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Town of Yorktown, NY
Westchester County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (1) Index
A. 
Unless specifically defined below, words or phrases used in this chapter shall be interpreted so as to give them the meanings they have in common usage and to give this chapter reasonable application.
B. 
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
APPROVAL AUTHORITY
The approval authority for this chapter shall be the Town Board or the Planning Board, unless otherwise specified.
CANDELA (cd)
The standard metric unit of luminous intensity. It is the power emitted by a light source in a particular direction with wavelengths weighted by the luminosity function, a standardized model of the sensitivity of the human eye.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Temporary or permanent lighting equipment that is installed, located or used in such a manner with the intention to cause light rays to shine outdoors. Luminaires located indoors that are intended to light something outside are considered exterior lighting for the purposes of this article.
FOOTCANDLE (FC)
The American unit of illuminance (the amount of light falling on a surface). One footcandle is approximately equal to the illuminance produced by a light source of one candle, measured on a surface one foot away from the source. Horizontal footcandles measure the illumination striking a horizontal plane. Footcandle values can be measured directly with certain handheld incident light meters.
ILLUMINANCE
The density of light falling on any point of a surface, usually measured in footcandles in the United States.
LIGHT
Electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength. The three basic dimensions of light are: (1) intensity or amplitude, which is related to the human perception of brightness; (2) frequency or wavelength, which is perceived as the color of light; and (3) polarization, which is the angle or vibration of light.
LIGHT FIXTURE
A complete lighting unit including the lamp, together with the parts designed to distribute the light, position and protect the lamp and connect the lamp to the power supply. The following terms describe generic types of lighting fixtures:
(1) 
DECORATIVEAn ornamental fixture having an appearance and light distribution intended to provide decoration and visual interest as well as functional illumination.
(2) 
SHIELDEDA fixture with cutoff optics that allows no direct light emissions above a vertical cutoff angle of 90º for streetlighting and 80º for all other lighting, through the light fixture's lowest light-emitting part. Any structural part of the light fixture providing this cutoff angle must be permanently affixed.
(3) 
UNSHIELDEDA fixture without cutoff optics that allows a direct view to the light source.
LIGHTING PLAN
A lighting plan shall consist of the following information:
(1) 
The location of every light fixture and hours of operation for each.
(2) 
A detail of outdoor light fixtures, including component specifications such as lamps, reflectors, optics, angles of cutoff, supports, poles and manufacturer's catalog cuts.
(3) 
A foundation detail for lightpoles.
(4) 
A computer-generated photometric grid showing footcandle readings every 10 feet and certified by a licensed architect, engineer or landscape architect.
LUMEN
A unit used to measure the actual amount of light that is produced by a bulb. The lumen quantifies the amount of light energy produced by a lamp at the lamp, not by the energy input, which is indicated by the wattage. For example, a seventy-five-watt incandescent lamp can produce 1,000 lumens while a seventy-watt high-pressure sodium lamp produces 6,000 lumens. Lumen output is listed by the manufacturer on the lightbulb packaging.
LUMINAIRE
The complete lighting assembly (including the lamp, housing, ballasts, photocells, reflectors, lenses and shields), including the support assembly (pole or mounting bracket); a light fixture.
LUMINANCE
The brightness of a source of light. It is a photometric measure of the density of luminous intensity in a given direction, specifically the amount of light leaving a surface in a particular direction, measured in the metric candela per square meter (cd/m2) or the U.S customary unit of footlamberts (fL).
LUMINOUS FLUX
Luminous flux is the measure of the perceived power of light.
RESIDENTIAL SITE PLAN
A site plan submitted for approval of a multidwelling residential development.
SECURITY LIGHTING
Lighting that provides additional safety or security not already provided by other exterior lighting such as building or parking lot fixtures.