A.   The general purpose of this section is to protect and promote the public health, safety and welfare, the quality of life, and the ability to view the night sky, by establishing regulations and a process of review for exterior lighting.

   B.   This section establishes minimum standards for exterior lighting in order to accomplish the following:

      1.   To protect against direct glare and excessive lighting;

      2.   To provide safe roadways for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians;

      3.   To protect and reclaim the ability to view the night sky, and help preserve the quality of life and the tourist experience;

      4.   To prevent light trespass in all areas of the city;

      5.   To ensure that sufficient lighting can be provided where needed to promote safety and security;

      6.   To allow for flexibility in the style of lighting fixtures; and

      7.   To provide lighting guidelines. (Ord. 256, 2-12-2015)

FLOODLIGHT: A lamp that is designed to flood a well defined area with light.

FULL CUTOFF LUMINAIRES: A luminaire designed and installed where no light is emitted at or above a horizontal plane running through the lowest point on the luminaire.

FULLY SHIELDED: A type of luminaire that incorporates a solid barrier (the shield), which permits no light to escape through the barrier.

GLARE: Stray, unshielded light striking the eye that may result in: a) nuisance or annoyance glare such as light shining into a window; b) discomfort glare such as bright light causing a squinting of the eyes; c) disabling glare such as bright light reducing the ability of the eyes to see into shadows; or d) reduction of visual performance.

LAMP: The generic term for an artificial light source, to be distinguished from the whole assembly (see definition of Luminaire). Commonly referred to as "bulb".

LIGHT POLLUTION: Any adverse effect of manmade light including, but not limited to, discomfort to the eye or diminished vision due to glare, light trespass, uplighting, the uncomfortable distraction of the eye, or any manmade light that diminishes the ability to view the night sky.

LIGHT TRESPASS: Light falling on the property of another or the public right of way when it is not required to do so.

LIGHTING: Any or all parts of a luminaire that function to produce light.

LIGHTING ADMINISTRATOR: The Fairfield planning and zoning administrator shall administer, interpret, and enforce this chapter, and make recommendations hereunder.

LUMEN: The unit used to quantify the amount of light energy produced by a lamp at the luminaire. Lumen output of most lamps is listed on the packaging. For example, a sixty (60) watt incandescent lamp, six (6) to eight (8) watt LED, and a fluorescent thirteen (13) watt lamp produce approximately nine hundred (900) lumens while a fifty five (55) watt low pressure sodium lamp produces eight thousand (8,000) lumens.

LUMINAIRE: A complete lighting unit, consisting of a lamp or lamps together with the parts designed to distribute the light, to position and protect the lamps and to connect the lamps to the power. When used, includes ballasts and photocells. Commonly referred to as "fixture".

OPAQUE: The effect of a part or parts of a luminaire that provide(s) a barrier above and in some cases around the lamp, that does not allow any light to pass through.

OUTDOOR LIGHTING: Temporary or permanent lighting that is installed, located or used in such a manner to cause light rays to shine outdoors. Luminaires that are indoors that are intended to light something outside are considered outdoor lighting for the purpose of this chapter.

PARTIALLY SHIELDED: A type of luminaire that incorporates a translucent barrier, the "partial shield" around the lamp that allows some light to pass through the barrier while concealing the lamp from the viewer.

SKYGLOW: The overhead glow from light emitted sideways and upwards caused by the reflection and scattering of light by dust, water vapor and other particles suspended in the atmosphere, and which reduces one's ability to view the night sky.

UNSHIELDED: A type of luminaire that only incorporates clear glass, which permits all light to escape.

UPLIGHTING: Fully shielded lighting that is directed in such a manner as to shine light rays above the horizontal plane. (Ord. 256, 2-12-2015)

All exterior lighting installed after the effective date hereof in any and all zoning districts in the city shall be in conformance with the requirements established by this chapter. (Ord. 256, 2-12-2015)

   A.   Outdoor Luminaires: All outdoor lighting shall not cause the lamp to shine directly on adjacent property or public rights of way. Outdoor lighting luminaires shall be one of the following:

      1.   Full cutoff and fully shielded.

      2.   Luminaires that are partially shielded; provided, that the lamp is not visible, and the luminaire has an opaque top or is under an opaque structure.

      3.   Floodlights with external shielding and which are angled; provided, that no light is directed above a twenty five degree (25°) angle measured from a vertical line from the center of the light extended to the ground.

      4.   Unshielded or clear glass luminaires that have a maximum output of four hundred fifty (450) lumens per fixture (equal to one 40-watt incandescent lamp or one 4- to 5-watt LED) which have an opaque top or are under an opaque structure.

   B.   Height Of Luminaires:

      1.   Parking area luminaires shall be no higher than twenty feet (20') above ground.

      2.   Freestanding luminaires, not attached to a structure in residential zones shall be no higher than fifteen feet (15') above ground.

      3.   Streetlights used on arterial roadways may exceed twenty feet (20') in height, with the approval of city council, and only with a finding that exceeding twenty feet (20') is necessary to protect the safety of the residents of Fairfield.

      4.   The height of any light fixture or luminaire shall be no higher than thirty feet (30') above ground.

   C.   Examples: Examples of the following types of lighting, in the form of diagrams, are included within the ordinance codified herein on file in the office of the city clerk:

      1.   Full cutoff luminaires with the light source downcast and fully shielded.

      2.   Luminaires that are partially shielded with the lamp not visible and have an opaque top or are under an opaque structure. Unshielded or clear glass luminaires that have a maximum output of four hundred fifty (450) lumens per fixture (equal to one 40-watt incandescent lamp or one 4- to 5-watt LED) which have an opaque top or are under an opaque structure.

      3.   Floodlights with external shielding shall be angled; provided, that no light is directed above a twenty five degree (25°) angle measured from a vertical line from the center of the light extended to the ground. (Ord. 256, 2-12-2015)

   A.   All applications for zoning, special use permit, subdivision, planned unit developments and building permits shall include lighting plans showing location, type and boundary of light.

   B.   The administrator shall review any new lighting on the subject property that is part of an application for zoning, special use permit, subdivision, planned unit developments and building permits, to determine whether the lighting complies with the standards of this chapter. The administrator shall convey in writing a recommendation whether the lighting complies with the standards of this chapter to the building official, the city council, or planning and zoning commission prior to approval of any zoning permit, subdivision application, or certificate of occupancy.

   C.   For all other lighting which must conform to the requirements of this chapter, the administrator shall issue a decision whether the lighting complies with the standards of this chapter. The administrator, prior to issuance of its decision, may request additional information from the applicant. All such decisions may be appealed pursuant to section 8-12-1 of this title to the planning and zoning commission within thirty (30) days of the decision. (Ord. 256, 2-12-2015)

The following forms of outdoor lighting are exempt from the provisions of this chapter and are not required to comply with its terms:

   A.   A single light for the sole purpose of uplighting of a flag with a maximum lumen output of one thousand five hundred (1,500) lumens, a shielded lamp no more than forty five degree (45°) angle spotlight.

   B.   Sports, recreation and entertainment lighting required for public events.

   C.   Lighting that is required to meet the federal aviation authority's compliance standards.

   D.   Traffic control, roadway, vehicular lights and all temporary emergency lighting.

   E.   Lighting activated by a motion sensor, provided:

      1.   It is located in such a manner as to prevent glare and lighting onto properties of others or into a public right of way.

      2.   The luminaire is set to only go on when activated and to go off within five (5) minutes after activation has ceased.

      3.   The luminaire shall not be triggered by activity off the subject property. (Ord. 256, 2-12-2015)

A violation of this chapter shall be a misdemeanor, and subject to penalty as provided in section 8-1-12, "Violations And Penalties", of this title. (Ord. 256, 2-12-2015)