apply to all nonresidential land uses including, but not limited to, commercial, light industrial, industrial, open space and public/municipal.
(1) 
All parking area lighting shall be full cut-off type fixtures. Pole-mounted lights shall be a maximum height of twenty-five feet (25'), measured from ground level to the base of the light fixture.
(2) 
All building lighting for security or aesthetics will be full cut-off or a shielded type, not allowing any upward distribution of light, and shall not exceed a height of twenty-five feet (25'), measured from ground level. Floodlighting is discouraged, and if used, must be shielded to prevent:
(A) 
Disability glare for drivers or pedestrians.
(B) 
Light trespass beyond the property line.
(C) 
Light above a ninety degree (90°) horizontal plane.
(3) 
Unshielded wall-pack type fixtures are unacceptable.
(4) 
Adjacent to residential property, no direct light source will be visible at the property line at ground level or above.
(5) 
Externally lit signs, display, building and aesthetic lighting must be lit from the top and shine downward. The lighting must be shielded to prevent direct glare and/or light trespass. The lighting must also be, as much as physically possible, contained to the target area. Internally lighted signs are acceptable. (See article 3.16 of chapter 3 for further restrictions on lighted signs.)
(6) 
The "maintained horizontal illuminance recommendations" set by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) shall be observed.
(Ordinance 1999-12-00426.1 adopted 12/6/99; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
(a) 
A photo-metric light plan shall be included in all site plans and shall include, but not be limited to, locations, size, height, orientation, wattage, design and plans of all outdoor lighting and lighted signs. For site plans showing a high level of illumination, the commission may require an isolux plan indicating levels of illumination in footcandles, at ground level. The plan shall adhere to the "maintained horizontal illuminance recommendations" set by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA). (See appendix A.)
(b) 
Should any outdoor light fixture or the type of light source be changed after the site plan has been approved, a change request must be submitted in writing to the building inspector for his approval, together with adequate information to assure compliance with this division, which must be received prior to substitution.
(Ordinance 2007-08-00595 adopted 8/2/07; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
(a) 
Any person may submit a written request, on a form prepared by the city, to the development services director for a temporary lighting exemption request. A temporary exemption shall contain the following information:
(1) 
Specific exemption or exemptions requested.
(2) 
Duration of time requested for exemption.
(3) 
Type of lamp(s), fixture(s) and shielding provided.
(4) 
Total wattage of lamp or lamps.
(5) 
Proposed location on premises of the outdoor light fixture(s), including height.
(b) 
Such other data and information as may be required by the development services director:
(1) 
Notice to affected property owners of the event seventy-two (72) hours in advance of the event date.
(2) 
A site plan indicating protection of surrounding property owners from light glare.
(c) 
The development services director shall have five (5) business days from the date of submission of the request for temporary exemption to act, in writing, on the request. If approved, the exemption shall be valid for not more than thirty (30) days from the date of issuance of the approval. The approval shall be renewable at the discretion of the development services director upon a consideration of all the circumstances. Each such renewed exemption shall be valid for not more than thirty (30) days.
(Ordinance 1999-12-00426.1 adopted 12/6/99; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
(a) 
Existing lighting in conflict with this division shall be classified as nonconforming.
(b) 
Nonconforming lighting shall not be altered, rebuilt, enlarged, extended, or relocated, unless doing so brings it into conformance.
(c) 
Nonconforming lighting shall not be permitted to remain after cessation or change of the business or activity to which the lighting pertains.
(Ordinance 1999-12-00426.1 adopted 12/6/99; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
The duties and responsibilities of administering this division shall be vested in the city manager or designee, the planning and zoning commission, or such other person as may be designated from time-to-time by the mayor.
(Ordinance 1999-12-00426.1 adopted 12/6/99; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this division shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a penalty or fine not to exceed the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each offense, and each and every day such offense is continued shall constitute a new and separate offense.
(Ordinance 1999-12-00426.1 adopted 12/6/99; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)
The board of adjustment shall have authority to grant variances from the provisions of this division in accordance with article 14.02, division 2, of this chapter.
Appendix A. IES Maintained Horizontal Illuminance Recommendations
General Parking and Pedestrian
(footcandles)
Vehicle Use Area Only
(footcandles)
Parking Lot Levels of Activity
(examples)
Ave.
Min.
U. Ratio
Ave.
Min.
U. Ratio
HIGH
3.6
0.9
4:1
2.0
0.67
3.1
Major league athletic events
Major cultural or civic events
Regional shopping centers
Fast food facilities
MEDIUM
2.4
0.6
4:1
1.0
0.33
3:1
Community shopping centers
Cultural, civic or recreational events
Office parks
Hospital parking
Transportation parking
Residential complex parking
LOW
0.8
0.2
4:1
0.5
0.13
4:1
Neighborhood shopping
Industrial employee parking
Educational facility parking
Church parking
(Ordinance 1999-12-00426.1 adopted 12/6/99; Ordinance 2024-03-00998 adopted 3/21/2024)