§ 19.06.010. Outdoor lighting.

(a)

Purpose.

(1)

Good outdoor lighting at night benefits everyone. It increases safety, enhances the city's night time character, and helps provide security. New lighting technologies have produced lights that are extremely powerful, and these types of lights may be improperly installed so that they create problems of excessive glare, light trespass, and higher energy use. Excessive glare can be annoying and may cause safety problems. Light trespass reduces everyone's privacy, and higher energy use results in increased costs for everyone. There is a need for a lighting ordinance that recognizes the benefits of outdoor lighting and provides clear guidelines for its installation so as to help maintain and complement the city's character. Appropriately regulated, and properly installed, outdoor lighting will contribute to the safety and welfare of the residents of Barstow.

(2)

This section is 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 which limit the area that certain kinds of outdoor-lighting fixtures can illuminate and by limiting the total allowable illumination of lots located in the city. All businesses, residential, and community driveways, sidewalk and property luminaires should be installed with the idea of being a "good neighbor," with attempts to keep unnecessary direct light from shining onto abutting properties, structures or streets.

(3)

It is also the purpose of this section to provide energy-efficient lighting that will allow for the safe maneuvering of vehicles and pedestrians within parking areas and walkways for multiple-family residential, office, commercial and industrial developments without adversely impacting adjacent properties. This section is not intended to restrict the type of lighting in single-family dwellings that may be provided for security purposes provided it does not cause a nuisance for the adjacent properties.

(b)

Definitions. For the purposes of this section, terms used shall be defined as follows:

Direct light means light emitted directly from the lamp, off of the reflector or reflector diffuser, or through the refractor or diffuser lens, of a luminaire.

Fixture means the assembly that houses the lamp or lamps and can include all or some of the following parts: a housing, a mounting bracket or pole socket, a lamp holder, a ballast, a reflector or mirror, and/or a refractor or lens.

Floodlight or spotlight means any light fixture or lamp that incorporates a reflector or a refractor to concentrate the light output into a directed beam in a particular direction.

Fully shielded lights means outdoor light fixtures shielded or constructed so that no light rays are emitted by the installed fixture at angles above the horizontal plane as certified by a photometric test report.

Glare means light emitting from a luminaire with intensity great enough to reduce a viewer's ability to see, and in extreme cases causing momentary blindness.

Grandfathered luminaires means luminaires not conforming to this Code that were in place at the time this Code was voted into effect. When an ordinance grandfathers a luminaire, it means that such already existing outdoor lighting does not need to be changed unless a specified period of time is identified for adherence to the Code, or as identified in subsection (n) of this section.

Height of luminaire means the vertical distance from the ground directly below the centerline of the luminaire to the lowest direct-light-emitting part of the luminaire.

Indirect light means direct light that has been reflected or has scattered off of other surfaces.

Lamp means the component of a luminaire that produces the actual light.

Light trespass means the shining of light produced by a luminaire beyond the boundaries of the property on which it is located.

Lumen means a unit of luminous flux. One footcandle is one lumen per square foot. For the purposes of this title 19, the lumen-output values shall be the initial lumen output ratings of a lamp.

Luminaire means a complete lighting system, and includes a lamp or lamps and a fixture.

Outdoor lighting means the nighttime illumination of an outside area or object by any manmade device located outdoors that produces light by any means.

Temporary outdoor lighting means the specific illumination of an outside area of object by any manmade device located outdoors that produces light by any means for a period of less than seven days, with at least 180 days passing before being used again.

(c)

General requirements. It shall be the responsibility of city staff to review outside lighting plans for all development affected by this section in accordance with the attached guidelines. This shall be completed through the design review process.

(d)

Applicability. This section shall apply to all new or additions to existing single-family residential, multiple-family residential, office, commercial and industrial structures in excess of $5,000.00 in valuation. Existing developments noted above currently not utilizing energy efficient lamps shall be subject to the requirements listed under subsection (n) of this section.

(e)

Light trespass and control of glare.

(1)

All outdoor lighting shall be designed to minimize the trespass of light onto adjacent properties, walkways, residential buildings, hospitals and other uses that may be sensitive to light. In addition, all lighting shall not emit any direct light above a horizontal plane through the lowest direct-light-emitting part of the luminaire.

(2)

No lighting shall be aimed, directed, or focused such as to cause direct light from the luminaire to be directed toward residential buildings on adjacent or nearby land, or to create glare perceptible to persons operating motor vehicles on public ways.

(f)

Parking areas.

(1)

All lighting allowed by this section must be fully shielded and focused to minimize spillover onto adjacent properties.

(2)

All lighting shall be designed to minimize light pollution into the night sky as identified in subsection (d) of this section.

(3)

All lighting shall be arranged so there will be no more than two footcandles per square foot.

(4)

Height of light standards shall be determined by utilizing the information identified within the zoning designation, specific plan guidelines of the affected area.

(g)

Pedestrian walkways/business entrance/teller machines. Pedestrian walkways shall be illuminated to no less than 0.5 and no more than one footcandle for safety purposes. Business entrances shall be illuminated to no less than one-half and no more than two footcandle. Illumination of teller machines shall be no less than ten footcandles and the light must be able to extend outward by five feet to provide for pedestrian security.

(h)

Recreational facilities. Any light source permitted by this Code may be used for lighting of outdoor recreational facilities (public or private), such as, but not limited to, football fields, soccer fields, baseball fields, softball fields, tennis courts, or show areas, provided all of the following conditions are met:

(1)

All fixtures used for event lighting shall be fully shielded as defined in subsection (d) of this section, or be designed or provided with sharp cut-off capability, so as to minimize up-light, spill-light, and glare.

(2)

All events shall be scheduled so as to complete all activity before or as near to 10:30 p.m. as practical, but under no circumstance shall any illumination of the playing field, court, or track be permitted after 11:00 p.m. except to conclude a scheduled event that was in progress before 11:00 p.m. and circumstances prevented concluding before 11:00 p.m. This exemption is a 24-hour event raising donations for a nonprofit organization, including but not limited to the American Cancer Society. In such event, lighting shall be reduced after 11:00 p.m. to minimize glare onto adjacent properties.

(i)

Luminaries. Luminaries shall include adequate shielding as determined by subsections (e) and (m) of this section, or as approved by the building official.

(j)

Prohibitions. The following light sources are not permitted to illuminate parking areas:

(1)

Flashing.

(2)

Floodlights.

(3)

Fluorescent.

(4)

Incandescent.

(5)

Lights utilizing fossil fuels (kerosene, gas, etc.).

(6)

Low pressure sodium.

(7)

Metal halide.

(8)

Quartz.

(9)

Spotlights.

(10)

Search lights.

(11)

Temporary outdoor lighting except as follows:

a.

Temporary outdoor lighting may be permitted in conjunction with a temporary use permit provided that the temporary lighting is approved by the building official and the lighting is consistent with subsection (e) of this section.

b.

Temporary lighting for the emergency repair of any utility, structure, facility, infrastructure, etc., that is necessary for the safety of the public. Said lighting shall, whenever possible, be directed in such a manner as to minimize the direct beam into traffic or residences.

c.

As required or necessary for any local, state or federally declared emergency.

d.

Any exceptions shall be subject to review and approval by the Barstow planning commission.

(k)

Lamp type.

(1)

All lamp types proposed shall be energy efficient or as approved by the Barstow planning commission. Lamps shall provide sufficient illumination that is no less than one-half footcandles, and no more than two footcandles, throughout the entire parking lot. The business entrance and pedestrian access shall be illuminated as identified under subsection (g) of this section, unless specified differently elsewhere in this Code.

(2)

Lamps used for the purpose of illuminating the exterior of a building shall be subdued to minimize any reflectivity (from windows, other hard, shiny surfaces) and glare. Lighting shall not include any color filter or lens, or other coating to color the light other than that of the type of lamp used (i.e., high-pressure sodium is typically yellow-white, low-pressure sodium is yellow, LED is typically white, etc.) except as approved by the planning commission with the application of a development permit.

(l)

Photosensors. All parking areas shall be illuminated during normal business hours. Businesses shall provide no less than one-half and no more than one footcandle of illumination within the parking areas for safety and security purposes after their normal business hours. The use of photosensors, timers, etc., is encouraged to automatically turn off all exterior lighting during the day.

(m)

Photometrics required. A photometric plan may be required at the discretion of the building official for any project meeting the criteria identified under subsection (d) of this section, except single-family residential. Said plans shall be submitted to and approved by city staff.

(n)

Retrofitting/maintenance. Lamps shall be replaced and cleaned as necessary. Any project identified under subsection (d) of this section currently not utilizing energy efficient lamps shall replace exhausted lamps with energy efficient lamps provided no change in ballasts is required. Should the ballast require replacing, retrofitting to energy efficient lighting shall be required. All new lamps shall provide uniform color and intensity. All outdoor lighting shall be maintained in an operational condition. Failure to maintain said lights will result in enforcement actions identified under subsection (q) of this section.

(o)

Exempt lighting. The following light sources shall be exempt when located within parking areas:

(1)

Holiday decorations.

(2)

Landscape lighting.

(3)

Walkway lighting.

(p)

Light protection. All permitted light fixtures shall include a cover and gasket to prevent the entrance of dirt. In extremely dirty environments, filtered fixtures should be considered.

(q)

Enforcement.

(1)

Compliance with this section shall be subject to review and approval by the city prior to issuance of any certificate of occupancy.

(2)

Any violation or failure to comply with any of the provisions of this section shall constitute sufficient grounds for refusal of a permit and/or license.

(3)

Failure to maintain the lighting consistent with this Code may result in administrative citations and enforcement actions pursuant to chapter 6.30 of the Barstow Municipal Code.

(Ord. No. 934-2015, § 19.06.010, 7-20-2015)