The purpose of this chapter is to provide for lighting that preserves and enhances the appearance and character of Village neighborhoods and commercial areas by:

   A.   Protecting the night sky from excessive light pollution;

   B.   Providing lighting for safety and comfort;

   C.   Protecting property from excessive light trespass;

   D.   Encouraging lighting practices that conserve energy. (Ord. 2017-12-05, 12-5-2017; amd. Ord. 2018-03-20C, 3-20-2018)

   A.   The following regulations apply to all property within the Village of Sugar Grove corporate boundaries.

   B.   All new installations and modifications to existing nonconforming fixtures shall comply with this chapter.

   C.   The Village may require compliance of a nonconforming light source if the Village determines that the nonconforming light source is creating a nuisance glare or disabling glare.

   D.   All nonconforming outdoor fixtures installed prior to, and operable on, the effective date of this chapter shall be removed or converted to a conforming fixture when the existing fixture is inoperable or unrepairable. (Ord. 2017-12-05, 12-5-2017; amd. Ord. 2018-03-20C, 3-20-2018)

The following are excluded from the regulations of this chapter.

   A.   Lighting within the public right-of-way or easements which serves the principal purpose of illuminating streets and sidewalks and bike paths.

   B.   Seasonal decorations in place no longer than two (2) months before a holiday or thirty (30) days after the holiday. This exception does not include: light trespass onto adjoining properties or roadways, nor nuisance glare or disabling glare.

   C.   Security lights that are controlled by a motion sensor switch which extinguishes the light within thirty (30) minutes after activation. This exception does not include: light trespass or nuisance or disabling glare.

   D.   Recreational use lighting under the control of a public or not for profit organization. This exception does not include: light trespass or nuisance or disabling glare. (Ord. 2017-12-05, 12-5-2017)

The following lighting shall not be permitted as of the effective date of this chapter:

   A.   Strobe lights, search lights, and laser lights, including laser light shows and aerial laser lights.

   B.   Neon light tubes.

   C.   Flashing lights unless temporarily triggered by a security system and extinguished within thirty (30) minutes of activation or at a time of security response.

   D.   Lighting which is used to outline a building or features of a building including windows.

   E.   Lighting that may be confused with a traffic signal or traffic control device.

   F.   Lighting that contributes to or causes disabling glare onto a public roadway or sidewalk, as determined by the Chief of Police.

   G.   Uplighting, except when lighting the American flag or trees. Uplights for trees and flags shall not exceed two thousand six hundred (2600) lumens (150 watt incandescent or 25 watt LED) output. (Ord. 2017-12-05, 12-5-2017)

   A.   Illumination Standards:

      1.   Gross Emission of Light:

         a.   Commercial, Office, Business, Civic, and Industrial uses:

            (1)   The total light output from all luminaires used for outdoor lighting shall not exceed 100,000 lumens per acre. Lighting installations located under canopies shall only contribute 50% toward this limit.

            (2)   For the purpose of this calculation, the lamp lumen output is defined as the initial lumen rating declared by the manufacturer, which consists of the lumen rating of a lamp at the end of 100 hours of operation. A sample calculation of gross emission of light is as follows: Lumens per fixture (based on fixture type) x quantity of fixtures = total lumens. Sum the total lumens for all fixtures / total acres = total lumens per acre (gross emission of light).

         b.   Exemptions:

            (1)   Lighting for outdoor athletic fields on public property, outdoor events, and special events.

            (2)   Emergency egress lighting and lighting required by Village, county, state or federal law.

            (3)   Street lighting.

            (4)   Lighting installations for non-internally illuminated signage not exceeding 800 lumens.

      2.   Light intensity and uniformity:

         a.   Commercial, Office, Business, Civic and Industrial uses: During permitted hours of operation, outdoor lighting shall meet the following requirements for light level as measured in the plane of the illuminated surface:

            (1)   Motor vehicle fueling station pumping areas shall be required to meet a minimum standard of 10 footcandles and not exceed a maximum of 30 footcandle. If greater than 30 footcandles are required a variance may be approved administratively by Village Administrator.

            (2)   Drive-in and drive-through canopies shall not exceed a maximum of 15 footcandles.

         b.   Digital outdoor display:

            (1)   A digital outdoor display shall be equipped with a light sensor which shall automatically adjust the luminance of the sign in response to the level of the outdoor lighting in a range between 40 nits during the nighttime hours and 5,000 nits during the daytime hours. Brightness must be measured from the brightest element of the sign's face. The applicant shall provide written certification from the sign manufacturer that the light intensity has been factory pre-set so that it shall not exceed the luminance levels for day and night. Daylight hours are defined as dawn until dusk.

      3.   Light direction and control:

         a.   Any luminaire which is used for uplighting shall have the necessary shielding and/or beam-angle control and/or shall be aimed to substantially confine the directed light to the object intending to be illuminated. Uplighting shall only be permitted for landscape lighting, architectural lighting, flag lighting, and lighting of ground-mounted signs that are not internally illuminated. If downlighting; The luminaire shall not exceed one thousand and seven hundred fifty hundred (1,750) lumens output. Uplighting applications shall meet the following requirements:

 

 

         b.   Residential Uses:

            (1)   Any luminaire with a light output exceeding 1,100 lumens which is used for outdoor lighting shall have the necessary shielding and/or beam-angle control and/or shall be aimed so that the direction of all directly emitted light is at or below horizontal. Any luminaire output less than what is listed above does not require shielding. If a motion-activated sensor that illuminates the luminaire for no more than five minutes upon activation is used, said luminaire shall have a light output of up to 2,200 lumens (or incandescent bulb of 150 watts).

            (2)   Any luminaire with a light output exceeding 2,200 lumens (or incandescent bulb of 150 watts) which is used for outdoor lighting shall have the necessary shielding and/or beam-angle control and/or shall be aimed so that the light source is not visible along any property line, as viewed at a height of 36 inches above grade.

         c.   Commercial, Office, Business, Civic, and Industrial uses:

            (1)   Except as otherwise stated herein, any luminaire which emits light directed at a building, sign, billboard, or other outdoor feature shall be located at or above the top of said object and be aimed and controlled so that the direction of all emitted light is at or below horizontal and the directed light is substantially confined to the object intended to be illuminated.

      4.   Light trespass:

         a.   Except for street lighting, light emitted from outdoor lighting on any lot shall not cause the light level along any property line, as measured at a height of 36 inches above grade in a plane at any angle of inclination, to exceed the following limits:

 

 

      5.   Permitted hours for outdoor lighting.

         a.   Commercial, Office, Business, Civic and Industrial uses:

            (1)   Except for street lighting, outdoor lighting (including, but not limited to, parking lot area, architectural lighting, landscape lighting, etc.) is permitted to be lighted between one-half hour before sunset and 10:00 p.m. or one hour after the close of business based on normal hours of operation of the business, whichever is later. Thereafter, for safety and security purposes, security lighting is permissible at a total light output not greater than 25% of the total light output from all outdoor lighting located on the lot during permitted outdoor lighting hours. During security lighting hours, no luminaire shall exceed its light output exhibited during permitted outdoor lighting hours.

         b.   Exemptions:

            (1)   Businesses that are open 24 hours.

            (2)   Sports and recreation, outdoor. Outdoor lighting of an outdoor sports and recreation facility of an organized sporting event that is in progress at the close of permitted outdoor lighting hours shall be allowed to remain illuminated until 30 minutes after the conclusion of the event, but no later than 11:00 p.m. No outdoor lighting of the outdoor athletic field for any sport or recreational purpose shall be initiated after 10:00 p.m.

   B.   Luminaire Standards:

      1.   Fully shielded requirement: Except for uplighting applications permitted herein, any luminaire used for outdoor lighting for Commercial, Office, Business, Civic, and Industrial uses shall be a fully shielded luminaire and shall be installed in the proper orientation to achieve fully shielded performance with respect to a horizontal plane.

      2.   Light pole height:

         a.   The light pole height of any luminaire used for outdoor lighting on any lot, except for street lighting, shall not exceed the following limits:

 

 

      3.   Street lighting:

         a.   Any luminaire used for street lighting shall be a fully shielded 75-80 watt LED in a warm white 3000 degrees Kelvin, and shall be installed in the proper orientation to achieve fully shielded performance with respect to a horizontal plane at all public and private streets.

      4.   Light source requirements:

         a.   All light sources must have a correlated color temperature of 3,000° Kelvin or less.

   C.   The following outdoor illumination standards shall be permitted, none of which shall be construed as allowing light trespass onto adjoining properties or roadways, nor nuisance glare or disabling glare:

      1.   Lighting within the public right-of-way or easements which serves the principal purpose of illuminating streets and sidewalks and bike paths.

      2.   Security lights that are controlled by a motion sensor switch which extinguishes the light within thirty (30) minutes after activation.

      3.   Recreational use lighting under the control of a public or not for profit organization.

      4.   Lighting which is used to outline a building or features of a building including windows for non-residential uses.

      5.   Outdoor festoon lights and lanterns, including tree lighting, for non-residential uses including parks.

      6.   Neon lights utilized for signage.

   D.   Exempt Outdoor Lighting

      1.   Seasonal decorations in place no longer than sixty (60) calendar days before a holiday or forty-five (45) calendar days after the holiday.

      2.   Underwater lighting used for the illumination of swimming pools and Fountains.

      3.   Lighting required by Village, county, state, or federal law, including single-purpose emergency egress lighting on the building.

      5.   Decorative yard lighting characterized by a flame source.

      6.   Portable lighting temporarily used for maintenance or repair that is not deemed by the Village to create a hazard or nuisance.

      7.   Emergency response lighting used by police, fire-fighting, emergency management, or medical personnel at their discretion as long as the emergency exists.

      8.   Lighting for Village-approved special events such as carnivals, circuses, festivals, picnics, fairs, civic events, and exhibitions.

      9.   Temporary lighting required for road construction or other public Improvements.

   E.   Prohibited Outdoor Illumination:

      1.   Permanent strobe lights, search lights, and laser lights, including laser light shows and aerial laser lights, except if temporary for event purposes, then it is permitted but must be extinguished/turned off at the 40 end of the event and must be removed within 24 hours of the end of the event.

      2.   Flashing lights unless temporarily triggered by a security system and extinguished within thirty (30) minutes of activation or at a time of security response.

      3.   Lighting that may be confused with a traffic signal or traffic control device.

      4.   Lighting that contributes to or causes disabling glare onto a public roadway or sidewalk.

      5.   The use of neon light to accent buildings or architectural features.

   F.   Additional standards:

      1.   Outdoor lighting shall be fully shielded and aimed downward. Light shall not be emitted above ninety degrees (90°).

      2.   Outdoor lighting shall maintain a CCT not to exceed three thousand (3000) K. Color temperature shall be "warm white". Color temperatures in the "cool white" to "blue" hues are expressly prohibited.

      3.   All luminaires and component parts shall be maintained in a safe, working condition. Any broken luminaire or component part shall be repaired, replaced, or removed immediately upon discovery of the condition.

      4.   All new and replacement lighting shall be light emitted diode (LED) illumination or an energy efficient equivalent as approved by the Village Administrator.

      5.   In parking lots used at night, each parking space shall be illuminated to a minimum 0.5 foot-candle.

      6.   Parking lot pole structures shall be located within landscape areas. No exposed concrete foundations are permitted to extend more than 6" above grade. (Ord. 2017-12-05, 12-5-2017; amd. Ord. 2018-03-20C, 3-20-2018; Ord. 2025-0121CD1, 1-21-2025)

Properties used for multi-family residential, commercial, civic, and industrial shall comply with the following additional standards.

   A.   All new and replacement lighting shall be light emitted diode (LED) illumination or an energy efficient equivalent as approved by the zoning official.

   B.   Maximum height of light poles is twenty five feet (25') above grade.

   C.   Light fixtures and poles shall have a dark bronze finish.

   D.   In parking lots used at night, each parking space shall be illuminated to a minimum 0.5 foot-candle.

   E.   Parking lot luminaires shall be equipped with a timer so that parking lot lighting shall be extinguished within one-half (1/2) hour after the close of business. Parking lot luminaires in residential parking lots shall be equipped with a timer so that parking lot lighting is extinguished during daylight hours.

   F.   Parking lot pole structures shall be located within landscape areas.

   G.   The maximum average light intensity on any parking lot shall not exceed 4.0 foot-candles. (Ord. 2017-12-05, 12-5-2017; amd. Ord. 2018-03-20C, 3-20-2018)

Prior to the installation or modification of lighting on a lot used for multifamily, commercial, civic, or industrial use, a building permit shall be obtained. A photometric plan shall be submitted and approved by the Department of Community Development. The required photometric plan shall include the following elements:

   A.   A site plan, drawn to scale, complete with all structures and parking spaces. The site plan shall identify the location of each existing and proposed luminaire and shall specify its installed height, detailed pole foundations, and method of mounting.

   B.   A photometric plan indicating light levels, in foot-candles, at consistent regular intervals on the zoning lot and at each property line.

   C.   A summary table identifying the maximum and minimum light levels in foot-candles along with the average for the zoning lot.

   D.   Manufacturer cut sheet for each luminaire proposed.

   E.   A summary table of each proposed luminaire specifying: lamp type, mounting height, bulb type, wattage, and CCT. (Ord. 2017-12-05, 12-5-2017; amd. Ord. 2018-03-20C, 3-20-2018)