Ordinance 1546 - Zoning Text Amendment - Lighting StandardsORDINANCE NO. 1546
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE KALISPELL ZONING ORDINANCE (ORDINANCE
NO. 1460), BY CREATING NEW SECTION 27.22.104, OUTDOOR LIGHTING
STANDARDS, DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE, AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY
ATTORNEY TO CODIFY THE SAME.
WHEREAS, the City of Kalispell has submitted a written request to amend the Kalispell Zoning
Ordinance, by developing standards for outdoor lighting that would apply to both
commercial and residential development, and
WHEREAS, the request was forwarded to the Kalispell City Planning Board and Zoning
Commission by the Tri-City Planning Office after having been evaluated under
27.30.020, Kalispell Zoning Ordinance, and
WHEREAS, the Kalispell City Planning Board and Zoning Commission recommended that the
text of the Kalispell Zoning Ordinance be amended by adding new section 27.22.104,
Outdoor Lighting Standards, to the Supplemental Regulations, and
WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed the TCPO Report and the transmittal from the
Kalispell City Planning Board and Zoning Commission and hereby adopts the
findings made in Report #KZTA-05-3 as the Findings of Fact applicable to this
Ordinance.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
KALISPELL AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I. The City of Kalispell Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 1460, is
hereby amended as follows on Exhibit "A", attached hereto and
thereby made a part hereof.
SECTION II. All parts and portions of Ordinance No. 1460 not amended hereby
remain unchanged.
SECTION IIL This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after its final passage.
SECTION IV. The City Attorney is hereby authorized and directed to recodify this
Ordinance.
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND SIGNED BY THE MAYOR OF THE
CITY OF KALISPELL THIS 1ST DAY OF AUGU , 20 5.
Pamela B. Kennedy
ATTEST: Mayor
Theresa White
City Clerk
EXHIBIT A
Section 27.22.104 -OUTDOOR LIGHTING
PURPOSE AND INTENT: Light pollution obscures the night slay, a resource important
to residents and visitors. Light trespass interferes with the quality of life and public
safety of the community. Standards for outdoor lighting are intended to control
artificial light from non -vehicular sources that produce glare light trespass, nuisance
light and / or degrade the night sky. These standards are intended to reduce and
eliminate nuisance glare and light trespass from poorly placed, inappropriate,
misaligned or improperly shielded light sources. It is the further intent of these
standards to conserve energy and resources as well as to curtail and reverse the
degradation of the night sky through the regulation of the type and use of outdoor
lighting while maintaining night --time safety, utility and security.
APPLICABILITY: All residential and commercial lighting whether on public or private
property installed in the city limits of Kalispell shall comply with the requirements and
specifications established with these regulations.
STANDARDS:
1. All lights shall be shielded and directed in such a way as to direct all light toward
the intended area and away from reflective surfaces.
2. Lighting shall be designed, directed and shielded in such a manner that direct light
does not leave the perimeter of the site as limited by these regulations.
3. All outdoor lighting, including the fixture, pole, and other supporting elements,
shall be designed to complement the overall architectural appearance of the site
and prevent excessive glare.
4. The height and level of lighting should be appropriate for the development. Lights
mounted on poles shall not be taller than the building area they illuminate or taller
than 30 feet, whichever is less.
5. Roof illumination is not allowed.
6. When practical, timing mechanisms and photo cells shall be used to reduce light
levels and conserve energy during non --operational hours.
7. Lighting mounted on the building should be integrated as an architectural
component. It shall be designed so the light is fully shielded and directed toward
the building.
S. Canopy lighting, such as service station lighting, shall be fully recessed and
shielded to ensure that no light source is visible from or causes glare in the public
right of way or adjacent properties. Any canopy structure used at a business
location must have recessed lights with diffusers which do not extend below the
surface of the canopy.
9. Low voltage landscape lighting will be allowed provided it is directed toward the
object or building and does not leave the perimeter of the site or contribute to light
trespass.
10. All pole mounted lighting shall have a full cut-off fixture that does not allow light to
shine above a 70 degree angle measured from a vertical line from the center of the
lamp.
11. Mercury vapor lights are prohibited because of the poor color spectrum, light
intensity and inefficient energy use.
12. Low pressure or high pressure sodium lights and metal halide are encourages
rather than the use of florescent lights.
13. Light fixtures or lamps shall be shielded or shaded in such a manner so that the
light emitting surface is not visible and to direct incident rays away from all
adjacent property.
14.Any light fixture must be placed in such a manner so that no light emitting surface
is visible from any residential area or public/private roadway, walkway, trail or
other public way when viewed at ground level.
15. The level of lighting shall not exceed 0.3 foot candles at any residential property line
or 0.5 foot candles at any non-residential property line.
16. Floodlights shall have external shielding or shall be directed and angled so that no
light is visible above a 70 degree angle measure from a vertical line from the center
of the lamp and shall not shine onto any adjacent public right of way or adjacent
property.
17. Any interior lighted signs may not be lit at night when any face of the sign is
removed or damaged in such a way that the light may distract or intrude on drivers
or adjacent properties.
18. Signs that have exterior lighting must be lit from above the sign and the light
shielded except that ground lighting may be used for ground mounted signs with a
solid base. In all cases lighting must be directed at the surface of the sign area.
SPECIFIC USES;
Security Lighting for Commercial and Residential Uses. Security lighting is defined as
lighting designed and used to discourage crime and undesirable activity which includes
parking lot lighting.
1. Security lighting should use the lowest possible illumination to effectively allow
surveillance.
2. The use of sensor technologies, timers or other means to activate lighting during
times when it will be needed may be required by the zoning administrator to
conserve energy, provide safety, and promote compatibility between different
land uses.
3. Both commercial and residential security lighting shall be shielded so the light
source is not visible and the light is aimed _so that illumination is directed to the
designated areas. All non -essential exterior commercial lighting is to be turned
off after business hours.
Architectural Accent Lighting:
1. Futures used to accent architectural features, materials, colors, style of
buildings, landscaping, or art shall be located, aimed and shielded so that light
is directed only on those features. Such fixtures shall be aimed or shielded to
minimize light spill into the dark night sky in conformance with the luminaire
standards.
2. Lighting futures shall not generate excessive light levels, cause glare, or direct
light beyond the facade onto neighboring property, streets or the night sky.
Canopy Lighting and Lighting of Service Stations: In addition to the general standards
previously listed, the following also apply:
Lighting of such areas shall not be used to attract attention to the business.
Lighting levels shall be adequate to facilitate the activities taking place in such
locations. In order to minimize the extent of direct glare, light fixtures mounted
on canopies shall be recessed so that the lens cover is recessed or flush with the
bottom surface (ceiling) of the canopy or shielded by the fixture or the edge of
the canopy so that light is restrained to 85 degrees or less from vertical.
2. As an alternative (or supplement) to recessed ceiling lights, indirect lighting may
be used where light is beamed upward and then reflected down from the
underside of the canopy. When this method is used, light fixtures must be
shielded so that direct illumination is focused exclusively on the underside of
the canopy.
3. Lights shall not be mounted on the top or sides (fascias) of the canopy.
Outdoor Sports or Recreation. Fields or Performance Areas.
Lighting of outdoor recreational facilities (public or private), such as, but not
limited to, football fields, soccer fields, baseball fields, softball fields, tennis
courts, special event or show areas, shall use fixtures with a full -cutoff lens.
2. Lights are to be used only when the field is in use.
Flags of the United States or Montana may be illuminated from below provided such
lighting is focused primarily on the individual flag or flags to limit light trespass and
spill into the dark night sky. Flags are encouraged to be taken down at sunset to avoid
the need for lighting.
Searchlights. The operation of searchlights for any purpose other than an emergency
need is prohibited.
Towers. Lighting on towers is prohibited except as required by regulations of the
Federal Aviation Administration.
PROCEDURE: At the time of site plan approval by the Kalispell Site Development
Review Committee, the applicant must supply a lighting plan in accordance with these
regulations and shall demonstrate conformance with these standards. At a minimum
the lighting plan shall include:
1. Manufacturer specifications regarding the light fixture, proposed locations,
mounting heights and direction of all exterior lighting.
2. If the building, signage or landscaping is proposed to be lit, relevant drawings
shall be provided showing the type, location and direction of the light fixture.
3. If needed, additional information may be required by the site development
review committee in order to demonstrate compliance with these regulations
which may include photometric data of all lighting and other descriptive
information on the fixtures and / or a computer generated photometric grid
showing foot candle reading every 10 feet within the property or site and ten feet
beyond the property boundaries.
NON -CONFORMING LIGHTING
Lighting for commercial uses including but not limited to parking lot and building
lighting that does not conform to these regulations shall be brought into compliance
within three f-ve years of the effective date of the adoption of these regulations or by
September 1, 2010 or when the light fixtures are removed or replaced whichever occurs
first. Two one year extensions may be considered by the Kalispell City Council based
upon a specific hardship and upon written request.
Residential lighting that does not conform to these regulations shall be brought into
compliance within one year of the adoption of these regulations or by September 1,
2006 or when the light fixtures are removed or replaced whichever occurs first.
DEFINITIONS, FIGURES AND TABLES: The attached definitions figures and tables
are incorporated as guidelines for public information and enforcing this section.
DEFINITIONS
1. Canopy structure: Any overhead protective structure which is constructed in such a
manner as to allow pedestrians/vehicles to pass under.
2. 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
3. Foot candle: A unit of illumination produced on a surface, all points of which are
one foot from a uniform point source of one candle. Originally the measure of the
amount of light emitted by a candle onto one square foot of surface one foot away,
foot candles are now the standard unit of measuring light. A foot candle is equal to
one lumen per square feet.
4. Full cut off fixture: A fixture, as installed, that are designed or shielded in a such a
manner that all light rays emitted by the fixture, either directly from the lamps or
indirectly from the fixture, ar projected below a horizontal plane ru nning throught
the lowest point on the fixture where light is emitted.
5. Glare: Direct light emitted by a luminaire that causes reduced vision or momentary
blindness.
6. Illuminance: The level of light measured at a surface.
7. Lamp: The component of a luminaire that produces the light.
8. Light direct: Light emitted directly by a lamp, off a reflector, or through a refractor
of a luminaires
9. Light emitting surface: Any part of a fixture (lamp, diffusor) which emits light rays.
10. Light pollution: General sky glow caused by the scattering of artificial light in the
atmosphere, much of which is caused by poorly -designed luminaries.
11. Light shield: Any attachment which interrupts and blocks the path of light emitted
from a luminaire or fixture.
12. Light trespass: Light emitted by a luminaire that shines beyond the boundaries of
the property on which the luminaire is located.
13. Lumen: A unit of measurement of luminous flux.
14. Luminaire: The complete lighting system, including the lamp and the fixture.
15. Luminaire full cutoff: A luminaire that allows no direct light emissions above a
horizontal plane through the luminaire's lowest light -emitting part.
16. Luminaire permanent outdoor: Any fixed luminaire or system of luminaries that is
outdoors and this is intended to be used for seven (7) days or longer.
17. Lux The international standard unit for measuring light levels (as oppose to Foot -
Candle in the U.S.A). It is one lumen per square meter. (See Lumens and Foot -
Candle).
18. Wattage: the amount of electrical power consumed by a lamp or light fixture
measured in "watts". One watt is equal to the power dissipated by 1 ampere of
electrical current flowing across a resistance of 1 ohm or the power produced by 1
ampere of electrical current under an electromotive force of 1 volt. One horsepower
is equal to 746 watts. Formulae. watts = volts x amps, P = V x I, electrical power
electromotive force x electric current.
Lighting Fixture Types
1 I 1 1
•1
+ f 1
! 1
1 5
�
FIQIIi!! 9
iaKiURE 7
9E' Pult Cut•Ot+re Plrt;rEly 6MYtrt#d
ltienulument *ang , WAO w vfwbl.l
(JnehLlWo4 with Opegva Top
Or man 375lwno tg)
Aopla d S'Cw l€aht pireaNu{eM :'lood'�iphs
with vXtal?%m Immoog
What i a True Fula Cutoff Outdoor Lighting Fixture?
URI
Fiat glass tens ellmiz+ates cx mirtimius dit ect glare uo o threw of ligjrt fiW bmOng for
these fncauea are available in many styles.
Same fixture as above mounted incorrectly — defeatb)g the horizontal mounting design. The fixture
now arvdrreeS direct ulsxe. and cAW also nrodaee uvlight at swetwr mouutin¢ aagies.
NO
NO
Known w just "Cutoff' Center "drop„ or "sag" lens with cr without exposed bulb, produces direct glare.
POOR.
k 4 1 3 qx°
Y�
P 4
�
a
�
?
3
1"
O
b
d
t-' I &
(wad *an Am kwam)
T4ick sar(fivw.)