Fennville City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 16
Lighting
§ 450-1601 Site lighting.
A.
Purpose. The purpose of this article is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public by recognizing the need for buildings and sites to be illuminated for safety, security, and visibility for pedestrians and motorists. To do so, the lighting standards in this section are designed to:
(1)
Minimize light pollution.
(2)
Maintain safe nighttime driver performance on public roadways.
(3)
Preserve the restful quality of nighttime by eliminating intrusive artificial light and lighting that unnecessarily contributes to a sky glow.
(4)
Reduce light pollution and light trespass from light sources onto adjacent properties.
(5)
Conserve electrical energy.
(6)
Curtail the degradation of the nighttime visual environment.
(7)
Minimize glare and preserve the historic character of the City.
B.
Applicability. The standards in this article shall apply to any light source that is visible from any property line or beyond, for the site from which the light is emanating. The Zoning Administrator, or designee, may review any building or site to determine compliance with the requirements under this section. An applicant for site plan approval shall submit sufficient information to enable the Zoning Administrator, or designee, to determine whether the proposed lighting will comply with this section.
C.
Definitions. The following words, terms, and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section:
FLOOD or SPOTLIGHT
Any light fixture or lamp that incorporates a reflector or refractor to concentrate the light output into a directed beam in a particular direction.
GLARE
Direct or reflective light emitted by a lamp, luminous tube lighting, or other light source.
LAMP
The component of the luminaire that produces the actual light including luminous tube lighting.
LIGHT FIXTURE
The assembly that holds a lamp and may include an assembly housing, a mounting bracket or pole socket, a lamp holder, a ballast, a reflector or mirror, and a refractor or lens. A light fixture also includes the assembly for luminous tube and fluorescent lighting.
LIGHT POLLUTION
Artificial light which causes a detrimental effect on the environment, enjoyment of the night sky, causes undesirable glare, or unnecessary illumination of adjacent properties.
LIGHT TRESPASS
The shining of light produced by a luminaire beyond the boundaries of the property on which it is located.
LUMINAIRE
The complete lighting system, including the lamp and light fixture.
LUMINOUS TUBE LIGHTING
Gas-filled tubing which, when subjected to high voltage, becomes luminescent in a color characteristic of the particular gas used (e.g., neon or argon).
OUTDOOR LIGHT FIXTURES
Outdoor artificial illuminating devices, outdoor fixtures, lamps, and other similar devices, permanently installed or portable, used for flood lighting, general illumination, or advertisement.
SHIELDED FIXTURE
Outdoor light fixtures shielded or constructed so that light rays emitted by the fixture are projected below the horizontal plane passing through the lowest point on the fixture from which light is emitted (i.e., a shoebox-type fixture). A luminaire recessed in a canopy or other structure such that the surrounding structure effectively shields the light in the same manner is also considered fully shielded for the purposes of this chapter.
D.
Lighting plan submittal requirements. The following information must be included for all site plan submissions for non-single-, two-, three- and four-family residential buildings:
(1)
Location of all freestanding, building-mounted, and canopy light fixtures on the site plan and building elevations.
(2)
Photometric grid overlaid on the proposed site plan indicating the overall light intensity throughout the site (in footcandles).
(3)
Specifications and details for the type of fixture being proposed, including the total lumen output, type of lamp, and method of shielding.
(4)
Use of the fixture proposed.
E.
Site lighting standards. Unless exempted under this section, all lighting must comply with the following standards:
(1)
Freestanding pole lighting and building-mounted lighting.
(a)
Lighting shall be fully shielded and directed downward to prevent off-site glare. The Planning Commission or Zoning Administrator may approve decorative light fixtures as an alternative to shielded fixtures when it can be proven that there will be no off-site light trespass or glare from the fixture and the proposed fixtures will improve the appearance of the site.
(b)
The illumination of light within a site shall not exceed five footcandles or one footcandle at a property line, except where it abuts a residentially used or zoned lot, in which case a maximum of 0.1 footcandle is permitted. Gas station canopy and automobile dealership lighting shall be permitted a maximum of 20 footcandles within the site, but the above standards shall apply to intensity at the property line.
(c)
Metal halide or LED fixtures shall be used in an effort to maintain a unified lighting standard throughout the municipality and prevent a sky glow.
(d)
The maximum pole height of parking lot light fixtures shall be 20 feet on top of a base not exceeding two feet in height.
(e)
Outdoor lighting fixtures shall not be used for security purposes.
(f)
Luminous tube and exposed bulb fluorescent lighting shall be prohibited as an architectural detail on all buildings, e.g., along the roof line and eaves, around windows, etc. Internally illuminated architectural bands may be approved when it can be shown that the treatment will enhance the appearance of the building.
 Source: Dark Sky Society (www.darkskysociety.org) |
(2)
Window lighting.
(a)
Any light fixtures visible through a window must be shielded to prevent glare at the property line.
(b)
Luminous tube and exposed bulb fluorescent lighting (visible from the property line) is prohibited unless it is part of a sign that meets the requirements of Article 18.
(3)
Other lighting.
(a)
The internal illumination of building-mounted awnings is prohibited unless the awning is opaque such that the light is only visible beneath the awning.
(b)
Indirect illumination of signs, canopies, and buildings is permitted.
(c)
The use of laser light source, search lights, or any similar high intensity light for outdoor advertisement or entertainment is prohibited.
(d)
Lighting shall not be of a flashing, moving, or intermittent type.
(e)
Luminous tube and exposed bulb fluorescent lighting is permitted as part of a sign meeting the requirements of Article 18.
F.
Exemptions. The following are exempt from the lighting requirements of this section, except that the Zoning Administrator or designee may take steps to eliminate the impact of the above items when deemed necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public:
(1)
Sports field and swimming pools.
(2)
Holiday decorations.
(3)
Window displays without glare.
(4)
Shielded pedestrian walkway lighting.
(5)
Residential incandescent lighting with no off-site glare.
(6)
Streetlights.
G.
Permitted lighting sources and shielding requirements. Outdoor lighting shall comply with the following use and shielding requirements:
Shielding Requirements | ||
|---|---|---|
Lamp Type | Permitted Use | Shielding Requirement |
High pressure sodium Low pressure sodium, LED | Streetlighting; parking and security areas; sports parks, tennis courts; residential security lighting | Fully |
Metal halide | Signage, display and sports lighting, where color rendering is critical | Fully |
Fluorescent | Residential lighting; internal sign lighting | None |
Incandescent, more than 100 watts | Sensor activated residential lighting | Fully |
Incandescent, 100 watts or less | Porch lighting and other residential uses | Fully |
Any light source 50 watts or less | Any | None |
Glass tubes filled with neon, argon, or krypton | Display/advertising. | None |
