The following general standards and regulations shall apply to all outdoor lighting installed after the effective date of this chapter with the exception of lighting which is exempt pursuant to the section addressing grandfather clauses.
(A) Residential and commercial outdoor lighting fixtures and devices shall be fully-shielded and aimed downward in such a manner that light rays emitted by a fixture whether directly from a bulb or from the fixture, are restricted to regions below an angle 15 degrees beneath the horizontal plane running through the point on the fixture where the light is emitted.
(B) Wall mounted fixtures shall be limited to a total light output of 3,000 lumens (such as a 150-watt incandescent bulb).
(C) Wall mounted fixtures shall be fully shielded and limited to 1 per every 400 square feet of wall surface.
(D) Pole mounted fixtures shall be fully shielded and limited to 9,500 lumens (such as a 100- watt high pressure sodium bulb) and the number of said fixtures shall be limited to 1 per every 8,000 square feet of ground surface area. Pole mounted fixtures need not be limited to a maximum of 9,500 lumens for taller poles, which may be necessary for very large parking lots.
(E) Fully shielded condition can be accomplished for fixtures rated no greater than 60 watts by using a surrounding architectural structure. Opaque awnings can be used to meet this condition.
(F) If a motion sensor is used, unshielded lights may be up to 1800 total lumens per fixture, provided that the lights do not remain on longer than 10 minutes after being triggered, are aimed at least 45 degrees below the horizontal and are not aimed onto adjacent property. If a motion sensor is used, a single unshielded light fixture per structure may be allowed up to 1800 total lumens per fixture and the light is not visual from the adjacent property.
(G) Any light shining onto an adjacent property or street which results in light trespass, nuisance glare or a disabling glare shall not be permitted.
(H) Lighting, other than street lights, mounted on poles or structures shall not exceed a mounting height of 15 feet. If needed, additional shielding shall be added to the light fixture to eliminate light trespass and disabling glare. For very large parking lots, mounting height will be allowed to be increased to 18 feet provided the lighting plan shows that light trespass limits will be met.
(I) Existing fixtures may be adapted to comply with this chapter by adding a properly designed fully shielded structure.
(J) Lighting for signs shall be directed downward onto the sign’s surface and not toward the sky or adjacent properties. Such lighting shall be limited to 1800 initial lumens (such as a 100-watt incandescent bulb) per every 15 square feet of sign surface.
(K) Up lighting on landscaping and foliage shall be limited to 900 initial lumens (such as a 40-watt incandescent bulb) with a limit of one lamp fixture per each 900 square feet of landscaped area, and shall not be operated dusk to dawn.
(L) Up lighting for architectural illumination is permitted provided that the total output is less than 5,400 initial lumens per 3,000 square feet of wall surface area and less than 1,800 initial lumens per fixture (such as a 100-watt incandescent bulb). No illumination may project beyond the highest point of the structure or beyond the structure’s edges. Side shielding shall be used to avoid light trespass or glare. Up lighting shall not be operated dusk to dawn.
(M) Flag illumination is limited to 800 initial lumens (such as a 40-watt incandescent bulb) and when possible shall originate from a fixture at the top of the pole, and aimed downward. Flags are encouraged to be raised in the morning and lowered at night per tradition to avoid artificial illumination.
(N) Internally illuminated signs shall be constructed so that the top of the sign does not allow light to emit directly towards the sky and so that the light is encased all the way around.
(O) Any light source permitted by this chapter may be used to light 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 all of the following conditions are met:
(P) All fixtures used for event lighting shall be fully shielded as defined in this chapter, or be designed with or provided with sharp cut-off capability so as to minimize up light, spill light, light trespass and glare. Such installations shall be placed per manufacturer’s recommendations and in a manner to maximize shielding. Metal Halide lighting shall not be allowed except where pure color needs to be rendered and all metal halide sources shall be extinguished before 11:30 p.m.
(Q) All events shall be scheduled so that all activity is complete before or as near to 11:00 p.m. as practical. Under no circumstance shall any illumination of the playing field, court or track be permitted after 11:30 p.m. except to conclude a scheduled event that was in progress before 11:00 p.m. and circumstances prevented conclusion by 11:00 p.m.
(R) In order to comply with The New Mexico Night Sky Protection Act mercury vapor lamps shall not be sold, re-lamped, or installed in the town. A suggested replacement is high pressure sodium lights.
(S) Parking lot lighting shall be shut off by 11:00 p.m. unless a specific scheduled event requires parking lot lighting to be left on until the event is finished. In this situation, the lights shall be shut off within a reasonable period of time following the event
(T) Light emitted from inside of a structure to the outside of the structure shall be subject to control by this chapter if it is determined that such light constitutes a nuisance glare, a nuisance light trespass or a disabling glare as defined by this chapter, and should therefore be treated as if it were outdoor lighting.
(Ord. 663, passed 1-14-2009) Penalty, see § 100.99