The text
Sec. 5-26. - Purpose.#
(a)
To preserve the rural integrity of the night sky for astronomy and enjoyment purposes.
(b)
To protect the residents and surrounding environment from the effects of light pollution.
(c)
To promote energy efficient and sustainable lighting practices and luminaires.
(d)
To minimize adverse off-site impacts from new and existing lighting installations.
(e)
To permit reasonable uses of outdoor lighting for safety, security, productivity, commerce and enjoyment.
(Ch. 213, 4-5-10)
Sec. 5-27. - Applicability.#
(a)
New installations. All outdoor lighting installed after the effective date of this ordinance shall conform to the standards set forth herein.
(b)
Existing installations. All outdoor lighting installed prior to the effective date of this ordinance shall be considered grandfathered for a period of ten (10) years, and thereafter must be replaced or retrofitted to bring it into compliance with the applicable standards of this article.
Except for lamp replacement, no grandfathered fixture shall be repaired and/or modified unless the repair and/or modification brings it into compliance.
If a lamp is available which brings a grandfathered fixture into compliance then it shall be used in the next re-lamping of said fixture.
Any fixture which provides a means of aiming or glare control shall be re-aimed or retrofitted to bring it into compliance immediately.
Owners of grandfathered fixtures and installations may be asked to bring them into compliance at any time by the building official if such fixture or installation is found to be a hazard or an obstruction.
(Ch. 213, 4-5-10)
Sec. 5-28. - Exceptions.#
The following are not subject to the provisions of this ordinance: (1)
Lighting equipment required by fire, police safety and emergency personnel.
(2)
Lighting equipment maintained by a local or state authority for the purpose of roadway or parking illumination.
(3)
Temporary holiday lighting displayed from the period between November 24 through January 31 of the following year providing each individual lamp is sixty (60) watts or less.
(4)
Lighting equipment used solely for security purposes providing it is glare controlled and installed with a motion sensor and/or photoelectric switch.
(Ch. 213, 4-5-10)
Sec. 5-29. - General rules for all outdoor lighting.#
(a)
All fixtures used must conform to the provisions of all local, state and federal codes for electrical, energy and building requirements.
(b)
All fixtures that are non-directional and use a lamp or lamps rated at eighteen hundred (1,800) lumens and above are required to be of the fully shielded and/or full cutoff type.
(c)
All fixtures that are non-directional and use a lamp or lamps rated at eighteen hundred (1,800) lumens and above are not allowed to emit any light above ninety (90) degrees vertically measured from on a line from the center of the luminous opening and the ground (See Illustration B 2.).
(d)
All fixtures used for area illumination which are directional in type and mounted to poles, buildings and/or structures, that use a lamp or lamps rated at nine hundred (900) lumens and above must be aimed at the ground at an angle of no more than twenty-five (25) degrees measured from the vertical line between the center of the fixture lamp or aperture and the ground.
(e)
Any lighting rated at a total of more than eighteen hundred (1,800) lumens and all flood or spot lighting rated at a total of more than nine hundred (900) lumens, shall not emit any direct light above a horizontal plane through the lowest direct light emitting part of the luminaire.
(f)
Any lighting rated at a total of more than eighteen hundred (1,800) lumens and all flood or spot lighting rated at a total of more than nine hundred (900) lumens shall be mounted at a height equal to or less than the value 3 + (D/3) where D is the distance in feet to the nearest property boundary. The maximum height of the luminaire may not exceed fifteen (15) feet (See Illustration A).
(Ch. 213, 4-5-10)
Sec. 5-30. - Temporary outdoor lighting.#
(a)
For purposes of this ordinance, "temporary lighting" shall mean lighting that is or will be in use for less than thirty (30) consecutive days and which is not permanently affixed to any structure or building.
(b)
Any temporary outdoor lighting that conforms to the requirements of this article shall be allowed.
(c)
Nonconforming temporary outdoor lighting may be permitted by the town council by special temporary permit. The applicant shall submit a detailed description of the proposed temporary nonconforming lighting to the council with a request. A failure of the council to act on a request shall constitute a denial of the request. In granting any permit the council shall consider:
(1)
The public and/or private benefits which will result from the temporary lighting;
(2)
Any annoyance or safety problems that may result from the use of the temporary lighting; and
(3)
The duration of the temporary nonconforming lighting.
(Ch. 213, 4-5-10)
Sec. 5-31. - Waterfront lighting.#
Outdoor lighting in and around the ponds, lakes, rivers and other waters of the town, shall not be installed or maintained so as to create a hazard or nuisance to other property owners and shall comply with the following: (1)
Lights on docks shall be no more than three (3) feet above the dock, shall be downward directed and shall be no more than five hundred fifty (550) lumens or less.
(2)
Lights illuminating paths, stairs, decks, etc. shall not be directed toward the waters and shall be no more than eighteen hundred (1,800) lumens or less.
(3)
All exterior lighting shall be located, mounted and shielded so that direct illumination is not focused toward the water surface more than twenty (20) feet from shore.
(Ch. 213, 4-5-10)
Sec. 5-32. - Architectural and landscape lighting.#
(a)
All fixtures must be aimed and/or shielded to illuminate only the intended target such that no stray light from the luminaire passes above the horizontal plane (See Illustration B).
(b)
Upward aimed façade and building lighting shall not exceed nine hundred (900) lumens per fixture or lamp and should be fully shielded and fully confined from projecting into the sky by eaves, roofs, overhangs or structures and mounted as flush to the illuminated wall as possible.
(c)
All lighting not required for safety and security shall be controlled by either a timer or photoelectric switch to be turned off after 11:00 p.m. local time or a time set at the request of the planning board, zoning board or town council.
(Ch. 213, 4-5-10)
Sec. 5-33. - Canopy and service lighting.#
Outdoor sales and gas station service canopy lighting shall be aimed downward and installed such that the center of the fixture's luminous opening is flush with or recessed into the canopy ceiling. All lighting from the canopy must be substantially confined to the ground area directly beneath the perimeter of the canopy.
(Ch. 213, 4-5-10)
Sec. 5-34. - Light trespass.#
The maximum illumination allowed to penetrate to the point five (5) feet inside an adjacent property line, adjacent residential parcel or adjacent right-of-way shall not exceed .1 horizontal foot candles or .1 vertical foot candles in residential zones and .3 horizontal foot candles or .3 vertical foot candles in a commercial or manufacturing zones. There shall be no direct line of sight to a lamp by an observer from any point on the adjacent property line viewing from a position that is level with or higher than the ground below the fixture.
(Ch. 213, 4-5-10)
Sec. 5-35. - Signage.#
(a)
Lighting used primarily for sign illumination may be mounted at any height to a maximum of fifteen (15) feet.
(b)
Except as otherwise prohibited herein, signs may be illuminated by any fixed steady light source, of such nature and in such manner that the brightness of the sign face does not exceed one hundred (100) lumens per square foot. Except for neon type signs, where permitted, such illumination shall be so arranged that its source is not directly visible from any way, occupied building or abutting property and no illumination shall be of any color that might be confusing to traffic. This paragraph shall also apply to window signs.
(c)
Illuminated signs shall not cause glare distracting to drivers, nor shall they be in such a position or such color as will hamper the readability of traffic lights or traffic signs.
(d)
Signs allowed in conjunction with an allowed residential use or an allowed accessory residential use shall not be illuminated.
(e)
Signs may be illuminated externally by a downward-directed stationary light of white or off-white color.
(f)
Outdoor internally-illuminated signs must either be constructed with an opaque background and translucent text and symbols, or with a colored (not white, off-white, light gray, cream or yellow) background and generally lighter text and symbols. Opaque background signs not only produce the least light pollution (usually by a wide margin), they are also usually the most legible and therefore most effective for conveying information. Internally illuminated signs on after midnight (for example, Emergency Room entrance, other signage for health and safety, police or fire stations) shall be designed with opaque backgrounds and translucent letters and symbols.
(g)
The requirements of this section are intended to be applied in conjunction with the requirements specified in section 27 of chapter 134 of the zoning ordinance as amended by ordinance dated July 21, 1997. To the extent that there are any inconsistencies between this article and section 27 of chapter 134, this article shall control.
(Ch. 213, 4-5-10)
ILLUSTRATION A
Any luminaire with eighteen hundred (1,800) lumen output or less, or any flood type luminaire with nine hundred (900) lumen output or les:
Any fixture with over eighteen hundred (1,800) lumen output or any flood type fixture with more than nine hundred (900) lumen output:
ILLUSTRATION B
1.
Any outdoor light fixture you choose to install that has a light output of eighteen hundred (1,800) lumens or less is OK in any form. Any flood light or spot light you choose to install with a light output of nine hundred (900) lumens or less is OK as long as it isn't pointed to create a nuisance.
SOME EXAMPLES OF LUMINAIRES UNAFFECTED BY THE REVISED OUTDOOR LIGHTING ORDINANCE:
2.
Only new light fixtures with brighter lamps than in #1 must conform to certain shielding and mounting height restrictions.
DIRECT LIGHT is the light you actually can see coming straight from the lamp, off of any type of reflector or reflector diffuser in the luminaire or through any type of refractor, or diffuser of the luminaire.
(Ch. 213, 4-5-10)