East Rockhill Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
PART 17
AREA, DIMENSIONAL AND PARKING REQUIREMENTS
§ 27-1700 Lot Area or Yard Required.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1500]
The lot or yard requirements for any new building or use shall not include any part of a lot that is required by any other building or use to comply with the requirements of this chapter. No required lot or area shall include any property, the ownership of which has been transferred subsequent to the effective date of this chapter if such property was a part of the area required for compliance with the dimensional requirements applicable to the lot from which such transfer was made.
§ 27-1701 Minimum Lot Area.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1501]
Where a minimum lot area is specified, no primary building or use shall be erected or established on any lot of lesser size than as specified in Parts 4 through 15 except as specified in § 27-1702.
§ 27-1702 Exceptions to Minimum Lot Areas.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1502; as amended by Ord. 168, 2/18/1997, Art. 9; and by Ord. 194, -/-/2000, Art. I]
a.
The provisions of Parts 4 through 15 shall not prevent the construction of a detached dwelling on any lot that was lawful when created and which, prior to the effective date of this chapter, was in separate ownership duly recorded by plan or deed and provided that:
(1)
Such lot is not less than one acre in the RR and RP districts and not less than 80% of the minimum lot area in all other districts.
(2)
Those lots not served by public water and sewers shall meet all requirements of the Bucks County Department of Health.
(3)
The percentage of lot area covered by the detached dwelling shall not exceed 15% of the area of the lot.
(4)
The front and rear yards shall aggregate at least 60% of the total lot depth or meet the normal requirements of the district in which the lot is located, but in no case shall either the front yard or the rear yard be less than 30 feet.
(5)
The side yards shall aggregate at least 40% of the total lot width or meet the normal requirements of the district in which the lot is located, but in no case shall either side yard be less than 12 feet.
b.
This exception shall not apply to any two or more vacant contiguous lots in a single ownership as of or subsequent to the effective date of this chapter. These lots shall be consolidated to minimize the nonconformity.
§ 27-1703 Minimum Lot Width.
§ 27-1704 Exception to Minimum Lot Width Standards.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1504]
Lane lots may be permitted as an exception to the minimum lot width requirement at the building setback line as defined in § 27-211. A lane lot is a parcel of land which does not have the required minimum lot width at the minimum front yard line but has direct access to a public street through a narrow strip of land which is part of the same lot. The lot lines of the narrow portion of the lot (the lane) are parallel or nearly parallel.
a.
A lane lot may serve one detached dwelling only.
b.
Each lot must have a separate lane.
c.
Lane lots may not be used in a subdivision of lots containing any new streets.
d.
If the proposed lane lot is not large enough to further subdivide under the zoning requirements at the time the subdivision is proposed then the lane shall have a minimum width of 25 feet at the street line of a public street and shall not narrow to a lesser dimension. However, if the proposed lot is large enough to further subdivide under the requirements of this chapter at the time the subdivision is proposed then the minimum land width shall be 50 feet at the street line and shall not narrow to a lesser dimension; provided, however, that should the property owner agree by plan notation and recorded document that the lot will not be further subdivided then a lane of 25 feet in width shall be sufficient.
e.
The area of the lane shall not be included in the calculation of the minimum lot area.
f.
Only one tier of lane lots will be permitted on a tract.
g.
The front yard setback for a lane lot shall be a distance equal to the front yard requirements for the district in which the lot is located and shall be measured from the point where the lot first obtains the minimum lot width measurement.
h.
The length of the land shall be limited to a maximum length of 1,000 feet.
i.
The improvement requirements of the Township's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter 22] shall be met.
j.
Lane lots of three of more will not be permitted if a public street could feasibly be constructed.
§ 27-1705 Yard Requirements.
§ 27-1706 Exceptions for Existing Building Alignment.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1506]
A proposed building may be constructed nearer to the street than the required minimum front yard depth under the following conditions:
a.
There shall be existing buildings on the lots on either side of the lot which would contain the proposed building.
b.
The proposed building would front on the same side of the same street in the same block as the existing buildings on lots on either side.
c.
The existing buildings on the lots on either side would be no greater than 50 feet from the proposed building.
d.
The proposed building may be constructed at a front yard depth that is not less than the average of the front yard setbacks of the existing buildings on the lots on either side.
e.
In no case shall the front yard of the proposed building be less than 20 feet.
§ 27-1707 Projections Into Yards.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1507]
Ground-story bays, porches and chimney flues may project into required yard areas no more than four feet. Such projections into the required minimum yard areas shall not occupy more than 1/3 the length of the building wall. Cornices and gutters may project not more than two feet over a required yard. Fire escapes may be permitted in accordance with this section in side or rear yards only.
§ 27-1708 Accessory Buildings in Yards.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1508; as amended by Ord. 161, 10/17/1995, Art. 1; by Ord. No. 303, 3/26/2024]
a.
No accessory buildings or structures shall be located in front yards except accessory buildings or structures for Use B1 on lots of 10 acres or greater where such accessory buildings or structures shall be permitted in front yards but shall not be located within the required minimum front yard setback. School bus shelters may be located in front yards but not closer than 12 feet to any street line.
b.
No accessory buildings other than school bus shelters and accessory buildings for Uses A8, B1, B2 and B3 shall be located within the required minimum side or rear yards for the principal use.
c.
Completely detached accessory buildings for Uses A8, B1, B2 and B3 and school bus stop shelters may occupy a required side or rear yard, but shall not be located closer than five feet to any side or rear property line nor closer than five feet to the rear or side of the principal building within the Suburban, Village Residential, Village Commercial and R-1 Residential Zoning Districts. In all other zoning districts a 12 foot setback, shall be provided. No more than four such accessory buildings shall be permitted on a lot in all zoning districts except where the principal activity on such lot is an agricultural use as set forth in § 27-304, A1, A3, A8 or A9 of this chapter.
§ 27-1709 Fences, Terraces, Decks and Yards.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1509; as amended by Ord. 139, 5/28/1991, Art. 1; by Ord. No. 303, 3/26/2024]
a.
The provisions of § 27-1705 shall not apply to fences, hedges, or walls less than six feet high above the natural grade in the required yard nor to uncovered terraces, steps and decks, except that no deck may be built or extend more than 50% within the minimum depth of side or rear yards as specified in Parts 4 through 15. Covered terraces, steps and decks shall comply with all principal use yard and setback requirements, without exception.
b.
Fences, hedges, or walls of greater than six feet above the natural grade shall comply with all setback requirements applicable to accessory structures in the zoning district.
§ 27-1710 Height.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1510]
The height of buildings is regulated to prevent loss of life or excessive property damage through the inability of fire equipment to reach upper stories or roofs. Therefore, no building shall exceed a height of 35 feet except church spires, belfries, silos, water towers, smokestacks, solar panels, wind generator towers, antennas, television towers, masts, aerials or flagpoles; provided, the are not used for human occupancy are set back 1 1/2 time their height (from ground level to the top of the structure) from a building or property line.
§ 27-1711 Traffic Visibility Across Corners.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1511]
a.
In all districts no structure, fence, planting or other obstruction shall be maintained between a vertical plane two feet above curb level and a plane seven feet above curb level so as to interfere with traffic visibility across the corner within that part of the required front or side yard which is within a horizontal clear-sight triangle boundary by the two street lines and a straight line drawn between points on each such 25 feet from the intersection of said lines or extension thereof. When one or both streets which form the intersection are classified as collector or arterial highways, the clear-sight triangle bounded by the two street lines and a straight line drawn between points on such line shall be 50 feet from the intersection of said lines or extension thereof.
 |
b.
At each point where a private accessway intersects a public street or road, a clear-sight triangle of 10 feet measured from the point of intersection of the street line and the edge of the accessway shall be maintained, within which vegetation and other visual obstructions shall be limited to a height of not more than two feet above the street grade.
§ 27-1712 Off-Street Parking: General Regulations.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1512]
a.
Ingress and egress for nonresidential uses shall be designed so that vehicles shall not be required to back out onto a street or another lot. Wherever possible, ingress and egress for residential uses shall be designed so that vehicles shall not be required to back out onto a street or another lot.
b.
Parking areas for all uses except residences shall be designed to permit each motor vehicle to proceed to and from the parking space provided for it without requiring the moving of any other motor vehicle. Wherever possible, parking areas for residential uses shall be designed to permit each motor vehicle to proceed to and from the parking space without requiring the moving of any other motor vehicle.
c.
Structures and uses in existence at the date of adoption of this chapter shall not be subject to the requirements of this section so long as the kind or extent of use is not changed; provided, that any parking facility now serving such structures or uses shall not, in the future, be reduced below such requirements.
d.
Whenever there is an alteration of a structure or a change or extension of a use which increases the parking requirements according to the standards of this chapter, the total additional parking required for the alteration, change or extension shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of that section.
e.
No parking area shall be used for any use that interferes with its availability for the parking need it is required to serve.
f.
All required facilities shall be provided and maintained so long as the use exists which the facilities were designed to serve. Off-street parking facilities shall not be reduced in total extent after their provision, except upon the approval of the Zoning Hearing Board and then only after proof that, by reason of diminution in floor area, seating area, the number of employees or change in other factors controlling the regulation of the number of parking spaces, such reduction is in conformity with the requirements of this Part. Reasonable precautions shall be taken by the owner or sponsor of a use to assure the availability of required facilities to the employees or other persons whom the facilities are designed to serve. Such facilities shall be designed and used in such a manner to at no time constitute a nuisance, a hazard or an unreasonable impediment to traffic.
g.
Two or more uses may provide for required parking in a common parking lot if the total space provided is not less than the sum of the spaces required for each use individually. However, the number of spaces required in a common parking facility may be reduced below this total by special exception if it can be demonstrated to the Zoning Hearing Board that the hours or days of peak parking needed for the uses are so different that a lower total will provide adequately for all uses served by the facility.
h.
For parking areas of three or more vehicles the area not landscaped and so maintained, including driveways, shall be graded, surfaced with asphalt or other suitable material and drained to the satisfaction of the Township Engineer to the extent necessary to prevent dust, erosion, or excessive water flow across streets or adjoining property. All off-street parking spaces shall be marked so as to indicate their location. Failure to keep parking areas in satisfactory condition (i.e., free from holes, clearly delineated or properly graded) shall be considered a violation of this chapter.
§ 27-1713 Reduction of Nonresidential Parking Requirements.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1513; as amended by Ord. 174, 1/20/1997, Art. 3]
In order to prevent the establishment of a greater number of parking spaces than is actually required to serve the needs of nonresidential uses, the Board of Supervisors, after consulting with the Planning Commission and Township Engineer, may permit a conditional reduction of parking space if the following conditions are satisfied:
a.
This conditional reduction of parking space shall apply to Use E4, Office Park, Use F30, Shopping Center, and Use H13, Industrial Park.
b.
The design of the parking lot, as indicated on the land development plan, must designate sufficient space to meet the parking requirements of this chapter. The plan shall also illustrate the layout for the total number of parking spaces.
c.
The conditional reduction shall provide for the establishment of not less than 40% of the required number of parking spaces, as specified in this chapter. This initial phase of the parking shall be clearly indicated on the plan.
d.
The balance of the parking area conditionally reserved shall not include areas for required buffer yards, setbacks or areas which would otherwise be unsuitable for parking spaces due to the physical characteristics of the land or other requirements of this chapter. This parking area which is reserved shall be located and have characteristics so as to provide amenable open space should it be determined the additional parking spaces are not required. The developer shall provide a landscaping plan for the reserved area with the land development plan.
e.
The developer shall enter into a written agreement with the Board of Supervisors that, after one year following the issuing of the last occupancy permit, the additional parking spaces shall be provided at the developer's or owner's expense should it be determined that the required number of parking spaces are necessary to satisfy the need of the particular land development.
f.
At the time of the above stated agreement, the developer or owner shall post a performance bond or other securities to cover the expense of a traffic study to be undertaken by a registered traffic engineer of the Board of Supervisors' choosing who shall determine the advisability of providing the full parking requirement. Said study shall be undertaken one year after the issuance of the last occupancy permit pursuant to subsection (D) above. With recommendations of the traffic engineer, the Township Engineer and the Planning Commission the Board of Supervisors shall determine if the additional spaces shall be provided by the developer of if the area shall remain as open space.
g.
Land which has been determined and designated by the Board of Supervisors to remain as open space rather than as required parking shall not be used to provide parking spaces for any addition or expansion but shall remain as open space.
§ 27-1714 Parking Area Design Requirements.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1514]
Parking areas with a capacity of three or more vehicles shall meet the design standards stated in the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter 22].
§ 27-1715 Off-Street Loading.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1515]
Off-street loading improvements shall meet the design standards stated in the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter 22].
§ 27-1716 Street Access.
[Ord. 5/26/1987, § 1516; as amended by Ord. 168, 2/18/1997, Art. 10]
§ 27-1717 Future Right-of-Way.
[Ord. 5/26/1987; Ord. 139, 5/28/1991, Art. 2; Ord. 168, 2/18/1997, Art. 4; Ord. No. 304, 6/25/2024]
Required right-of-way shall be determined based upon road classifications set forth in the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (§ 22-506).
§ 27-1718 Alleys.
[Ord. 5/26/1987; as added by Ord. 150, 6/15/1993.]
Alleys may be permitted upon approval of the Board of Supervisors in limited circumstances as a means of providing direct off-street parking and access for narrow lots.
a.
Alleys are intended to provide access to the rear of residential lots for service and onlot parking.
b.
Frontage on an alley shall not be construed to satisfy the requirements of this chapter for frontage on a street.
c.
No parking shall be provided for or permitted within the cartway of the alley.
d.
Street systems which contain alleys shall be designed to discourage through traffic on the alleys.
e.
Any portion of an alley located between two points of ingress and egress shall provide rear access to no more than 50 dwelling units.
f.
Alleys may only intersect secondary or primary streets.
g.
Alley length shall not exceed a distance of 660 feet as measured between two points of ingress and egress.
h.
Alleys shall be centered on a rear or side lot line and shall be designed with a twenty-foot wide easement and a paved cartway width of 12 feet. Except where specifically approved by the Board of Supervisors, all alleys shall be designed for one-way traffic. Where two-way traffic is permitted by the Board of Supervisors, a cartway width of 20 feet shall be provided.
i.
Parking shall be limited to a distance not to exceed 30 feet from the alley centerline.
§ 27-1719 Outdoor Illumination.
[Ord. No. 303, 3/26/2024]
a.
General.
(1)
All outdoor illumination for all uses shall be diffused or shielded in such a manner as not to create any hazardous glare for passing vehicular traffic or a nuisance to persons beyond its lot lines.
(2)
The following additional regulation shall apply to all outdoor lighting, where permitted or required by this chapter or other Township ordinances, except for agricultural uses, residential uses other than multifamily, uses accessory thereto, and parking areas/lots of three spaces or less.
(3)
The glare control requirements contained herein shall apply to all lighting, including signage.
(4)
Where more stringent requirements concerning light abatement are contained in other rules, regulations, or ordinances, the more stringent regulations shall apply.
b. CANDELA CANDLEPOWER CUTOFF ANGLE (OF A LUMINAIRE) DIRECT LIGHT FIXTURE FLOOD or SPOTLIGHT FOOT-CANDLE FULL CUTOFF FULLY SHIELDED LIGHTS GLARE(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) HEIGHT OF LUMINAIRE ILLUMINANCE ILLUMINATION INDIRECT LIGHT ISOFOOTCANDLE (ISOLUX) LAMP LIGHT LIGHT TRESPASS LUMEN LUMINAIRE LUMINAIRE CUTOFF LUMINANCE LUX OUTDOOR LIGHTING STERIDIAN, SR (UNIT OF SOLID ANGLE) UNIFORMITY RATIO
Definitions.
The SI unit of luminous intensity. One candela is one lumen per steradian (lm/sr).
Luminous intensity expressed in candelas.
The angle measured up from the lowest point (nadir), between the vertical axis and the first line of sight at which the bare source is not visible.
Light emitted directly from the lamp, off of the reflector or reflector diffuser, or through the refractor or diffuser lens, of a luminaire.
The assembly that house 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 light intensity on a plane (horizontal or vertical) stated in lumens per square foot and measurable with a light meter. One foot-candle is one lumen per square foot (lm/ft2). Horizontal foot-candles are measured on the horizontal plane of a lamp (bulb), and vertical foot-candles on a perpendicular line above the bulb.
Attribute of a lighting fixture from which no light is emitted at or above a horizontal plane drawn through the bottom of the fixture, and no more than 10% of the lamp's intensity is emitted at or above an angle 10° below that horizontal plane, at all lateral angles around the fixture.
Outdoor light fixtures shielded or constructed in such a manner that all light emitted by the fixture, either directly from the lamp or diffusion element or indirectly by reflection or refraction, is projected below the horizontal plane through the fixture's lowest light-emitting part as certified by a photometric test report and does not cause glare at normal viewing angles.
The sensation produced by luminance within the visual field that is sufficiently greater than the luminance to which the eyes are adapted, which causes annoyance, discomfort, or loss in visual performance or visibility.
BLINDING GLAREGlare that is so intense that for an appreciable length of time after it has been removed, no object can be seen.
DIRECT GLAREGlare resulting from high luminance or insufficiently shielded light sources in the field of view.
DISABILITY GLAREThe effect of stray light in the eye whereby visibility and visual performance are reduced.
DISCOMFORT GLAREGlare that produces discomfort. It does not necessarily interfere with visual performance or visibility.
REFLECTED GLAREGlare resulting from reflections of high luminance in polished or glossy surfaces in the field of view.
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 or lux.
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.
Direct light that has been reflected or has scattered off of other surfaces.
A line plotted on any appropriate set of coordinates to show all the points on a surface where the illuminance is the same. A series of such lines for various illuminance values is called an isolux (isofootcandle) diagram.
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.
Light emitted by a lighting installation that extends beyond the boundaries of the property on which the installation is sited.
The light output of a lamp (light bulb), as specified by the manufacturer. More technically, it is the luminous flux emitted within a 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 chapter, the lumen-output values shall be the initial output ratings of a lamp, as specified by the manufacturer of the lamp. For example, a 60-watt GE Soft White bulb emits 840 lumens, a similar 100-watt bulb, 1690 lumens.
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.
A luminaire whose candle power per 1,000 lumens does not numerically exceed 25 (2.5%) at an angle of 90 above nadir (horizontal) and 100 (10%) at a vertical angle of 80 above nadir.
A quantity of light measurable with a luminance meter (light meter). It may be expressed in candelas per square meter (cd/m2) footcandles (lm/m2), or lux.
A unit of light intensity stated in lumens per square meter. (Approximately 10.7 lux per footcandle; may be measured with a light meter.)
The nighttime illumination of an outside area or object by any man-made device that produces light by any means.
The solid angle subtended at the center of a sphere by an area on the surface of the sphere equal to the square of the sphere radius.
The highest luminance or illuminance point divided by the lowest luminance or illuminance point, respectively.
c.
Criteria.
(1)
Illumination Levels.
(a)
Lighting shall have luminance/illuminance values and uniformity ratios in accordance with the current recommended practices of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) contained in the IESNA Lighting Handbook and from time to time amended.
(b)
Future amendments to the recommended practices contained within IESNA shall become part of this chapter without further action of East Rockhill Township.
(c)
Intensities for typical outdoor applications are presented below. (Note: illuminance levels for lighting of public roadways/streets, and pedestrian/bicycle facilities shall be measured at a point 50 feet beyond the facility being illuminated).
Maximum Maintained Illuminance Levels Permitted at Property Lines Produced by Outdoor Area Lighting Installation | ||
|---|---|---|
For Outdoor Area Lighting Installations to Which the Requirements of This Chapter Apply: | Maximum Maintained Illuminance Level Permitted at Property Line Measured at Grade in Horizontal Footcandles | Maximum Maintained Illuminance Level Permitted at Property Line Measured at Grade in Horizontal Lux |
Outdoor area lighting installation is located on said property and property line adjoins a public roadway or public right-of-way | 0.5 | 5.4 |
Outdoor area lighting installation is located on said property and property line adjoins a nonresidential property | 0.2 | 2.2 |
Outdoor area lighting installation is located on said property and property line adjoins a residential property | 0.1 | 1.1 |
(2)
Lighting Fixture Design.
(a)
Fixtures shall be of a type and design appropriate to the lighting application and meet the requirements of this chapter.
(b)
For horizontal tasks (roadways, sidewalks, parking areas and similar facilities), fixtures shall meet IESNA "full cutoff" criteria, i.e., no light output emitted above 90° at any lateral angle around the fixture. If full cutoff fixtures for lighting of public streets are not available from the servicing utility, an alternate fixture most closely meeting the standards contained herein may be accepted by the Township upon submission of technical specifications for review.
(c)
Fixtures shall be equipped with, or be capable of being modified to incorporate, light directing and/or shielding devices, such as shields, visors, skirts, or hoods to redirect offending light distribution and/or reduce direct or reflected glare.
(3)
Control of Nuisance and Disabling Glare.
(a)
All outdoor lighting, whether or not required, on all properties shall be aimed, located, designed, fitted and maintained so as not to present a hazard to drivers or pedestrians by impairing their ability to travel safely, and so as not to create a nuisance or disturbance by projecting or reflecting light onto a neighboring use or property.
(b)
All outdoor lighting fixtures shall be shielded in such a manner that no light be emitted above a horizontal plane passing through the lowest point of the light emitting element, i.e., no direct light is emitted above the horizontal plane. This includes outdoor lighting fixtures that illuminate the area under outdoor canopies, including fuel island canopies, storefront and shopping mall canopies, driveway and building entrance canopies, and pavilions and gazebos.
(c)
Floodlights and spotlights where permitted, shall be installed or aimed so that they do not project their output into the windows of neighboring residences, adjacent uses, skyward or onto a roadway.
(d)
Unless otherwise permitted by the Board of Supervisors for safety or security or all-night operations, nonresidential exterior lighting shall be controlled by automatic switching devices such as time clocks or combination motion detectors and photocells, to permit extinguishing outdoor lighting fixtures between 10:00 p.m. and dawn to mitigate nuisance glare and sky-lighting consequences.
(e)
Where all-night safety or security lighting is to be provided, the lighting intensity levels shall not exceed 25% of the levels normally permitted by this chapter for the use. (Lighting shall be reduced by 75% from normally permitted levels.)
(f)
Vegetation screens shall not be employed as the primary means for controlling glare, although they are encouraged for additional protection against nuisance lighting. Rather, glare control shall be achieved primarily through the use of cutoff fixtures, shields and baffles, and appropriate application of mounting heights, wattage, aiming angle and fixture placement.
(g)
Externally lit signs and billboards shall be lighted by top-mounted fixtures aimed downwards. Such fixtures shall be automatically extinguished between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and sunrise unless specifically approved by Township.
(h)
Directional fixtures for applications such as facade, fountain, feature, and landscape illumination shall be aimed so that they do not project output beyond the objects to be illuminated, shall be extinguished between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and dawn.
(i)
Service station or other similar canopy lighting shall use flat-lens full-cutoff downlighting fixtures, shielded in such a manner that the edge of the fixture shall be level with or below the light source envelope. Additionally, top or outside surfaces of canopies may not be illuminated except for signage in accordance with applicable regulations of this chapter.
(j)
The use of white strobe lighting for tall structures such as smokestacks, chimneys, radio/communication/television towers is prohibited except as required by state/federal aviation regulations.
(4)
Installation. For all nonresidential uses:
(a)
Electrical feeds for fixtures mounted on poles shall be run underground, not overhead.
(b)
Poles supporting lighting fixtures for the illumination of parking areas and located directly behind parking spaces, shall be placed a minimum of five feet outside paved area, or suitably protected by other means.
(c)
Lighting fixtures shall not be mounted more than 20 feet above finished grade.
(5)
Compliance. Lighting fixtures and ancillary equipment shall meet the requirements of this chapter at all times.
d.
Outdoor Sports and Recreational Lighting.
(1)
These regulations apply to all sports and recreational facilities including, but not limited to, ballfields, ballparks, stadiums, tennis courts, basketball courts, soccer fields, recreation fields, swimming pools, skating rinks, golf driving ranges, golf courses, firearm shooting facilities and the like. Where permitted, the outdoor lighting of sports and recreational facilities shall comply with the following requirements:
(2)
The requirements of this subsection apply to all outdoor lighting installations employed for nighttime area illumination of sports and recreational facilities. All sports and recreational facilities shall be illuminated with the following two systems:
(a)
Performance Area Lighting. This is the lighting directed upon the field, court, rink, etc., to illuminate the sports/recreational activity taking place upon/within the facility. The maximum permitted post height for the performance area lighting is 70 feet. Post height shall be limited to minimum height necessary to meet the performance area lighting needs of that specific sports/recreational use as determined by the Township.
(b)
General Area Lighting. This is a low-level lighting system used to facilitate pedestrian circulation, patrons leaving the facility, cleanup, nighttime maintenance, etc. General area lighting shall meet all the requirements for outdoor area and roadway lighting installations listed above in Subsection c.
(3)
Use of Full Cutoff Luminaries Required. All luminaries employed in outdoor sports and recreational lighting installation shall be the full cutoff luminary type unless the performance area lighting need of the sport/recreational use cannot be met through the use of full cutoff luminaries, as determined by the Township.
(4)
Use of Glare Shields Required for Noncutoff Luminaire Types. Where noncutoff luminaries such as floodlights must be used to meet the lighting design objectives for the performance area lighting, the luminaries shall be equipped with glare shields, visors, barn doors and other similar shielding accessories as required to meet the following criteria:
(a)
Luminaries shall be fully shielded.
(b)
To the extent practicable, the candlepower distribution from all luminaries shall be further cut off at angles below the horizontal (level) to restrict direct illumination to within the performance area being illuminated for sports and recreations purposes.
(5)
Maximum Maintained Illuminance Levels. The maximum maintained illuminance levels permitted at the property line(s) during the nighttime, produced by the sum of all outdoor sports and recreation lighting installations on a lot, shall meet the requirement of the table at Subsection c(1).
(6)
Design Submittal and Approval Requirements. The design for all outdoor sports and recreation lighting installations shall be submitted for review and approval by the Township. The submission shall include a visual-impact plan that demonstrates appropriate steps have been taken to prevent or mitigate glare on site, off site, as viewed by drivers on adjacent streets, and so as to retain the intended character of the general vicinity of the site. This submission may also require the inclusion of initial vertical footcandle values at specific off-site venues, e.g., bedroom windows of adjacent residential uses.
(7)
All outdoor sports and recreation lighting shall be extinguished between 9:45 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on Monday through Friday nights; Saturday night usage (maximum once per month) is subject to approval by the Board of Supervisors; and Sunday night usage is not permitted. In addition, the performance area lighting shall be turned off no more than 30 minutes after the end of the event or use of the sports/recreational facility.
e.
Plan Submission.
(1)
Lighting plans shall be submitted to the municipality for review and approval for all proposed outdoor lighting, including but not limited to proposals that are part of a subdivision or land development plan and shall include:
(a)
A site plan, complete with all structures, parking spaces, building entrances, traffic areas (vehicular and pedestrian), vegetation that might interfere with lighting, and adjacent uses that might be adversely impacted by the lighting, containing a layout of all proposed fixtures by location and type.
(b)
Isofootcandle plots for individual fixtures installations, or ten-foot by ten-foot illuminance plots for multi-fixture installations, which demonstrate compliance with intensity and uniformity requirements as set forth in this chapter. Larger grid spacing may be used if the scale of the plan is such that a ten-foot by ten-foot grid would be unreadable.
(c)
Description of the proposed equipment, including fixture catalog cuts, photometrics, glare reduction devices, lamps, on/off control devices, mounting heights, pole foundation details, and mounting methods.
(2)
When requested, applicant shall also submit a visual impact plan that demonstrates the steps that have been taken to mitigate on-site and off-site glare, and to retain the rural character of the municipality.
(3)
Post-approval alterations to lighting plans or intended substitutions for approved lighting equipment shall be submitted to the Township for review and approval.
f.
Post Installation Inspection and Compliance Monitoring.
(1)
The Township reserves the right to conduct a post-installation nighttime inspection to verify compliance with the requirements of this chapter, and, if appropriate, to require remedial action at no expense to the Township.
(2)
If appropriate officers or agents of the Township judge that a lighting installation creates a safety or personal security hazard, the person(s) responsible shall be notified in writing and required to take remedial action within 30 days of notice.
(3)
When officers or agents of the Township judge that an installation produces unacceptable levels of nuisance glare, skyward light, excessive or insufficient illumination levels, or otherwise varies from this chapter, the Township may send written notification to the person(s) responsible and require appropriate remedial action within 30 days of notice.
g.
Nonconforming Lighting.
(1)
Any lighting fixture or lighting installation existing on the effective date of this chapter that does not conform to the requirements of the subsection, shall be considered as a lawful nonconformance, subject to the following:
(a)
Unless minor corrective action is deemed by the Township to be an acceptable alternative, a nonconforming lighting fixture or lighting installation shall be made to conform with the applicable requirements of this chapter when:
(b)
Nonconforming lighting fixtures as noted in Subsection g(1)(a) above shall be made to conform with the requirements of this chapter when alterations, rehabilitations, or renovations to outdoor lighting are proposed which involve replacement of at least 50% of an existing lighting system with new lighting.