1. Purpose: The purpose of this Section 11-04-011 is to provide for exterior lighting to enhance safety, minimize light trespass from developed areas, reduce sky-glow, improve nighttime visibility through glare reduction, encourage lighting techniques and systems that conserve energy, reduce the adverse effects light can have to wildlife behavior and reproduction, and reduce development impact on nighttime environments.
2. Applicability:
A. All outdoor lighting in all zoning districts shall comply with the standards in this Section 11-04-011 unless exempted by Subsection B below or by another provision of this Code.
B. The following are exempt from this Section 11-04-011:
(1) Luminaires with lamps of 100 watts or less in Residential zoning districts;
(2) Emergency lighting used by police, fire fighting, or medical personnel, or at their direction;
(3) Traffic control devices and luminaires on these devices installed by the City or other governmental entity;
(4) Navigational lighting systems at airports and other lighting necessary for aircraft safety;
(5) Holiday lighting and seasonal decorations using typical unshielded low-intensity incandescent lamps; and
(6) Lighting for temporary festivals, carnivals, or other amusements lasting less than 14 consecutive days, provided the lighting is turned off within 30 minutes after the last event of each day.
3. Prohibited Lighting: The following types of exterior lighting are prohibited:
A. Any lighting that could interfere with the safe movement of motor vehicles, bicycles, or pedestrians on public or private streets;
B. Searchlights and rotating beacons;
C. Laser, strobe, and or flashing light sources or any similar high intensity light for outdoor advertising or entertainment;
D. Mercury vapor and low-pressure sodium lighting; and
E. Tower lighting, unless required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
4. General Standards: All exterior lighting for all uses, other than the I-2 zoning district, shall comply with the following standards.
A. Lighting Types and Efficiency:
(1) Light sources shall be color-correct types such as Halogen, LED, or metal halide.
(2) All lighting shall have a nominal correlated color temperature (CCT) of no greater than 3,500 degrees Kelvin.
(3) All exterior light fixtures shall generate at least 80 lumens per watt of energy consumed, as shown on the manufacturers' specifications for the fixture.
B. Shielding:
(1) All lighting fixtures, except motion detector-activated lighting, shall be fully shielded so that the lighting element is not visible to an observer at any property line.
(2) Unless otherwise specified, all lighting fixtures shall be full cutoff type as installed.
(3) A lighting fixture may beam light upward only if all upward light is reflected back down by a canopy, roof, or other such structure.
C. Light Trespass: All lighting shall be designed so that the lighting level at each property line that does not front on a public or private street shall not exceed 1.0 footcandle.
D. Reduced Lighting During Evening Hours: All outdoor light fixtures within Residential, Mixed-Use, Industrial, and Open Land districts shall remain off between 11:00 p.m. and sunrise except for security purposes or to illuminate walkways, driveways, equipment yards, and parking lots.
E. Maintenance: All outdoor light fixtures shall be maintained in accordance with Section 11-04-013.2, Exterior Lighting.
F. Parking Lots or Areas:
(1) Average luminance values in surface parking areas shall be a maximum of four footcandles.
(2) Parking lot poles shall not exceed 20 feet in height.
(3) Pedestrian walkways and bicycle paths in parking areas shall be lit with pedestrian-scale lighting as described in Subsection H, below.
G. Canopy Lighting: Light fixtures installed in canopies, pavilions, drive-through bays, or similar structures shall be flush-mounted or recessed above the lower edge of the canopy and shall be equipped with flat lenses that do not project below the canopy ceiling. The canopy fascia shall not be internally illuminated.
H. Pedestrian-Scaled Lighting: All on-site pedestrian walkways shall be lit with bollard lamps with shatterproof lamp coverings that direct light downwards, mounted no higher than four feet above grade.
I. Lighting Within Planter Islands and Landscape Buffers: Lighting fixtures and poles shall not be located in planter islands or landscape buffers or in any location that will in the future interfere with the natural growth of required trees.
5. Alternative Compliance:
A. Purpose: The purpose of this Section to provide for alternative means to meet the intended purposes of the exterior lighting requirements in this Section 11-04-011 when explicit compliance is not practicable or the alternative means are superior to what is required.
B. Process: The applicant shall request Alternative Compliance in conjunction with the submittal of a Zoning Certificate, Conditional Use Permit, or Design Review application, or upon the determination that the development does not comply with the specific provisions of this Section 11-04-011, at the applicant's option. The request will be considered by the same approval body as the base application. The request shall specify:
(1) The specific requirements that are proposed to be modified;
(2) The reasons for the modification; and
(3) A demonstration of how the alternative means for compliance meets the requirements' intended purpose.
C. Required Findings: An application for Alternative Compliance related to alternative lighting designs, materials, or methods of installation or operation not specifically prescribed by this Code may be approved if the Planning Director determines that:
(1) The Alternative Compliance provides an equal or superior means for meeting the requirements of this Section 11-04-011; and
(2) The alternative means will not be detrimental to the public welfare or adversely affect the uses and character of surrounding properties.
6. Historic Street Lights:
A. Applicability: The applicant shall install historic street lights in the following areas:
(1) Historic Districts;
(2) The Downtown Planning Area;
(3) Any other areas with historic character; and
(4) The shaded areas in the Downtown Historic Street Light Area shown in Figure 4.43;
(5) The shaded street frontages on the Harrison Boulevard and Hyde Park Historic Street Light Areas shown in Figure 4.44 and 4.45.
(6) The shaded street frontages on the Vista Historic Street Light Area shown on Figure 4.46, below.
(7) The shaded street frontages on the Warm Springs Historic Street Light Area shown on Figure 4.47.
B. General Standards: Where required, historic street lights shall comply with the lighting and spacing requirements in this Subsection B, unless an exception to these standards in Subsection C applies.
(1) General:
(a) These standards establish general location requirements only; exact locations will be determined in consultation with the Director of Public Works.
(b) Historic street lights shall be located to match the street light on the opposite side of the street.
(c) When replacement is required, historic street lights shall be replaced in the same location.
(2) By Sub-District:
(a) Downtown District: As required by the latest approved Capital City Development Corporation design standards, except that the Grove Plaza, 30th Street Area, and Broad Street shall instead comply with the standards in Subsection C below.
(b) Vista Avenue District: Three lights per block evenly spaced along both sides of the street.
(c) Harrison Boulevard District: Lights shall be located at either end of the street and in each center island.
(d) Hyde Park District: 65 to 75 feet spacing, on both sides of the street.
(e) Warm Springs District: Three lights per block evenly spaced along both sides of the street.
C. Exceptions to General Standards:
(1) The Grove Plaza: Street lights in the Grove Plaza shown in Figure 4.48 shall be the Landscape Forms FGP 12 foot light, using model numbers and light requirements obtained from the Public Works Department, and with locations of light fixtures to be determined by the Public Works Department.
(2) 30th Street Area: Streetlights on Main Street south to I-184 and within the district boundary east and west, as shown on Figure 4.49, shall comply with the following standards:
(a) The light fixture for this area is the EPAX Eurotique Aluminum Pole Series 12 foot light, using model numbers and light requirements obtained from the Public Works Department.
(b) On east-west streets, four lights per block shall be installed and shall be evenly spaced.
(c) On north-south streets a light shall be installed at each alley.
(d) Locations of light fixtures shall be determined by the Public Works Department.
(3) Broad Street: Street lights on Broad Street from Capitol Boulevard to Second Street, as shown on Figure 4.50, shall comply with the following standards.
(a) The light fixture for this area is the EPAX Eurotique Aluminum Pole Series 12 foot, Eurotique Arms and Antique Street Lamps Munich Pendant, using model numbers and light requirements obtained from the Public Works Department.
(b) Light locations are to be determined by the Public Works Department.
D. Installation:
(1) All historic street lights shall be installed and paid for by the developer of the project, shall meet current Public Works standards and be approved and inspected by the Public Works Department.
(2) If the installation is not associated with a specific development, the applicant shall contract the work with technical assistance provided by the Public Works Department.
(3) Upon completion and successful inspection, the Public Works Department will accept ownership of the lights and assume responsibility for operation and maintenance costs. (Ord. 27-23, 7-18-2023, eff. 12-1-2023; amd. Ord. 43-23, 12-5-2023)