[Adopted 4-2-2008 by Ord.
No. 283]
This Part provides for the regulation of outside lighting to
reduce the intensity to the minimum required for safety and commercial
purposes and to reduce to an absolute minimum the spillover of light
and glare, horizontally and skyward for persons on adjacent properties,
road, operators of motor and other types of vehicles and pedestrians.
A.
This Part shall apply when exterior lighting is first installed or
substantially modified;
B.
Whenever an application for a zoning permit, building permit, or
land development is made, an exterior lighting plan is required to
be submitted to the Township in order to determine if the requirements
of this Part have been met and that adjoining properties and roads
will not be adversely impacted by the proposed lighting.
Unless specifically defined below, words and phrases used in this Part shall be interpreted to have common English usage, to give effect to the purposes set forth in § 10-501 above, and to provide reasonable application of this Part. As used in this Part, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:
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.
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.
A unit of illuminance. One footcandle is one lumen per square
foot.
The sensation produced by luminances within the visual field
that is sufficiently greater than the luminance to which the eyes
are adapted to cause annoyance, discomfort, or loss in visual performance
or visibility.
The height of a luminaire shall be the vertical distance
from the ground directly below the center line of the luminaire to
the lowest direct-light-emitting part of the luminaire.
The quantity of light measured in footcandles.
An alternative term for illuminance. Commonly used in a qualitative
or general sense to designate the act of illuminating or the state
of being illuminated.
The component of a luminaire that produces light. A generic
term for a man-made source of light, i.e., a light bulb.
Radiant energy that is capable of exciting the retina and
producing a visual sensation. The visible portion of the electromagnetic
spectrum extends from about 380 to 770 nanometers.
A standard unit of luminous flux. Photometrically, it is
the luminous flux emitted within a unit solid angle (one steradian)
by a point source having a uniform luminous intensity of one candela.
One footcandle is one lumen per square foot. For the purposes of this
Part, the lumen-output values shall be the initial lumen output ratings
of a lamp, as specified by the manufacturer of the lamp.
A complete lighting unit consisting of one or more lamps
together with the fixture; other parts designed to control the light
distribution; and other mechanical and electrical components.
The physical and measurable quantity corresponding to the
brightness of a surface in a specific area from which light is emitted
or reflected (e.g., a lamp, luminaire, reflecting material).
A.
All zoning districts of the Township:
(1)
Parking, loading, ingress and egress areas of commercial, industrial,
office, institutional, and multifamily uses shall be provided with
a minimum of 0.5 footcandle (0.8 footcandle average maximum) of illumination
at any point on the intended area on the ground consistent with the
use.
(2)
All outside lighting shall be directed such that the projected light
and glare are within property or lighting area lines with the cutoff
angle arranged to avoid projecting light on adjacent properties, roads
or skyward.
(3)
All luminaires shall be designed or equipped with shielding so that
the light source (bulb, filament, etc.) within the luminaire is not
visible outside the intended illuminated area. The intended illuminated
area shall not extend beyond the boundaries of the property on which
the light source is located.
(4)
The spacing and height of poles should be designed to provide uniform ground illumination with a minimum number of poles and the lowest possible height of poles while minimizing stray light outside the intended lighted area and skyward. The maximum pole height for residential uses shall be set forth in Chapter 22, Subdivision and Land Development. The maximum pole height for commercial and institutional areas shall be 20 feet; and 30 feet for industrial areas. The height of poles on state highways shall be governed by PennDOT requirements.
(5)
The use of energy efficient lighting sources is encouraged. Where
possible, outside lighting sources should be timer- and photocell-controlled.
With this arrangement, the "On" time is set first by a timer, and
then by photocell, with the timer determining the "Off" time. Motion-sensitive
lighting shall be used on site where possible.
(6)
Structural lighting for commercial, industrial, institutional and
residential properties shall be designed such that luminaires are
directed at the structure as opposed to lighting from the structure
outward with a minimum of stray light. Light source shielding and
cutoff requirements must meet the requirements of this section.
(7)
The use of searchlights, laser source lights, strobe lights, flashing
lights and similar high-intensity lighting is prohibited unless required
by civil authorities.
(8)
Lights for sports and recreational uses, including recreational uses
accessory to residential uses, must comply with the requirements of
this Part as well as the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code as
adopted by Upper Makefield Township.[1] The permit application requesting lights for sports and
recreational uses shall include a design plan.
(9)
All nonresidential uses shall apply outside lighting at dusk and
lighting shall be turned off or greatly reduced during the hours when
the use is closed for business.
B.
Additional requirements for residential districts.
(1)
Residential security lighting.
(a)
All security lighting fixtures shall be shielded and aimed so
the illumination is directed at only to the designated area and not
cast on other areas. In no case may the light extend past the property
line, nor shall lighting be directed above a horizontal plane through
the top of the fixture, and said fixture shall include shields that
prevent the light source or lens from being visible from the adjacent
properties, roadways and sidewalks.
(b)
All residential security lighting shall include primers and
motion sensors to be designed to be off unless triggered, or such
triggering shall be limited to movement occurring exclusively on the
subject property. Once triggered, security lighting shall remain on
for not more than five minutes without manual intervention.
(2)
Residential lighting.
(a)
The use of general floodlighting fixtures for other than occasional
use shall be prohibited. All residential spot or flood lamps are to
be aimed at no higher than 60° below horizontal. In no case shall
the spot or flood lamp be aimed above the roof eave.
(b)
The light source or bulb for all exterior lights shall not be
directly visible from the adjacent properties or roadways.
(c)
Temporary seasonal lighting displays are permitted; however,
flood or spotlighting associated with such displays must conform with
this Part.
(d)
All lighting in model or sample homes, except security lights
illuminated by a motion detectors, shall be turned off within one
hour of the sample or model home closing for the day or 9:00 p.m.
prevailing time, whichever is earlier.
(e)
Only low-output, fully shielded luminaires may be utilized for
landscape lighting and the use of spotlights or floodlights is specifically
prohibited. Lighting fixtures shall not be directed towards adjacent
streets or roads, nor shall they contribute glare, disabling glare,
discomfort player, light trespass or sky glow.
(3)
Private outdoor recreation lighting.
(a)
Outdoor lighting of private tennis courts and sports courts
shall be permitted only by hearing before the Board of Supervisors
pursuant to the Local Agency Law, 2 Pa.C.S.A. § 551 et seq.
The applicant shall bear the burden of proving that the proposed lights
do not impact or offend abutting property owners or the community
in general. In no case may such lights be placed on properties of
less than three acres, and in no case may the light be closer than
200 feet to the nearest property line. The Board of Supervisors may,
at its sole discretion, require the addition of buffer plantings or
exercise other options to minimize the impact lights have on neighboring
properties, roads and/or the community at large.
(b)
All luminaires shall be designed or equipped with shielding
so that the light source (bulb, filament, etc.) within the luminaire
is not visible outside the intended illuminated area. The intended
illuminated area shall not extend beyond the boundaries of the property
on which the light source is located. All light shall be limited to
15 feet in height and be extinguished by 10:00 p.m. Lighting fixtures
shall be specified, mounted and aimed so that their beams fall within
the primary playing area and immediate surroundings, and so that no
direct illumination is directed off the site.
C.
Communication towers. Communications tower lighting is prohibited
unless required by FCC (Federal Communications Commission) or FAA
(Federal Aircraft Administration) regulations.
D.
Temporary lighting. Unless the lighting poses a risk to the health, safety, and welfare, temporary or seasonal lighting [except as prohibited by Subsection B(2)(c) above] for residential uses is exempt from these regulations. Unless the lighting poses a risk to the health, safety and welfare, temporary commercial activities, such as carnivals, are also exempt if the temporary commercial activity lasts no more than 10 consecutive days' use.
E.
Landscaping lighting. Low-wattage, low-intensity landscape lighting
is exempt from this requirement, providing stray light does not infringe
on adjacent or nearby properties or roads.
F.
Nuisance prohibition. All outside lighting, including sign lighting,
shall be directed in such a way as not to create a nuisance in any
agricultural, institutional, or residential area. In all areas of
the Township, all lighting shall be arranged so as to protect the
street or highway and adjoining properties from direct glare or hazardous
interference of any kind. All luminaires shall be equipped with a
glare-shielding device.
G.
Light source covering. All luminaires and light sources shall be
covered so that the source of light is not visible from any adjacent
property.
H.
Overlay districts. Properties in overlay districts may also be subject
to additional lighting requirements of the various overlay districts
in the JMZO and the Township Code.
