HomeMy WebLinkAboutNo 826 Amending the Outdoor Lighting Requirements
ORDINANCE 826
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE OUTDOOR-LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS
The Maplewood City Council approves the following changes to the Maplewood Code of
Ordinances:
Section 1.This amendment changes Section 36-28(C)(1) as follows:
(c ) The developer of any project, other than single or double dwellings, shall do the following:
(1)Install outdoor lighting according to the following requirements:
a.Purpose and Intent.
The purpose and intent of the Outdoor Lighting Code is to create minimum standards
for the design and installation of all outdoor lighting. These regulations are intended to
reduce the problems created by improperly designed and installed outdoor lighting. It is
intended to eliminate problems of glare, minimize light trespass and help reduce the
energy and financial costs of outdoor lighting by establishing regulations that limit the
area that certain outdoor luminaries illuminate. A purpose of the Outdoor Lighting
Code is to set standards for outdoor lighting to enhance the reasonable use and
enjoyment of all property within the city. It is the intent of the Outdoor Lighting Code to
encourage lighting practices that will reduce light pollution by reducing up-light, glare
and over lighting.
b.Definitions.
(1) Direct Light: Light emitted directly from the lamp, off of the reflector or reflector
diffuser or through the refractor or diffuser lens of a luminary.
(2)Fixture: The assembly that houses the lamp or lamps and can include all or
some of the following parts: housing,mounting bracket, pole socket, lamp holder,
ballast, reflector, mirror and/or refractor or lens.
(3)Glare: Direct light emitted from a luminary with an intensity great enough to
cause visual discomfort, eye fatigue, a reduction in a viewers ability tosee, or in
extreme cases, momentary blindness.
(4)Grandfathered Luminaries:Luminaries not conforming to this Outdoor
Lighting Code that were in place at the time this code took effect.
(5)Lamp: The component of a luminary that produces the actual light.
(6)Light Trespass: Light produced by a luminary that illuminates areas beyond
the boundaries of the property on which it is located.
(7)Lumen: A unit of luminous flux. One footcandle is one lumen per square foot.
For the purposes of these regulations, the lumen-output values shall be the initial
lumen output rating of the lamp.
(8)Luminary: This is a complete lighting system and includes a lamp or lamps and
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a fixture.
(9)Outdoor Lighting: The illumination of an outside area or object by any man-
made device. This includes direct lighting for signs and light emitting from within a
sign cabinet or sign structure.
(10)Shielded Lights: Outdoor luminary shielded or constructed so that no light rays
are emitted by the installed fixture at angles above the horizontal plane of the
luminaries opaque cover or shade.
c.Control of Glare.
All luminaries used for outdoor lighting shall be designed and installed to have their
lamp, reflector and reflector diffuser concealed from any residential area or public
street. Luminaries mounted beneath canopies shall be a flush-mount type so that they
do not extend beneath the lower surface of the canopy.
Direct lighting used for the purpose of illuminating any sign shall be aimed or shielded
to meet this requirement.
d.Recreational Facilities.
Lighting of outdoor recreational facilities, such as, but not limited to, ball fields, tennis
courts, soccer fields, hockey or skating rinks, golf courses and golf-ball driving ranges
and special eventor play areas, shall meet the following conditions:
(1)All fixtures used for such lighting shall be shielded or aimed to comply with this
ordinance as much as possible and be designed or provided with sharp cut-off
capability to minimize up-light, lightspillover and glare. This code recognizes that
lighting of recreational facilities may require a certain amount of direct, outward
lighting to illuminate a vast area.
(2)Recreational-facility lighting is prohibited after 10:30 p.m., unless a later completion
time is approved by the city council.
e.Grandfathering of Nonconforming Luminaries.
Luminaries lawfully in place before the effective date of the outdoor-lighting ordinance
shall be allowed to remain. Such luminaries, however, are not exempt from complying
with the outdoor-lighting ordinance that was in effect at the time of their installation. If
fixtures are replaced as part of any construction requiring a building permit, the fixture
shall be upgraded to meet the requirements of this ordinance.
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f.Light Pole Height Maximum.
The maximum height allowed for light poles shall be 25 feet as
measured from the grade at the base of the light pole to the uppermost
part of the luminary. Taller light poles may be installed to replace
existing poles that exceed 25 feet and for athletic field or recreational
lighting. The community design review board may allow taller light
poles as part of a design review for nonresidential development, based
on appropriateness for a specific proposal. Staff may review lighting
plans under the “minor construction” provisions of Section 25-65 of the
city code.
g.Photometric Plan Required.
The developer of any recreational, multiple-dwelling or nonresidential
development shall submit a photometric plan for review by the city.
The director of community development may waive the requirement for
a photometric plan if he or she determines that waiving such a plan
would not have a negative impact. A photometric plan shall include:
(1)Site and architectural plans indicating the location of the types of
luminaries proposed.
(2)A detailed description of the luminary, including manufacturer’s
catalog cuts and drawings including sections.
(3)A drawn plan that illustrates the light spread and footcandle levels
of the proposed luminaries.
h.Light-Intensity Maximum.
Outdoor lighting shall not exceed .4 footcandles of light intensity at the
property lines on which the outdoor lights are installed.
i.Light Trespass.
All outdoor lighting fixtures shall be designed, installed and maintained
to prevent light trespass. Outdoor lighting fixtures shall be installed
and maintained to prevent direct light from the luminary from hitting
adjacent or nearby residential property. If such condition should occur,
the luminary shall bereplaced, redirected or shielded to have its light
output controlled to eliminate light trespass or glare.
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Section 2.This amendment also adds Section 19-9(25) as follows:
Sec. 19-9. Same Affecting peace and safety.
The following are declared to be nuisances affecting public peace and safety:
(25)Lights on any building or property that annoy or cause a nuisance to
neighboring property owner, occupant or resident. For the purpose of
determining allowable lighting, the guidelines listed in Section 36-
28(c)(1) shall apply.
Section 3.This amendment also changes Section 25-68(a)(8) as follows:
All persons required to submit building or remodeling plans under this article
shall submit a community design review board application form and the following
written materials, as applicable to the specific project and in sufficient quantities
as determined by the board, to the community design review board:
(a)(8)A detailed photometric plan as required by the outdoor lighting
requirements in Section 36-28.
Section 4.This ordinance shall take effect after the city publishes it in the official
newspaper.
Passed by the Maplewood City Council on April 8, 2002.
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