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Commercial Standards
8. Exterior Site Lighting
Goal: Exterior lighting should be used to provide illumination for the security and safety of entry drives, parking, service and loading areas, pathways, courtyards and plazas, without intruding on adjacent properties. Site lighting shall be architecturally compatible and consistent in design between sites.
8.1 Fixture Design and Illumination Level
Policy: Exterior light fixtures should be compatible and relate to the architectural character of the buildings on a site. Site lighting should be provided at the minimum level to accommodate safe pedestrian and vehicle movements, without causing any off-site glare.
Standards and Guidelines:
A. Poles and fixtures should be designed to be architecturally compatible with structures and lighting on adjacent properties. (G)
B. Poles and fixtures shall be compatible with all other fixtures on site. (S)
C. Illuminate all intersections with perimeter public roads with similar poles and fixtures used internal to the development. (G)
D. Select and locate all lighting fixtures to shield or confine light spread within a site’s boundaries. (S)
E. To facilitate security, specify lighting levels that are adequate for visibility, but not overly bright. All building entrances should be well-lighted. (G)
F. Use metal halide or other white light fixtures. High pressure sodium is not allowed in any application. (S)
G. Maximum height of all poles within landscaped and plaza areas is 20 feet, measured from grade. Poles within these areas may be set on pedestals no more than 8 inches in height. (S)
8.2 Decorative Architectural Lighting
Policy: Special lighting that accents building features and creates visual interest is permitted in commercial developments, provided that design continuity is maintained among buildings.
Standards and Guidelines:
A. Lighting fixtures mounted directly on structures may be allowed when utilized to enhance specific architectural elements or to help establish scale or provide visual
interest. (G)B. “Wall paks” are permitted only in loading and service areas, and should be down-lit and shielded from view. (S)
C. Neon tubing is not acceptable as a building accent or to accentuate the building’s form. (S)
D. Integrate illuminators or fixtures used to light building mounted signage, building facades, or pedestrian arcades into a building’s architectural design. (G)
E. Consider highlighting entrances, art, terraces, and special landscape features. (G)
8.3 Parking Lot Lighting
Policy: Parking lot lighting should be unobtrusive and provide safe light for orderly functions.
Standards and Guidelines:
A. Make all parking lot light fixtures similar in design for all surface parking areas. (S)
B. Select metal halide lighting with a concealed light source of the “cut-off” variety to prevent glare and “light trespass” onto adjacent buildings and sites. (S)
C. Provide separate, pedestrian scale lighting for all pedestrian ways through parking lots. (G)
D. Maximum height of parking lot poles is 24 feet measured from finished grade. (S)
E. Locate poles in medians wherever possible with a maximum base height of two (2) feet. (G)
8.4 Pedestrian Area Lighting
Policy: Walkway lighting should be scaled to the pedestrian and should provide for safe use of pathways and pedestrian areas. Walks should be lighted for the safe passage of pedestrians as should areas which are dangerous if unlit, such as stairs, ramps, intersections, and underpasses.
Standards and Guidelines:
A. Use of lighted bollards or other low level fixtures is encouraged to identify pedestrian walkways and drop-off areas at entrances to buildings. (G)
B. Emphasize pedestrian-to-vehicle intersections with low level decorative street lights. (G)
C. Illuminate all primary walkways, steps or ramps along pedestrian routes. (G)
D. Incandescent or metal halide lamps are strongly encouraged. (G)
E. Use building mounted fixtures for walkways or plazas near buildings. (G)
8.5 Landscape Lighting
Policy: Landscape lighting should enhance and complement, not overpower, the landscape materials.
Standards and Guidelines:
A. Design the landscape lighting to work for all seasons of the year and through the life of the landscape. (G)
B. Conceal fixtures where possible (ie. in trees, by landscape, behind rocks), control glare , and avoid extreme bright spots on the surrounding landscape. (G)
8.6 Site Security Lighting
Policy: Security lighting is anticipated in some sites, but it should not negatively impact the site and building architecture as well as adjacent parcels.
Standards and Guidelines:
A. No light source (bulb) shall be directly visible from adjacent parcels. (S)
B. Provide only as much light/illumination as necessary to provide safety and security of the area. (G)
8.7 Light Intensity
Policy: The light intensity levels within all areas should correspond to use and potential hazards.
Standards and Guidelines:
A. A photometric lighting plan is required for all proposed commercial developments to ensure adequate and appropriate light levels are provided for each site condition. (S)
B. The following levels of illumination should be maintained for each of the specific locations*: (G)
Building Entrances 5.0 footcandles Sidewalks 2.0 footcandles Bikeways 1.0 footcandles Courts/Plazas/Terraces 1.5 footcandles Ramps 5.0 footcandles Stairways 5.0 footcandles Underpasses 5.0 footcandles Waiting Areas 1.0 footcandles Parking Lots 1.0 footcandles Roadways 1.5 footcandles * Values given area in minimum average maintained horizontal, footcandles which are measured at the average point of illumination between brightest and darkest areas, 4'-5' above the ground surface. (Source: IES Lighting Handbook - 4th Edition).
C. Site lighting should provide consistent levels of illumination, avoiding pockets of very high or low levels of illumination. (G)
Industrial Standards
7. SIGN DESIGN
Goal: Signs should be consistent with overall project design but should be subordinate to architectural and landscape elements. Signs serve to identify, inform, direct, regulate and interpret. Each industrial building or group of industrial buildings should have a consistent and comprehensive sign program from project identification at the street through individual tenant suite identity. Placement, scale, and readability should be considered in developing a sign package.
7.4 Sign Illumination
Policy: In industrial areas, sign illumination should serve to identify individual developments only.
Standards and Guidelines:
A. Monument signs may be illuminated with a maximum of one, ground-mounted 100-watt metal halide fixture per face. (S)
B. Building mounted signs may not be illuminated either directly or indirectly. (S)
C. When external light sources are directed at the sign surface, conceal the light source
from the lines of sight of pedestrians and motorists. (S)D. Window signage shall not be illuminated. (S)
E. Visible neon tubing is not allowed as a method of sign illumination nor shall it be used as an architectural treatment. (S)
8. EXTERIOR SITE LIGHTING
Goal: Exterior lighting should be used to provide illumination for the security and safety of entry drives, parking, service and loading areas, pathways, courtyards and plazas, without intruding on adjacent properties. Site lighting shall be architecturally compatible and consistent in design between sites.
8.1 Fixture Design
Policy: Exterior light fixtures should be compatible and relate to the architectural character of the buildings on a site. Site lighting should be provided at the minimum level to accommodate safe pedestrian and vehicle movements, without causing any off-site glare.
Standards and Guidelines:
A. Poles and fixtures should be designed to be architecturally compatible with structures and lighting on adjacent properties. (G)
B. Poles and fixtures shall be compatible with all other fixtures on site. (S)
C. Illuminate all intersections with perimeter public roads with similar poles and fixtures used internal to the development. (G)
D. Select and locate all lighting fixtures to shield or confine light spread within a sites boundaries. (S)
E. To facilitate security, specify lighting levels that are adequate for visibility, but not overly bright. All building entrances should be well-illuminated. (G)
F. Use metal halide or other white light fixtures. High-pressure sodium is not allowed in any application. (S)
G. Maximum height of all poles within land- scaped and plaza areas is 20-feet, measured
from grade. Pole pedestals (bases) are limited to a minmum of eight-inches in height. (S)H. Decorative light fixtures, which are appropriately shielded, and provide visual interest, are allowed. (G)
8.2 Parking Lot Lighting
Policy: Parking lot lighting should be unobtrusive and provide safe light for orderly functions.
Standards and Guidelines:
A. Make all parking lot light fixtures similar in design for all surface parking areas. (S)
B. Select lighting with a concealed light source of the cut-off variety to prevent glare and light trespass onto adjacent buildings and sites. (S)
C. Provide separate, pedestrian scale lighting for all pedestrian ways through parking lots. (G)
D. Maximum height of parking lot poles is 24-feet measured from finish grade. (S)
E. Locate poles in medians wherever possible with a maximum base height of 2-feet. (G)
F. Wall packs are permitted only in loading and service areas, and shall be down-lit and fully shielded from view. (S)
8.3 Pedestrian Area Lighting
Policy: Walkway lighting should be scaled to the pedestrian and should provide for safe use of pathways and pedestrian areas. Walks should be lighted for the safe passage of pedestrians, as should areas that are dangerous if unlit, such as stairs, ramps, intersections, and underpasses.
Standards and Guidelines:
A. Bollard light fixtures or other low-level fixtures are encouraged to identify pedestrian walkways and drop-off areas at entrances to buildings. (G)
B. Emphasize pedestrian-to-vehicle intersections with low-level decorative streetlights. (G)
C. Illuminate all primary walkways, steps or ramps along pedestrian routes. (G)
D. Incandescent or metal halide lamps are strongly encouraged. (G)
E. Use building mounted fixtures for walkways and plazas near buildings. (G)
8.4 Site Security Lighting
Policy: Security lighting may be necessary on some sites, but it should not negatively impact the site and building architecture or adjacent parcels.
Standards and Guidelines:A. No light source (bulb) shall be directly visible from adjacent parcels. (S)
B. Provide only as much light/illumination as necessary to provide safety and security of the area. (G)
8.5 Light Intensity
Policy: The light intensity levels within all areas should correspond to use and potential hazards.
Standards and Guidelines:
A. A photometric lighting plan is required for all proposed industrial developments to ensure adequate and appropriate light levels are provided for each site condition. (S)
B. The following levels of illumination should be maintained for each of the specific locations1:(G)
Area Building Entrances Sidewalks Bikeways Courts/Plazas/Terraces Ramps 54
Stairways Underpasses Waiting Areas Parking Lots Roadways *Values given area in minimum average maintained horizontal, footcandles (lumens/square meter) which are measured at the average point of illumination between brightest and darkest area, 4-5 above the ground surface. (Source: IES Lighting Handbook - 4th Edition).
** Metric conversion is provided for convenience only. Photometric plans must be submitted using imperial measurement values.C. Site lighting should provide consistent levels of illumination, avoiding pockets of very high or low levels of illumination. (G)
D. Maximum 400-watt fixtures are permitted for parking lot pole lighting. (S)
E. Wall packs of a full cut-off and fully shielded design shall not exceed a maximum of 70-watts for man doors and 175-watts in loading areas. (S)
