(A) Purpose and intent. The purpose of this section is to provide outdoor lighting standards that will improve safety, minimize glare and light trespass in order to preserve the county's rural character, maintain ease of astronomical viewing, reduce light interference with migratory birds, and conserve energy for businesses and residents of Northampton County.
(B) Applicability. Except as provided in division (G), all installations of commercial, industrial, and residential outdoor lighting fixtures and the replacement of existing outdoor lighting fixtures shall meet the requirements of this section. Replacement of a fixture shall mean a change of fixture type or change to the mounting height or location of a fixture. Routine lighting fixture maintenance, such as changing lamps or light bulbs, ballast, starter, photo control, housing, lenses and other similar components, shall not constitute replacement and shall be permitted provided such changes do not result in a higher lumen output.
(C) Definitions. For purposes of this section the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
CUTOFF. A fixture that emits no more than 2.5% of its light above 90 degrees and no more than 10% above 80 degrees from horizontal. (Illuminating Engineering Society of North America definition)
FULL CUTOFF. A fixture that emits 0% of its light above 90 degrees and no more than 10% above 80 degrees from horizontal. (IESNA definition)
GLARE. The sensation produced by a bright source within the visual field that is sufficiently brighter than the level to which the eyes are adapted to cause annoyance, discomfort, or loss in visual performance and visibility. The magnitude of glare depends on such factors as the size, position, brightness of the source, and on the brightness level to which the eyes are adapted.
ILLUMINANCE. The amount of luminous flux per unit of area. Illuminance is measured in foot candles.
LIGHT TRESPASS. Light that falls beyond the property it is intended to illuminate.
LUMEN. Unit of luminous flux; used to measure the amount of light emitted by lamps.
MAINTAINED ILLUMINANCE LEVEL. A percentage of the initial illuminance level reported as part of the photometric plan.
OUTDOOR LIGHTING FIXTURE. The complete lighting assembly, less the support assembly.
SEMI-CUTOFF. A lighting fixture that emits no more than 5% of its light above 90 degrees and no more than 20% above 80 degrees from horizontal. (IESNA definition)
(D) Outdoor lighting standards.
(1) Shielding standards.
(a) All nonexempt outdoor lighting fixtures with an initial output greater than or equal to 7,000 lumens shall be full cutoff.
(b) All nonexempt outdoor lighting fixtures with an initial output of less than 7,000 lumens may be semi-cutoff, cutoff, or full cutoff.
(c) All outdoor lighting fixtures that have semi-cutoff, cutoff, or full cutoff restrictions shall be installed and maintained in such a manner as to be horizontal to the ground so that the cutoff characteristics of the fixture are maintained.
(d) Beyond the cutoff requirements set forth in division (D)(1)(a) through (c) above, all light fixtures shall be located, aimed, or shielded so as to minimize light trespass across property boundaries. Where applicable, all commercial installations shall utilize shielding to minimize light trespass on residential properties.
(2) Maximum maintained illuminance levels. No outdoor lighting shall be installed to exceed the maximum maintained illuminance levels recommended by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) for the designated activity. When no maximum level is defined by IESNA, no lighting shall be installed to exceed 175% of the minimum maintained illuminance levels as recommended by the IESNA for the designated activity unless otherwise permitted in this code.
(3) Off-site spill. In no case shall lighting exceed 0.5-foot candles above background when measured at the lot line of the illuminated property.
(4) Reduced lighting levels. Lighting levels shall be reduced to applicable security levels as set forth by IESNA within 30 minutes after the end of the business activity.
(5) Exterior lighting. All exterior lighting sources, including but not limited to lighting for parking, access drives, walkways, gasoline canopy lighting, and internally and externally illuminated signs shall be designed, located, and arranged so as not to direct light on adjoining streets or residential properties. The intensity at adjoining streets or residential properties shall not exceed 0.5-foot candles.
(E) Special uses.
(1) Recreational sports facilities lighting. Outdoor lighting fixtures shall be designed and installed to direct light onto the primary playing area and to minimize light pollution and light trespass. Fields must be lighted only while in use. Direct illumination is confined to within the property lines of the recreational use. Illumination must cease within one hour of the event conclusion.
(2) Service station canopies. The maximum maintained illuminance level is 35-foot candles.
(3) Outdoor advertising signs. Externally illuminated signs shall be lighted from the top down, and lighting shall be directed to minimize glare and light spill to non-sign areas.
(4) Facade lighting. Shielded and directional fixtures are required and must be installed and aimed so as to minimize glare, sky glow and light trespass.
(5) Flag lighting. Shielded and directional fixtures are required and must be installed and aimed so as to minimize glare, sky glow and light trespass.
(F) Photometric light plans. Photometric light plans shall be required if there is outdoor illumination over 100,000 lumens, drawn at the same scale as the site plan. A photometric light plan may be required for outdoor illumination of 100,000 lumen or less at the discretion of the Zoning Administrator for a plan of development, site development plan, zoning map amendment, special use application or building permit application. The requirements for photometric light plans are as follows:
(1) A photometric light plan shall be prepared by a lighting professional who is certified by the National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professions (NCQLP), or a state licensed professional engineer and shall contain the following information:
(a) The location on the premises of all lighting fixtures, both proposed and existing on the site, including a schematic layout of proposed outdoor lighting fixture locations that depict intensities and uniformity, and the light coverage resulting from the proposed lighting layout.
(b) Description of all lighting fixtures, both proposed and existing, which shall include but are not limited to catalog cuts and illustrations by manufacturers that describe the equipment, including lamp types, wattages and initial lumen outputs, angle cut-off light emissions and glare control devices, lamps, switching devices, and proposed placement of all fixtures, including engineering detail of fixtures, manufacturer, model, and installation of same.
(c) Proposed hours of operation.
(d) The provision for adequate measures to mitigate nuisance from light pollution and unsafe glare to both on-site and off-site uses.
(e) A site plan drawn to scale showing building(s), landscaping, parking areas and proposed exterior lighting fixtures.
(f) The location of all post, canopy, supports and light fixtures (including the height of each fixture and for any building, structure, parking, display and loading areas).
(g) All pole mounted and building mounted fixtures and a numerical 25- foot by 25-foot grid of lighting levels, in foot-candles, that the fixtures will produce on the ground (photometric report). The photometric report will indicate the minimum and maximum foot candle levels within the lighted area of the site.
(2) The photometric plan shall include a maintenance schedule.
(3) Two hard copies and one electronic copy of the photometric light plan shall be submitted to the Zoning Administrator for review and approval. The review and approval shall be conducted following the same process as provided for a plan of development.
(4) Plan requirements. Upon written request with justification, the Zoning Administrator may modify submission requirements of division (F) (1) above, if it is determined that some information is not necessary for the adequate review of the photometric plan.
(G) Exemptions. The following shall be exempt from the requirements of this section:
(1) Lighting fixtures and standards required by the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal and State Occupational Safety and Health Administrations, or other federal, state, or county agencies.
(2) Temporary holiday lighting fixtures, provided that such fixtures do not cause disabling glare.
(3) Motion activated light fixtures located as follows:
(a) On lots developed with private residential dwellings when such lighting fixtures emit initial lighting levels of 6,000 lumens or less, are extinguished within five minutes upon cessation of motion and are aimed such that the lamp or light bulb portion of the lighting fixture is not visible at five feet above the property boundary; or
(b) On all other lots when such lighting fixtures are aimed such that the lamp or light bulb portion of the lighting fixture is not directly visible at five feet above the property boundary.
(4) On lots developed with private residential dwellings, outdoor lighting fixtures with initial light outputs of 2,000 lumens or less. A 2,000 lumen output is the approximate light level produced with a 100-watt incandescent light bulb.
(Ord. passed 4-12-2016; Am. Ord. passed 11-15-2023)