15.05.140 OUTDOOR LIGHTING

A. Purpose

Outdoor or exterior lighting should ensure that the functional and security needs of a development are met in ways that do not adversely affect the adjacent properties or neighborhood.  The degree to which outdoor night lighting affects a property owner or neighborhood shall be examined considering the light source, level of illumination, hours of illumination, and need for illumination in relation to the effects of the lighting on adjacent property owners and the neighborhood.

B. Applicability & Exemptions

1. New Development--Plans Required.  All new development, except developments that contain only one-family or two-family dwelling uses, shall submit a proposed outdoor lighting plan (point to point analysis) as part of the applicable development application (site or development plan, etc).  The outdoor lighting plan shall meet the functional security needs of the proposed land use without adversely affecting surrounding properties, neighborhoods or the community.

a. Residential development otherwise exempt from the lighting plan submittal requirements of this section shall still comply with the design and light intensity standards stated in this section, as applicable.

2. Existing Development.  This section’s lighting standards are applicable to outdoor lighting in existing developments, and existing developments that do not comply with this section's outdoor lighting standards are not considered non-conforming uses or structures under Chapter 15.08.  Existing development shall have three (3) years from the Effective Date of this Development Code to comply with the lighting level standards in §15.05.140.E, “Lighting Levels,” below.  All other outdoor lighting standards in this section shall be applicable to existing development on the Effective Date of this Development Code.

3. Modification of Lighting to Ensure Compliance.  All outdoor lighting is subject to modification after installation if the City finds that the lighting, as installed, does not comply with these standards.

4. Public Street Lighting.  Public street lighting installed by the City of Longmont is exempt from the specific standards stated in this section, although the City will comply with industry, state and federal standards regarding public street lighting and will design new and replacement lighting to minimize the impacts of lighting on surrounding properties and neighborhoods.

5. Exemption for Public Outdoor Active Recreational Uses.  Because of their unique requirements for nighttime visibility and their limited hours of operation, City owned ball diamonds, playing fields, tennis courts, and other similar outdoor active recreational uses are exempt from the outdoor lighting standards stated in this section and shall only be required to meet the following standards:

a. Limits on Cutoff Angle: Cutoff from a lighting source that illuminates an outdoor active recreational use may exceed an angle of 90 degrees from the pole, provided that the light source is shielded to prevent light and glare spillover to surrounding residential properties  and neighborhoods.

b. Maximum Permitted Illumination at the Property Line of the Recreational Use: 2 footcandles.

c. Limits on Hours of Illumination: Exterior lighting for an outdoor active recreational use shall be extinguished no later than midnight.

C. Creation of Traffic Hazard Prohibited—Colored Lights Restricted
Neither the direct nor reflected light from any outdoor light source shall create a traffic hazard to operators of motor vehicles on public streets or to operators of aircraft, and no colored lights may be used in such a way as to be confused or construed as street-traffic- or air-traffic control devices. 

D. Changing Intensity or Color Prohibited—Temporary Holiday Displays Excepted
No blinking, flashing or fluttering lights, or other illuminated device that has a changing light intensity, brightness or color, is permitted in any zoning district, except for temporary holiday displays.

E. Lighting Levels

1. With the exception of lighting for public streets, all other project lighting used to illuminate buildings, parking areas, pedestrian walkways, bikeways, or landscape areas, shall be evaluated during the site or development plan review process.  The following Table 15.05-J gives maximum lighting levels for outdoor activity areas averaged over the entire activity area with a light loss factor of 1.0. The Applicant is responsible for verifying that the property/site complies with the lighting standards.

Table 15.05-J

2. All other illuminance shall be subject to City review an approval, but shall not exceed IESNA recommendations as published in the Lighting Handbook (9th ed, c. 2000), Lighting for Exterior Environments (RP-33-99), Recommended Practice for Lighting Merchandising Areas (RF-2), or other applicable IES publications, as these publications are amended;

3. Lighting shall be as evenly distributed as possible across activity areas to minimize extremes in illuminance levels; and 

4. The amount of nuisance glare (light trespass) projected onto a residential use from another property shall not exceed 0.1 footcandles at the property line.

F. General Design Standards

All exterior lighting, excluding public street lighting, shall meet the following design standards:

1. Background spaces like parking lots shall be illuminated as unobtrusively as possible to meet the functional needs of safe circulation and protection of people and property.  Foreground spaces, such as building entrances and outside seating areas, shall utilize local lighting that defines the space without glare. 

2. Light sources shall be concealed or shielded to minimize the potential for glare and unnecessary light pollution. Lights, such as wallpacks, that shine outward and create direct glare are prohibited.  Developments shall use completely shielded (full cut-off type) fixtures for all lighting on that provides consistent illumination, unless an alternative lighting design is specifically approved by the Decision-Making Body.

3. The style of light standards and fixtures shall be consistent with the style and character of architecture proposed on the site, provided the fixtures are completely shielded (full cutoff) and minimize glare, unless an alternative lighting design is specifically approved by the Decision-Making Body.

4. All outdoor light not necessary for security purposes shall be reduced, activated by motion sensors devices, or turned off during hours when the business or use is not open.

5. Light fixtures used to illuminate flags, statues, or any other objects mounted on a pole, pedestal, or platform shall use a narrow cone beam or light that shall not extend beyond the illuminated object.

6. For approved upward-directed architectural, landscape, and decorative lighting, direct light emissions shall not be visible above the building roof line. 

7. Completely shielded (full cut off) light fixtures shall be oriented so that the light source is directed straight down (the fixture lense is horizontal with the ground).  No light sources shall be located directed toward property boundaries or adjacent rights-of-way.

8. Preferred lighting types include color-correct (white light) types such as halogen or metal halide, or high pressure sodium. Light types of limited spectral emission, such as low pressure sodium or mercury vapor lights, are prohibited in all areas.

9. Light sources in the interior of non-residential buildings shall be shielded to the maximum extent practicable to minimize glare and visibility from the exterior of the building.   

G. Height Standards for Lighting

1. Residential Zoning Districts. Light fixtures shall be no higher than sixteen (16) feet from the ground and, if mounted to a building structure, shall not exceed the height of the building or structure or sixteen (16 feet), whichever is less. Bollard-type lighting fixtures shall be between three (3) and four (4) feet high.

2. Non-Residential and Public Zoning Districts.  Light fixtures shall be no higher than twentyfive (25) feet from the ground and, if mounted to a building structure, shall not exceed the height of the building or structure or twenty-five (25) feet, whichever is less. Bollard-type lighting fixtures shall be between three (3) and four (4) feet high.

3. Exemptions and Modifications of Height Standards. 

a. Street lights installed by the City are exempt from the height standards specified in these subsections.

b. Other lighting fixtures higher than the maximum heights specified in this subsection but not exceeding the maximum structure height in the applicable zoning district must be specifically approved as a modification by the Decision-Making Body based on a finding that such lighting shall not adversely affect surrounding properties, according to according to §15.025.090.H, “Minor Modifications”.

c. Lighting height greater than the maximum zoning district height may be approved only through a height exception -- see §15.02.060.J, “ Height Exceptions.”