(A) Purpose and intent. The purpose of this chapter is to provide minimum standards for effective, economical, and attractive outdoor lighting. It is the intent of this chapter to:
(1) Discourage excessive lighting;
(2) Minimize glare and light trespass;
(3) Create a safe environment in hours of darkness;
(4) Regulate the type of light fixtures, lamps, and standards.
(B) Applicability. These regulations apply to all newly installed or relocated outdoor lighting.
(C) Exceptions.
(1) The following are exempt from the regulations of this chapter:
(a) All hazard warning lighting required by federal and state regulatory agencies;
(b) All temporary emergency lighting required by local law enforcement, emergency service and utility departments;
(c) All traffic control and directional lighting;
(d) All underwater lighting used for the illumination of swimming pools and water features are exempt from the lamp type and shielding standards of this section;
(e) All lighting for temporary festivals and carnivals;
(f) All low wattage residential accent and landscape lighting fixtures having a maximum output of 1,600 lumens (equal to one 100-watt incandescent light) per fixture.
(2) Outdoor light fixtures permitted prior to the adoption of these regulations are exempt from the shielding requirements of this chapter. When an outdoor light fixture becomes inoperable, the replacement light fixture must comply with the standards of this chapter.
(D) Prohibitions. The following actions are prohibited:
(1) The use of any mercury vapor lamp or low-pressure sodium lamp;
(2) The use of laser source light or other similar high-intensity light for outdoor advertising;
(3) The operation of searchlights and floodlights for advertising purposes;
(4) The use of any lighting source on towers is prohibited except as required by the Federal Aviation Administration;
(5) Neon tubing, LED strip lights, and other such lighting cannot be used to outline site elements such as buildings, walls, fences, or windows.
(E) General lighting standards.
(1) All light fixtures must be fully shielded and direct light downward. Internally illuminated signs or electronic signage is exempt from this standard.
(2) Lighting sources must be directed away from reflective surfaces to minimize glare upon adjacent lots and rights-of-way.
(3) Lighting sources must be positioned in such a manner as to direct light away from adjacent lots and rights-of-way. Internally illuminated signs or electronic signage is exempt from this standard.
(4) Light pole height must not exceed 25 feet. Light fixtures in parking facilities must be designed and located to confine emitted light to the parking facility.
(5) Light fixtures must meet Town Building Code requirements.
(6) Parking lots should be illuminated with a minimum light level of one foot-candle throughout the entire parking area. Uniformity of lighting throughout the parking area should not exceed 3:1 measured as a ratio of the average light level reading taken throughout the parking area and the lowest light level reading.
(7) The color temperature of any outdoor light source must not exceed 3,500 Kelvin. Outdoor light sources used exclusively for colorful decorative illumination of certain building facade or landscape features are exempt from this requirement.
(F) Multi-family residential, business and industrial standards.
(1) All light fixtures must be positioned so that no light emitting surface is visible from a residential lot or right-of-way when viewed at ground level. Internally illuminated signs or electronic signage is exempt from this standard.
(2) Light meter readings must not exceed 0.1 foot-candles at the lot lines of any residential use and 0.3 foot-candles at the lot lines of any non-residential use.
(3) Lights on poles, stands, or mounted on a building must have a shield, adjustable reflector, and non-protruding diffuser.
(4) Canopy structures must have lights with diffusers which are recessed, and which do not extend below the surface of the canopy.
(5) Lighting under awnings and canopies must only illuminate a front building facade, a sign under an awning or canopy, or the sidewalk, but must not illuminate the awning or canopy itself.
(6) Except for security lighting, parking facility lighting must be turned off or dimmed by at least 30% within 30 minutes of closing of the last business or no later than 11:00 p.m.
(7) Outdoor sports or recreational facilities must not be illuminated after 11:00 p.m., except to conclude a scheduled recreational or sporting event in progress prior to 11:00 p.m.
(G) Sign lighting.
(1) Light fixtures used to illuminate a billboard, other than a monument sign or an internally illuminated sign, must be mounted on top of or above the sign structure and must comply with the shielding requirements of this chapter.
(2) Light fixtures used to illuminate ground mounted or monument signs may be illuminated with a ground mounted or bottom mounted light fixture, provided the light fixture is fully shielded and all light output is directed onto the sign surface.
(3) Lamps used for the internal illumination of wall signs must be turned off at 11:00 p.m. or when business closes.
(H) Lighting plans. A lighting plan for proposed outdoor lighting must include:
(1) A site plan indicating the location of all existing and proposed lighting structures, supports and light fixtures;
(2) A graphic and textual description of all existing and proposed lighting fixtures. The description may include cut sheets and illustrations by the manufacturer, lamp types, wattages, and lumen outputs;
(3) A site plan with illuminance levels superimposed on the site plan in the form of an iso foot-candle diagram or point-by-point grid diagram. Lighting levels must be depicted at ten-foot intervals or less;
(4) The iso foot-candle diagram must plot foot-candle increments of 0.5 foot-candle or less;
(5) Photometric data depicting the angle of cut off of light emissions;
(6) Any other information the Administrator determines necessary to ensure compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
(Ord. 2022-17, passed 7-19-2022)