The following general performance standards shall apply to all
uses and activities in any residential, commercial or employment center
district:
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
1.
Except as permitted under Part 12, no flammable or explosive liquids,
solids, or gasses shall be stored in bulk above the ground except
for tanks or drums of fuel directly connecting with energy devices,
heating devices, or appliances located and operated on the same lot
as the tanks or drums of fuel.
2.
All permanent outdoor storage facilities for fuel, raw materials, and products stored outdoors, including those permitted in Subsection 1 above, shall be enclosed by a fence of a type, construction and size as shall be satisfactory to the Township to protect and conceal the facilities from any adjacent properties. Fences shall not only encompass the question of safety, but also of screening and the screening shall preferably be evergreens. Anything less than one year is considered temporary.
3.
No materials or wastes shall be deposited upon a lot in such form
or manner so as to permit transportation off of the lot by natural
causes or forces, nor shall any substance which can contaminate a
stream or watercourse or otherwise render such stream or watercourse
undesirable as a source of water supply or recreation, or which will
destroy aquatic life, be allowed to enter any stream or watercourse.
4.
All materials or wastes which might cause fumes or dust, or which
constitute a fire hazard, or which may be edible or otherwise attractive
to rodents or insects, shall be stored outdoors only if enclosed in
containers adequate to eliminate such hazards.
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
All methods of sewage and waste treatment and disposal shall be approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and in accordance with the sewage plan for the Township of Lower Macungie. All methods of sewage and waste treatment and disposal shall be in accordance with Chapter 22A of the Lower Macungie Township Code of Ordinances, specifically §§ 22A-706 and 22A-806 as they relate to sanitary sewage disposal standards.
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
1.
Buffer yards shall comply with the following standards:
A.
The buffer yard shall be measured from the district boundary line
or from the ultimate street right-of-way line where a street serves
as the district boundary line. Buffer yards may not be part of an
existing or future ultimate street right-of-way but shall be in addition
to that right-of-way.
B.
A fifty-foot buffer yard shall be required along the district boundaries
between any nonresidential and residential district boundary lines
in the Township or adjoining municipalities.
C.
A fifty-foot buffer yard may be located within the required side
or rear yards, or any other buffer yards; and in the case of conflict,
the larger yard requirements shall apply.
D.
In all buffer yards, the exterior width beyond the fence or planting
screen shall be planted with grass seed, sod or ground cover, and
shall be maintained and kept clean of all debris, rubbish, weeds and
overgrown grass.
E.
The buffer yard shall be a landscaped area free of structures (except
fences and walls), manufacturing or processing activity, materials
and vehicular parking. No driveways or streets shall be permitted
in the buffer yards except at points of ingress or egress. No recreation
use shall be permitted in a buffer. Buffer yards shall exclude recreation
space (but not open space) area required by the Township subdivision
and land development Ordinance.[1]
F.
In cases where a buffer yard would normally be located in the floodplain,
the buffer yard area shall instead start at the 100-year floodplain
elevation line. If the buffer yard and floodplain are dedicated to
the Township, then no planting screen will be required.
G.
All buffer yards shall include a dense screen planting of trees,
shrubs or other plant materials to the full length of the lot line
to serve as a barrier to visibility, airborne particles, glare and
noise, and, when determined by the Township to be necessary for public
safety, a fence as described below. Such screen planting shall be
in accordance with the following requirements:
(1)
Plant materials used in the screen planting shall be of such
species and size as will produce, within three years, a complete visual
screen of at least six feet in height.
(2)
A fence, when required, shall be located within the buffer yard
and shall not be less than six feet in height, and in no case shall
it be located in the existing street right-of-way.
(3)
The screen planting shall be maintained permanently, and any
plant material which does not survive shall be replaced within one
year.
(4)
The screen planting shall be so placed that at maturity it will
not be closer than three feet from future right-of-way or property
lines.
(5)
The screen planting or fence shall be broken only at points
of vehicular or pedestrian access.
(6)
A built-up earthen bank may be incorporated in the landscaping
of buffer yards as long as the following conditions are met:
(a)
It may not be located in the future street right-of-way.
(b)
The maximum allowable slope shall be one to three.
(c)
The buffer yard landscaping shall be visible from the exterior
of the property.
(d)
The surface of the bank shall be stabilized with a naturalized
grass seed mix.
(e)
Example of a possible buffer:
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H.
The depth of any required buffer yard not otherwise specified by this chapter or by subdivision and land development Ordinance [Chapter 22A] shall be 10 feet.
I.
Buffer screens shall utilize design schemes provided in the Lower
Macungie Design Guidelines.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Said Design Guidelines are included as an attachment to this chapter.
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
All easements required by this chapter, shown on a plan of record,
or set forth in a deed of record, shall be kept clear of any and all
structures and obstructions, including but not limited to, buildings,
fences, trees, berms, driveways and shrubs, unless authorized by the
easement owner. The surface grade of any such easement shall not be
altered without Township approval.
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
1.
This section is enacted for the following purposes:
A.
To establish requirements for outdoor lighting installations which
promote public safety and welfare during the nighttime while minimizing
the adverse effects of glare and light trespass often associated with
outdoor lighting;
B.
To protect the privacy of property owners by limiting the potential
for glare and light trespass from outdoor lighting installations located
on adjacent properties and roadways;
C.
To prohibit outdoor lighting installations which are of excessive
intensity and/or are deficient of photometric control such that the
resulting glare and light trespass create a nuisance to pedestrians,
cyclists, or motorists on neighboring properties and roadways;
D.
To promote outdoor lighting installations which serve to enhance
the nighttime safety and enjoyment of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists
throughout the community;
E.
To set forth outdoor lighting requirements which are consistent with
lighting industry standards and practices, available technologies,
and the lighting sciences.
2.
Applicability. The requirements of this section shall apply to the
following outdoor lighting installations:
A.
Outdoor lighting installations which are newly designed, constructed,
erected, or otherwise placed into operation after the effective date
of this chapter.
B.
Alterations, rehabilitations, or renovations to existing outdoor
lighting installations, which are commenced after the effective date
of this chapter, and which involve the complete replacement of an
existing lighting system with a new lighting system.
C.
Whenever a new outdoor light fixture replaces an outdoor light fixture
that existed on the effective date of this chapter, the new fixture
must meet the standards of this section.
3.
Nonapplicability. The requirements of this section shall not apply
to, nor be retroactive to, existing outdoor lighting installations
which began operation before the effective date of this chapter. Routine
maintenance of said existing outdoor lighting installations shall
not be required to comply with the requirements of this section. Routine
maintenance activities include the following:
4.
Adoptions by Reference.
A.
Unless superseded by requirements listed in this section of this
chapter, the IESNA Lighting Handbook, most recent edition, as published
by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA),
is hereby adopted by reference and made a part hereof as if fully
set out in this section. The publication is on file in the Township
office.
B.
Unless superseded by requirements listed in this section of this
chapter, the publication, a copy of which is on file in the Township
office, being marked and designated as "American National Standard,
Nomenclature and Definitions for Illuminating Engineering," most recent
edition, as published by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North
America (IESNA) and approved by the American National Standards Institute,
Inc. (ANSI), and referred to in this section as the "ANSI/IESNA Lighting
Definitions," is hereby adopted by reference and made a part hereof
as if fully set out in this section.
5.
Design Calculations in Accordance with the IESNA Lighting Handbook.
In addition to the specific requirements established in this section,
the design calculations for outdoor lighting installations shall be
in accordance with the IESNA Lighting Handbook. This includes, but
is not limited to, technical definitions, terminology, calculation
methods and procedures, photometric classifications, and photometric
testing procedures. Illuminance selection should be based on the usage
of the area to be illuminated, the level of activity, and nighttime
security requirements.
6.
Performance Standards and Design.
A.
In all residential zones, any lighting used to illuminate an off-street
parking area or other structure or area shall be arranged so as to
deflect light away from any adjoining property or from the public
street. The light source shall be downcast, hooded, shielded or controlled
so as not to light adjacent property in excess of the maximum intensity
as defined below.
B.
Illumination of a driveway entrance near the intersection with a
roadway is encouraged for the enhanced safety of motorists and pedestrians.
However, lighting intensity and glare shall be limited to not be a
distraction or nuisance to vehicles on the roadway or nearby properties.
This applies to all zoning districts.
C.
In commercial and industrial zones, any lighting used to illuminate
an off-street parking area or other structure or area shall be arranged
so as to deflect light away from any adjoining property or from the
public street. All commercial and industrial light standards (poles)
shall be black powder coated for uniformity, unless otherwise approved
by the Zoning Officer.
(1)
Use of Full Cutoff Fixtures is Required. Except as noted below
in § 27-1805.6C(4), all fixtures employed in outdoor lighting
installations shall be the full cutoff fixture type.
 |
(2)
The candlepower distribution classification of the fixture as
a cutoff type shall be in accordance with the ANSI/IESNA Lighting
Definitions and the IESNA Lighting Handbook. The manufacturer of the
fixture shall provide certification of the cutoff classification based
on photometric testing performed in accordance with the IESNA Lighting
Handbook and the applicable testing procedures referenced therein.
The requirement for the use of full cutoff fixture types shall include
but is not limited to the following outdoor area and roadway lighting
configurations.
(3)
Full cutoff fixtures shall be mounted plumb and level in accordance
with the intended application of their design. For the purposes of
this requirement, the center of the downward angle of the fixture
(zero degree vertical angle of the candlepower distribution) shall
be oriented plumb and the vertical angle of 90° above the horizon
shall be oriented level. Full cutoff fixtures shall not be installed
in a canted or titled position which permits candlepower distribution
above the horizontal.
(4)
Fixtures which do not meet the strict definition for full cutoff
fixtures yet employ advanced or alternative technology which causes
the photometric performance to approach that of full cutoff fixtures
may be approved by the Township on a case-by-case basis. Such fixtures
include, but are not limited to, period-style fixtures with refractive
globes and internal cutoff reflectors.
(5)
Fixtures with a total initial lumen output of 10,000 lumens
or less shall be permitted for decorative, accent, or supplementary
lighting applications, provided that glare shields are incorporated
which cut off the candlepower distribution at and above the horizontal
(level).
D.
Illumination Levels. Outdoor lighting where required by this chapter
or any other applicable ordinance or provided on property within the
Township shall be provided within the range of permitted lighting
levels as specified in the following table.
|
Required Lighting Levels
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Measurement in Footcandles
| |||
|
Use
|
Minimum
|
Average
|
Maximum
|
|
Local street, where lighting is provided
|
0.2
|
0.4
|
2.5
|
|
Collector and arterial streets where lighting is provided
|
0.2
|
0.9
|
5.0
|
|
Residential off-street parking lots
| |||
|
Under 50 spaces
|
0.2
|
0.8
|
2.0
|
|
Over 50 spaces
|
0.2
|
0.8
|
3.0
|
|
Nonresidential off-street parking lots
| |||
|
Under 50 spaces
|
0.2
|
0.5
|
2.5
|
|
50 to 100 spaces
|
0.2
|
0.8
|
3.0
|
|
Over 100 spaces
|
0.5
|
2.0
|
5.0
|
|
Off-street loading areas
|
2.0
|
5.0
|
8.0
|
|
Walkways and bikeways at hazards (stairways, tunnels, bridges,
elevation changes, ramps, obstructions, where lighting is provided)
|
0.1
|
N/A
|
2.0
|
|
Building entrances and signs
|
0.5
|
N/A
|
2.0
|
|
Building facades, monuments, fountains and similar
|
0
|
N/A
|
5.0
|
|
Parks and athletic courts or fields
|
As recommended by the IESNA
| ||
E.
Intensity. No light source or combination thereof which casts light
on a public street shall exceed a meter reading of one footcandle
as measured from the centerline of said street nor shall any light
source or combination thereof which casts light on adjacent residential
property exceed 0.1 footcandle as measured at the property line or
1.0 footcandle on an adjacent nonresidential property.
F.
Method of Measuring Light Intensity. The footcandle level of a light
source shall be taken after dark with the light meter held six inches
above the ground with the meter facing the light source. A reading
shall be taken with the light source on, then with the light source
off. The difference between the two readings will be identified as
the illumination intensity.
G.
Height. The maximum mounting height above the adjacent grade permitted
for light sources mounted on a pole is 25 feet. A light source mounted
on a building shall not exceed the height of the face of the building
to which it is attached, and no light sources shall be located on
the roof unless said light enhances the architectural features of
the building, as approved by the Zoning Officer.
H.
Location. The light source of an outdoor light fixture shall be set
back a minimum horizontal distance equal to its height from each property
line but in no case less than 10 feet from a street right-of-way and
five feet from all side or rear lot lines.
I.
Hours. Outdoor lighting which serves commercial or industrial uses
that do not operate after dark must be turned off 1/2 hour after closing
except for approved security lighting in accordance with the following
§ 27-1805.6.J. For those commercial or industrial uses that
offer services after dark, outdoor lighting may be utilized during
the nighttime hours, provided that the commercial or industrial use
is open for service. Once the commercial or industrial use closes,
the outdoor lighting must be turned off one hour after closing except
for security lighting.
J.
Security Lighting. In all zones, exterior lighting of a building
and/or grounds for security surveillance purposes is permitted. Such
lighting shall be arranged and of sufficient illumination to enable
the detection of suspicious movement rather than the recognition of
definitive detail. For security lighting of grounds and parking lots,
the level of illumination shall not exceed a maximum average illumination
of 25% that level required in § 27-1805.6.D of this chapter.
Security lighting for buildings/structures shall be directed toward
the face of the building/structure rather than the area around it
and shall not exceed a maximum illumination of five footcandles.
K.
Illumination Under Outdoor Canopies. Under-canopy lighting shall
be accomplished using flat-lens full-cutoff fixtures aimed straight
down and shielded in such a manner that the lowest opaque edge of
the fixture shall be below the light source at all lateral angles.
The illumination in the area directly below the canopy shall not exceed
eight average footcandles and the maximum shall not exceed 11 footcandles.
Outdoor canopies include, but are not limited to, the following applications:
L.
Billboards and Signs. The lighting of new, or replacement of lighting
systems of existing, billboards and signs shall be subject to the
following requirements:
(1)
Externally illuminated billboards and signs shall have fixtures
mounted at the top of the billboard or sign and aimed downward. The
fixtures shall be designed, fitted and aimed to shield the source
from off-site view and to place the light output onto the billboard
or sign and not to project their output into the windows of neighboring
residences, adjacent uses, past the face of the billboard or sign,
skyward or onto a public roadway. Lighting shall be by linear fluorescent
or equivalent LED technology. At no point on the face of the sign
or billboard and at no time shall the illumination exceed 15 vertical
footcandles during nighttime.
(2)
The light source for internally illuminated signs and billboards
shall not exceed 1,000 initial lumens per square foot of sign face.
(3)
The illumination of billboards shall be limited to the HE Zone,
and the illumination of billboards shall not be permitted within 500
horizontal feet of a residential use. The maximum illumination on
the face of an externally illuminated billboard or sign shall not
exceed 15 footcandles and shall have a maximum to minimum uniformity
ratio not to exceed 6:1.
(4)
Rotating, traveling, pulsing, flashing, animated, "marching"
or oscillating light sources, lasers, beacons, or strobe lighting
shall not be permitted except within the Industrial Zone and not within
500 feet of a signalized traffic intersection or a residential zone.
(5)
Signs incorporating LCD, LED, plasma, CRT, pixelized lights
or other animated and/or video-like displays shall be limited to the
I and HE Zones and shall comply with the requirements of § 27-1805.6.L(4),
of this chapter.
(6)
The use of highly reflective signage that creates nuisance glare
or a safety hazard shall not be permitted.
(7)
Applications for the lighting or relighting of signs and billboards
shall be accompanied by a point-by-point plot of illuminance on the
sign or billboard face, catalog cuts of proposed fixtures and any
glare reduction devices and a description of lamps, mounting locations,
aiming angles and proposed hours of operation and method for automatically
extinguishing the lighting.
M.
Outdoor Recreation. No lighting of recreation facilities shall be
permitted brighter than that necessary for security purposes except
during recreation events. The nighttime illumination of outdoor recreational
facilities for baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, track and field,
and football typically necessitate higher than normally allowed fixture
mounting heights and aiming angles, utilize very high-wattage lamps
and potentially produce unacceptable levels of light trespass and
glare when located near residential properties. The following requirements
shall apply to the lighting of outdoor recreation facilities:
(1)
Lighting shall be accomplished only through the use of fixtures
conforming to IESNA cutoff criteria or as otherwise approved by the
Township based on suitable control of glare and light trespass.
(2)
No outdoor recreation facility, whether public or private, shall
be illuminated after 11:00 p.m.
(3)
Maximum mounting heights for recreational lighting shall be
in accordance with the following:
|
Outdoor Recreation Activity
|
Maximum Mounting Height
(feet)
|
|---|---|
|
Basketball
|
20
|
|
Football
|
70
|
|
Soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, rugby and other similar field
sports
|
70
|
|
Baseball 200-foot radius
|
70
|
|
Baseball 300-foot radius
|
75
|
|
Golf driving range
|
30
|
|
Miniature golf
|
20
|
|
Swimming pool aprons
|
20
|
|
Tennis
|
20
|
|
Track
|
30
|
(4)
Off-street parking areas for outdoor recreation uses which are
illuminated shall meet the requirements stated in § 27-1805.6.D
of this chapter.
(5)
In addition to the normal lighting plan submission requirements listed in § 27-1805, Subsection 8, of this chapter, applications for illuminating recreational facilities shall also contain the following:
(a)
Plan views containing a layout of the recreational facility
and showing pole locations and the location of residences on adjoining
properties within 200 feet of the subject property.
(b)
Elevations containing pole and fixture mounting heights, horizontal
and vertical aiming angles and fixture arrays for each pole location.
(c)
Elevations containing initial vertical illuminance plots at
the boundary of the site, taken at a height of five-foot line-of-sight.
(d)
Proposed frequency of use of the facility during hours of darkness
on a month-by-month basis and proposed time when the sports lighting
will be extinguished.
(e)
A narrative describing the measures proposed to achieve minimum
off-site disturbance.
7.
Prohibitions. No search lights, flashing lights or lights that may
cause a hazard by impairing driver's vision shall be permitted.
8.
Submission of Lighting Plans. Except in the case of lighting on an
individual residential property or farm, where site lighting is required
by this chapter, or is otherwise required by the Township, or is proposed
by the applicant, lighting plans shall be submitted for review and
approval simultaneously with a zoning application, if applicable.
The submission shall contain the following in addition to other required
data for the specific permit:
A.
Plans indicating the location on the premises and the type of illuminating
devices, color temperature of the lamp, fixtures, lamps, supports,
reflectors and other devices.
B.
Description of illuminating devices, fixtures, lamps, supports, reflectors
and other devices and the description may include, but is not limited
to, catalog cuts by manufacturers and drawings (including sections
where required, the angle of the cutoff or light emissions, etc.).
C.
A point-by-point illuminance-grid plot on ten-foot-by-ten-foot centers
(or as necessary for suitable legibility) of footcandles overlaid
on the site plan, plotted out to 0.0 maintained footcandles, which
demonstrate compliance with the light trespass, illuminance and uniformity
requirements as set forth in this section.
D.
When landscaping plans are involved, they shall contain the lighting
fixture locations and shall demonstrate that the site lighting and
landscaping have been coordinated to minimize conflict between vegetation
and intended light distribution, both initially and at vegetation
maturity.
E.
When requested by the Township, the applicant shall also submit a
visual impact plan that demonstrates appropriate steps have been taken
to mitigate the potential consequences of on-site and off-site glare.
This plan may require the inclusion of footcandle values at specific
off-site locations (e.g., bedroom windows of adjacent residential
uses, street centerlines, etc.).
F.
Required Plan Notes. The following notes shall appear on the lighting
plan:
(1)
Post-approval alterations to lighting plans or intended substitutions
for approved lighting equipment shall be submitted to the Township
for review and approval.
(2)
The Township reserves the right to conduct post-installation
nighttime inspections to verify compliance with the requirements of
this chapter and as otherwise agreed upon by the Township and, if
appropriate, to require remedial action at no expense to the Township.
9.
Exemptions. The standards of this § 27-1805 shall not apply to the following:
A.
Temporary Holiday Lighting. This section does not prohibit the use
of temporary outdoor lighting used during customary holiday seasons.
B.
Civic Event Lighting. This section does not prohibit the use of temporary
outdoor lighting used for civic celebrations and promotions.
C.
Lighting fixtures and standards required by the Federal Communications
Commission, Federal Aviation Administration, or other federal, state,
county or municipal agencies to include streetlights within the public
right-of-way.
D.
Outdoor lighting fixtures required by law enforcement, fire and rescue,
or other emergency response agencies to perform emergency or construction
repair work or to perform nighttime road construction.
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