(a) Purpose:
Exterior lighting of parking areas, pathways, and common open spaces, including fixtures on building facades and free-standing lighting should aim to:
(1) Minimize the visual impacts of lighting on abutting or nearby properties and from adjacent roadways.
(2) Provide for safe and secure access on a site and adjacent pedestrian routes.
(3) Achieve maximum energy efficiency.
(4) Complement the architectural design of the project.
(b) Guidelines:
(1) Lighting of the building exterior, parking areas and pedestrian ways should be of the lowest intensity and energy use adequate for its purpose, and be designed to focus illumination downward to avoid excessive illumination above the light fixture.
(2) Interior lighting shall be designed to minimize nighttime glow visible from and/or intruding into nearby properties.
(3) Unnecessary continued illumination, such as illuminated signs or back-lit awnings, should be avoided. Internal illumination of signs, where allowed, should be limited to letters and graphic elements, with the surrounding background opaque. Illumination should be by low intensity lamps.
(4) Timing devices and dimmers should be used for exterior and interior lights in order to minimize light glare at night and control lighting levels. At the time of project approval, the project applicant should demonstrate how interior and exterior lighting sources will be reduced after operating hours or when the use of the facility is reduced.
(c) Requirements
(1) The use of high pressure sodium and metal halide are permitted light sources. Low pressure sodium is not allowed.
(2) Exterior lighting fixtures shall be mounted less than or equal to 15 feet from grade to top of fixture in low activity or residential parking lots and 20 feet in medium or high activity parking lots.
(3) Levels of exterior illumination for most uses range from 0.5 to 5 footcandles. Areas of higher or lower levels of illumination should be indicated on project plans.
(4) Where the light source is visible from outside the property boundaries on an abutting residential use, such lighting shall not exceed 0.5 foot-candle as measured at the abutting property line.
(5) Interior lighting shall be shielded to eliminate glare and light spillover beyond the perimeter property line of the development.
(6) Light fixtures shall be located at least three feet from curbs and ten feet from driveways or intersections, to avoid obstructing clear sight distance triangles.
(7) Pedestrian and security lighting fixtures shall be fully shielded. Architectural lighting that projects upward from the ground as used in landscaping, courtyards, or building accent should be directed onto the building face.
(8) Non-residential projects, adjacent to residential zoning districts or residential uses, shall use timing devices, dimmers, and/or window shades with timers in order to minimize light glare at night and control lighting levels from exterior and interior lights.
(Ord. 5554 § 19, 2022)