10-10-05 Joint PC-EC Agenda
AGENDA
Golden Valley Planning Commission
Joint Meeting with the Environmental Commission
Lighting Regulation Presentation and Discussion
Golden Valley City Hall, 7800 Golden Valley Road
Council Conference Room
Monday, October 10, 2005
6pm
I. Approval of minutes
September 26, 2005 Joint City Council and Planning Commission Meeting
II. Lighting regulation presentation and discussion by Barbara Senness,
Planning Director for the City of Plymouth, Londell Pease, Associate Planner
for the City of Bloomington and Mark Mlazgar, Owner of R.L. Mlazgar
Associates, a lighting manufacturing company
III. Reports on meetings of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority, City
Council, Board of Zoning Appeals and other meetings
IV. Other business
V. Adjournment
.
Joint Meeting
City Council and Planning Commission
1-394 Corridor Study
\,
September 26,2005
A joint meeting of the City Council and the Planning. Commission was held at the
Golden Valley City Hall, Council Conference Room, 7800 Golden Valley Road, Golden
Valley, Minnesota. on Monday, September26, 2005. Chair Keysser called the meeting
to order at 7 pm.
Those present were Planning Commissioners Cera, Eck, Hackett, K
, Schmidgall and Waldhauser and Mayor, Loomis and Council Me r
Grayson, Pentel and Shaffer. Also present were City Manager, Bu
Manager, Jeanne Andre, Director of Planning and Developm
Works Director, Jeannine Clancy, URS Planning Consultan
Rhees and Administrative Assistant, Lisa Wittman
,
III.
City
blic
, Suzanne
I. Approval of Minutes
Approval of Minutes from the Sept
ning Commission Meeting
.
,
MOVED by Hackett, seconded by Wal
approve the September 12, 2005 .
carried unanimously to
II.
Reports on Meetings 0
Council, Board of
n RedevelopmentAuthority, City
Is and other Meetings
IV.
y - by URS, Planning Consultant
ut - Lessons Learned
iness Survey
sidential Survey and July 27 Roundtable
. Visual Preference
. Councill Planning Commission Photographs
.
Rhees referred to the visual preference survey and explained that there were several
images that people ranked in terms of their own preferences that were then divided into
the following categories: Medium-High Density Housing, Mixed-Use Development,
Commercial Buildings, Office/Business Parkllndustrial Development, Parking and
Streetscape Design and Signs.
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Joint meeting of the City Council and Planning Commission
September 26,2005
Page 2
She stated that in regard to the Medium'-High Density Housing theylearnedthat the
materials and detailing were the most important attributes and that brick buildings
generally scored higher than stucco buildings. In the Mixed-Use category she stated
that traditional building forms, contrasting colors, quality materials and streetscape
activity all had high scores and buildings with flat facades scored lower. In the
Commercial category masonry and stucco combinations were preferred and metal
buildings received the lowest scores. In the Office/Business Park/Industrial
Development category the newer, multi-story office buildings were preferred while older
office and industrial buildings received lower scores. In the Parking and cape
Design category people preferred wide landscaped buffers between . d
surface parking areas. Parking structures received a medium scor ped
surface parking areas received the lowest scores. In the Signs c
ratings went to signs designed for the pedestrian main street
preferred signs were large, brightly colored wall signs and g
stated that the information from the Visual Preference Surve
start to do design guidelines for this area.
Rhees referred to the Resident Survey and disc
that people liked the Laurel Avenue greenbelt a
road network and run-down buildings. She d
like to see a grocery store and more pub'
indings. She stated
. ed th traffic, parking lots,
expressed that they would
n the Corridor area.
Rhees referred to the Business Su
businesses like about the Corrid
accessibility to the area. She s
to lease and the accessibili
they learned that the things
ocation, the cost of the property and the
ings businesses disliked were the cost
Rhees referred to the Re
discussed were the" odg
patterns, limited ret .
the frontage ro . Sh
planted media
adding m
conne .
u e and stated that some of the challenges
quality in the area, traffic congestion, confusing traffic
r pedestrian environment and the lack of continuity on
e of the suggestions for improvements were
, redesigning the frontage road from Louisiana to Xenia,
park and ride location and adding north/south sidewalk
,i!~re was any demographic information on the residential survey.
t tile survey did not ask for any demographic information.
Cera refe the business survey and asked if any of the results talked about what
employees want to have the area. Andre explained that the surveys were taken more
from an owner or manager perspective. Grimes added that the people he has spoken
with have said they would like more shops, coffee places and more diverse restaurants.
B. Principals for the 1-394 Corridor Study
Rhees explained that the Principals for the Corridor study are a draft and that she is
looking for input. She discussed each of the following principals:
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joint meeting of the City Council and Planning Commission
September 26, 2005
Rage 3
1. Enable the corridor to evolve toward greaterdiversity. A mix of activities, uses
and densities will help to sustain the corridor through changing economic cycles,
consumer preferences and housing trends. Mixed uses can create synergies and
increase the level of pedestrian activity.
2. Maximize integration rather than separation of land uses, where appropriate.
Many land uses can benefit from increased integration with one another, including
neighborhood-serving retail, multi-family and senior housing, offices, and low-impact
services. Other land uses, such as auto-oriented commercial or indu . ses, can
benefit from integration with similar uses, but need to be buffered tial
neighborhoods.
rrido . Improvements
arking/service
g en ironment, with an
provements should make
realm, while public
ment.
3. Maintain the corridor as an employment center. Jobs
I maintain GoldenValley's jobs-housing balance while su
enterprises.
4. Improve the visual coherence and attractive
in streetscapes, landscaped areas, open spa
areas all contribute to a more unified and vis
increased sense of identity. Buildings a 0
positive contributions to the district a
improvements should set the stand
.
5. Improve connectivity for all
road realignments have res
system. Improvements i
circulation are most n
and safe for all mode
evelopment of 1-394 and subsequent
. uous and confusing circulation
hicular circulation and north-south pedestrian
, roadways should be designed to be attractive
6. Foster neighbo
should incl
serve Cityr
uses.
retail and services. Commercial development
I independent businesses and larger enterprises that
enting and broadening the current mix of commercial
7. c ning of intersections and highway interchanges. The
~Iile 1-394 interchanges at Xenia and Louisiana Avenues, and other key
'ffftin the corridor, is critical to maintaining commercial viability and
quality of life. New development must be carefully planned, evaluated
and ed so that interchanges and intersections continue to function at an
adequate level.
Freiberg referred to principal number five and asked if there has been any interest
studying the north-south vehicular circulation. Rhees said that the north-south vehicular
circulation wasn't discussed a lot at the Resident Roundtable.
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Joint meeting of the City Council and Planning Commission
September 26, 2005
Page 4
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Pentel stated that the Principals are general comments and that they are not specific.
enough yet. Rhees stated that she has seen principals like these put to good use. .She
said the principals could vary by area.
Grayson said he thinks it is worth moving ahead with these principals.
Showalter had the Council Members and Commissioners look at the photographs that
they took on their tour of different corridor areas and write down any comments they
had. He then discussed. the positive, neutral and negative comments ab
photographs.
C. Implementing Principals - Alternative Approaches
Showalter referred to several maps and conceptual drawing
alternatives for the Corridor area. He discussed the properti
building values versus land values, circulation and co tivi
D. Next Steps - schedule
.
Showalter stated that they are anticipating
Commission meeting in November prior
December. Andre added that there wa
the community in the next newslett
ouncil/Planning
se for the public in early
sharing the Principals with
V. Adjournment
The meeting was adjour
.
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Planning
763-593-8095 I 763-593-8109 (fax)
Date:
September 21 , 2005
To:
Environmental and Planning Commissions
From:
Aaron Hanauer, Planning Intern
Subject:
Lighting Regulation Joint Commission Meeting: Monday October 10 6-7:30pm
A joint Planning and Environmental Commission meeting is scheduled for
Monday, October 10 from 6-7:30pm to discuss potential lighting regulation in
Golden Valley. Three guests have been invited to discuss their experience on
this issue. Barbara Senness, Planning Director for the City of Plymouth, Londell
Pease, Associate Planner for the City of Bloomington, and Mark Mlazgar, a
Bloomington resident, and owner of R.L. Mlazgar Associates, a lighting
manufacturing company.
As discussed at the joint meeting on August 8,2005, the City of Golden
Valley will likely hire a consultant to write a lighting ordinance. The October 10
meeting will be an opportunity to learn from and ask questions of two
communities that have dealt with this issue. Plymouth rewrote their lighting
ordinance in November 2004 after their initial ordinance was found to be
inadequate in creating efficient lighting regulation. Bloomington has had their
lighting ordinance in place since 1996.
The communities in the Twin Cites with lighting regulation have a varying
degree of complexity. Bloomington and Plymouth have the most elaborate
ordinances in the metro area that address glare, spill over, height limitations and
amount of light allowed. Other communities with lighting ordinances only
address glare and lighting spill over (see attached Sf. Louis Park ordinance).
Below is a list of the enclosed documents. Please call Aaron Hanauer,
Planning Intern with any questions.
· Lighting ordinance for Plymouth, Bloomington, and Sf. Louis Park
. Articles
o American Planning Association. October 1995. Shedding Light on the Urban
Landscape
o New York Times. July 15, 2001. Night Lights Dims Stars and Irks Residents
o New York Times. December 22, 2001. And Now, A New York Version of star
Wars
o Southwest Journal. January 20, 2005 Getting the Glare Out of City Streetlights
o Star Tribune: November 14, 2004. Minnesota Continues to Blot Out Celestial
Sights. Form Some It's the Latest Quality-of-Life Issue
.
.
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Planning
763-593-8095/ 763-593-8109 (fax)
Date:
September 21, 2005
To:
Environmental and Planning Commissions
From:
Aaron Hanauer, Planning Intern
Subject:
Lighting Regulation Joint Commission Meeting: Monday October 116-7:30pm
A joint Planning and Environmental Commission meeting is scheduled for
Monday, October 11 from 6-7:30pm to discuss potential lighting regulation in
Golden Valley. Three guests have been invited to discuss their experience on
this issue. Barbara Senness, Planning Director for the City of Plymouth, Londell
Pease, Associate Planner for the City of Bloomington, and Mark Mlazgar, a
Bloomington resident, and owner of R.L. Mlazgar AssoCiates, alighting
manufacturing company.
As discussed at the joint meeting on August 8, 2005, the City of Golden
Valley will likely hire a consultant to write a lighting ordinance. The October 11
meeting will be an opportunity to learn from and ask questions of two
communities that have dealt with this issue. Plymouth rewrote their lighting
ordinance in November 2004 after their initial ordinance was found to be
inadequate in creating efficient lighting regulation. Bloomington has had their
lighting ordinance in place since 1996.
The communities in the Twin Cites with lighting regulation have a varying
degree of complexity. Bloomington and Plymouth have the most elaborate
ordinances in the metro area that address glare, spill over, height limitations and
amount of light allowed. Other communities with lighting ordinances only
address glare and lighting spill over (see attached Sf. Louis Park ordinance).
Below is a list of the enclosed documents. Please call Aaron Hanauer,
Planning Intern with any questions.
· Lighting ordinance for Plymouth, Bloomington, and Sf. Louis Park
. Articles
o American Planning Association. October 1995. Shedding Light on the Urban
Landscape
o New York Times. July 15, 2001. Night Lights Dims Stars and Irks Residents
o New York Times. December 22,2001. And Now, A New York Version of Star
Wars
o Southwest Journal. January 20, 2005 Getting the Glare Out of City Streetlights
o Star Tribune: November 14, 2004. Minnesota Continues to Blot Out Celestial
Sights. Form. Some It's the Latest Quality-of-Life Issue
.
.
.
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PLYMOUTH ZONING ORDINANCE
along one curb line, thence diagonalIy to a point thirty (30) feet from the point of beginning
I along the other curb line. The exception to this requirement shall be where there is a tree,
planting or landscape arrangement within such area that will not create a total obstruction wider
than three (3) feet. These requirements shall not apply to conditions that legally exist prior to the
effective date of this Chapter unless the Zoning Administrator determines that such conditions
constitute a safety hazard. (Amended by Ord No 2002-32, 11126/02)
21105.06. EXTERIOR LIGHTING: Except for single- and two-family homes located
within the RSF zoning districts, all exterior lighting shall comply with the following standards:
Subd. 1. Purpose and Scope. The purpose of this Section is to establish exterior
lighting requirements that will I) permit reasonable uses of lighting for night-time safety, utility,
security, productivity, enjoyment and commerce, 2) minimize glare, obtrusive light and artificial
sky glow by limiting outdoor lighting that is misdirected, excessive or unnecessary, 3) conserve
energy and resources to the greatest extent possible and 4) help protect the natural environment
from the damaging effects of nightlighting from man-made sources.
Su bd. 2.
Applicability.
I
(a) All outdoor lighting fixtures (luminaires) in Lighting Zone 3 and all outdoor
lightingfixtures on non-residential properties in Lighting Zones 1 and 4 shall be installed
in conformance with the provisions of this Section and Section 21155 (Sign Regulations)
as applicable as well as the latest rules, codes and regulations, including but not limited to
OSHA, National Fire Codes of Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and National
Electrical Code. In addition, all lighting fixtures shaH be instaIled under appropriate
permit and inspection.
(b) Lighting on single and two family homes, manor homes and. townhouses is not
covered by this ordinance. However, it is recommended that lighting for such dwelJings
conform to the regulations in this Section.
( c) Lighting in the public right of way is not covered by this ordinance. However, it
is recommended that all such lighting conform to the regulations in the Section.
Subd. 3.
Use of Lighting Zones.
(a) Using Table 1 as a guide, the City Council shall detenlline and maintain Lighting
Zones within the boundaries of the City.
(b) The lighting zones established by this Ordinance are hereby set forth on the
Plymouth, Minnesota Lighting Zone Map; and said map is hereby made a part of this
Ordinance; said map shaIl be known as the "Plymouth, Minnesota Lighting Zone Map".
Said map and all notations, references, and data shown thereon are hereby incorporated
by reference into this Ordinance and shall be as much a part of it as if all were fully
described herein. It shall be the responsibility of the Zoning Administrator to maintain
said map, and amendments thereto shaIl be recorded on said Lighting Zone Map within
thirty (30) days after official adoption of amendments. The official Lighting Zone Map
shall be kept on file in the City Hall. The Lighting Zone of a parcel or project shall
21105-3
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PLYMOUTH ZONING ORDINANCE
Table 1 - Lighting Zone Ratings and Characteristics
LZl
Dark
LZ2
Low
LZ3
Medium
Natural areas (City-owned open space as
defined in the Plymouth Comprehensive
Plan); rural areas (properties guided Living
Area Rural)
Low and medium density residential areas,
(generally properties guided Living Area-I,
Livin Area-2, Livin Area-3)
High density residential areas (properties
guided Living Area-4), shopping and
commercial districts (generally properties
guided Commercial, City Center and
Commercial Office), industrial parks . and
districts (properties guided Planned
Industrial), City playfields and major
institutional uses and mixed use districts
.
Subd.4. Light Trespass Limitations. The illuminance values given are measured at
the property line or centerline of a public street.
Table 2 - Light Trespass Limitations
LZl
LZ2
LZ3
0.1 foot-candle
0.3 foot-candle
0.8 foot-candle
0.1 foot-candle
0.1 foot-candle
0.2 foot-candle
Subd. s.
General Performance Standards:
(a) Luminaire lamp wattage, shielding and installation requirements.
(1) All outdoor lighting systems except signs shall comply with the limits to
lamp wattage and the shielding requirements~in Table 3.
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21105-4
PLYMOUTH ZONING ORDINANCE
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Table 3-Maximum Wattage and Required Shielding
LZl
70 watts
30 watts
None
permitted
None
ermitted
55 watts
None permittecl . .
LZ2
150 watts
55 watts
Low voltage landscape
li tin
Landscape and. fa~ade
lighting 100 watts or
less; omamentallights
of 55 watts and less
LZ3
450 watts
100 watts
*Shielding is nevertheless highly encouraged.
(2) Only luminaires that are allowed to be unshielded in Table 3 may employ
flexible or adjustable mounting systems. All other luminaires shall be permantly
installed so as to maintain the shielding requirements in Table 3.
(3) The City may accept a photometric.test report, demonstration or sample or
other satisfactory confIrmation that a luminaire meets. the requirements of the shielding
classifIcation.
.
(4) Shielded fIxtures must be constructed and installed in such a manner that
all light emitted by tlle fIxture meets or exceeds the specifIcation given. This includes all
the light emitted by the fIxture, either directly from the lamp or by a diffusing element or
indirectly by reflection or refraction from any part of the fIxture. Any structural part of
the fIxture providing this shielding mustbe permanently affIxed.
(5) Luminaires within 300 feet of a residential property line shaH be equipped
with side shielding (house side shielding) to limit obtrusive light observed from the
residential property.
(6) All canopy lighting must be fully shielded. However, indirect up light is
permitted under a canopy provided that no lamp or vertical element of a lens or diffuseris
visible from beyond the canopy and such that no direct light is emitted beyond the
opaque canopy.
(7) Directional lamp sources, such as LED sources, shall be limited. to a
luminance level of one thousand (1,000) candela per square meter (nits) from sunset to
sunnse.
(b) Height Limits.
.
(1) Pole mounted lighting: Lighting mounted onto poles or any structures
intended primarily for mounting of lighting shall not exceed a mounting height of forty
(40) percent of the horizontal distance of the light pole from the property line, nor a
maximum height according to Table 4, whichever is lower. Height includes the base and
the pole heights.
21105-5
PLYMOUTH ZONING ORDINANCE
Table 4 - Maximum Lighting Mounting Height in .Feet
.
LZl
LZ2
LZ3
25 feet
25 feet
30 feet
12 feet
18 feet
18 feet
4.5 feet
8 feet
15 feet
(2) Exceptions for pole heights.
a. Mounting heights greater than forty (40) percent of the horizontal
distance to the property line but no greater than permitted by Table 4 may be used
provided that the lumina ire is side shielded (house side shielding) toward the
property line.
I b. Lights specifically for driveways, and then only at the intersection
of the road providing access to the site, may be mounted at any distance relative
to the property line, but may not exceed the mounting height listed in Table 4.
c. Landscape lighting may be installed in a tree.
(3) Lights mounted to buildings or structures. Lighting mounted onto
buildings or other structures shall not exceed a mounting height greater than four (4) feet
higher than the. tallest part of the building or structure at the place where ,the lighting is
installed, nor higher than forty (40) percent of the horizontal distance of the light from the
property line, whichever is less.
.
(4) Exceptions for building mounted lights.
a. Lighting for facades may be mounted at any height equal to or less
than the total height of the structure being illuminated regardless of horizontal
distance to property line.
b. For buildings less than forty (40) feet to the property line,
including canopies or overhangs onto a sidewalk or public right of way,
luminaires may be mounted to the vertical fayade or underside of canopies at
sixteen (16) feet or less.
c. The top exterior deck of parking garages shall be treated as normal
pole mounted lighting rather than as lights mounted to buildings. The lights on
the outside edges of such a deck must be side shielded to the property line. . .
(c) Total site lighting power limits. The following subsection applies to all outdoor
lighting, whether attached to buildings, poles or structures or self-supporting.
.
21105-6
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PLYMOUTH ZONING ORDINANCE
(1)
The maximum allowed lighting limit shall be determined as follows:
a. Following the rules in Item (2) below, multiply the area (square
footage) of each of the application types in Table 5 by the allowed lamp
wattage per square foot for the appropriate Lighting Zone.
b. Add up the total of the watts for each application type.
c. The power allowance for the application type shall not exceed the
total application limit in Table 5.
(2) Rules
a. Power is not allowed for any use types not listed, except for those items
given in Subd. 6 (Exempt Lighting) and 7 (Special Purpose Lighting) below.
b. Only one application type may be applied to any given area.
c. Canopy allowances include only the area within the drip line area of the
canopy.
d. Areas that are not designed to be illuminated may not be counted toward
the total site limit.
e.
The entire ar.ea cannot be used for the power allowance;
21105-7
PLYMOUTH ZONING ORDINANCE
Table 5 - Lighting Power Allowances
(watts per square foot unless otherwise noted)
.
Parking lots,
plazas,
hardscape
lighting,
driveways, on
site private
drives
Sidewalks,
walkways and
bikewa s
Building
entrances
(without
cano
Building entry,
drive-up sales
and general use
cano ies
Vehicle service
station
Building
facades
Outdoor sales
lot
Paved areas plus 5 feet. of the
perimeter of adjacent unpaved
land. Includes planters and
landscaped areas less than 10
feet wide that are enclosed by
hardscape on at least three sides.
0.020
0.040
0.080
Paved area plus 5 feet of
unpaved land on either side of
ath of travel.
Width of doors plus 3 feet on
either side times a distance
outward from the building from
the surface of the doors 10 feel
Drip line area under canopy. 13
walts plus the value in the LZ
columns.
0.040
0.080
0.15
0.35
0.50
0.70
0.10
0.20
0040
Drip line area under canopy; or
500 square feet per double-sided
fuel dispenser unit not under
cano
Entire vertical area of fayadc.
0.30
0.60
1.20
Not allowed
0.18
0.35
sales
'Portion of uncovered outdoor
sales lot used for display of
vehicles or other merchandise
for sale. All adjacent access
drives, walkway areas, customer
parking areas, vehicle service or
storage areas that are not
surrounded on at least three
sides by sales area shall be
considered hardsca c.
Valid only for sections of an
outdoor sales area that are along
the frontage. A comer sales lot
may include both sides provided
that a different principal viewing
location exists for each side.
Entire site.
0.020
Not allowed
0.60
1.10
.
Not allowed
Not allowed
30 wllf
By
conditional
use permit
onl
0.010
(d) Required lighting controls. Lighting systems for non-residential properties shall
be extinguished or reduced in lighting by at least fifty (50) percent beginning at curfew
and continuing until dawn or start of business, whichever is sooner. The reduction shall
be determined as an overall average for a site. When possible, the lighting system should
be turned off entirely.
(l) Curfew. Curfew shall be as follows:
LZ1, the later of8:00 PM or close of business
LZ2, the later of 10:00 PM or close of business
LZ3, the later of midnight or close of business
(2)
Exceptions to curfew:
a. When there is only one (conforming) luminaire for the site.
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21105-8
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PLYMOUTH ZONING ORDINANCE
b.
Code required lighting for steps and stairs.
c. When in the opinion of the. City Council, reduced lighting levels 'at
a given location will cause unacceptable increased risk and design
levels must be maintained.
(e) Prohibited lighting.
(l) Mercury vapor lamps
(2) Lighting fixtures mounted to aim light only toward a property line.
(3) Lighting fixtures mounted in a way so as to cause confusion or hazard to
traffic or to conflict with traffic control signs or lights.
(t) Following installation of any lighting on a site, the engineer or lighting
professional who prepared the lighting plan shall certify in writing that the location, type,
mounting height and photometric data all meet the letter of the approved lighting plan.
(g) Any new lighting installed after the effective date of this ordinance shall be in
compliance with the requirements of this Section. Any.lighting inexistence before the
effective date of.this ordinance that does. not comply with the requirements shall be
considered legally non-conforming. However, if a property owner proposes to replace
fifty (50) percent or more of the existing exterior light fixtures or standards in anyone (1)
year period, the fixtures or standards must be replaced in conformance with this Chapter.
Subd. 6. Exempt Lighting: The following luminaires and lighting systems are
exempt from the provisions of this Section.
(a) Lighting required and regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration or other
federal or state agency.
(b) Situations where fire, police, rescue or repair personnel need light for temporary
emergencies or road repair work.
(c) Temporary holiday lighting provided that individual lamps are ten (10) watts or
less.
(d) Temporary lighting for theatrical, television and performance areas.
(e) Soffit or wall-mounted luminaires less than twenty (20) watts incandescent or
nine (9) watts compact fluorescent and permanently attached to dwellings (including
multi-family residence but excluding hotels or motels) not to exceed twenty (20) feet
above the adjacent- grade.
(t) Lighting in swimming pools and other water features governed by Article 680 of
the National Electrical Code.
21105-9
PLYMOUTH ZONING ORDINANCE
Code required exit signs.
(g)
(h)
.
Code required lighting for stairs and ramps.
(i) Interior lighting.
Subd. 7.
Special Purpose Lighting.
(a) High intensity lighting. The following lighting systems are prohibited from being
installed except by administrative permit.
(1) i\eriallasers
(2) Skytrackers
(b) Other special lighting.
(l) Lighting. systems not complying with the technical. requirements of this
Section but consistent with its intent may be installed for the following
~pplications upon issuance of a conditional use permit. Each request for a
conditional use permit shall be evaluated based upon the standards and criteria set
forth in Section 21015.02, Subd. 5 of this Chapter.
(i)
Outdoor athletic fields and recreations areas.
.
(ii)
Construction lighting.
(iii) National and State flag lighting with spotlights greater than 70
watts in LZ3 and greater than 39 watts in LZl and LZ2.
(iv) Floodlighting of buildings over two (2) stories high.
(v) Public monuments, public buildings and religious institutions.
(vi) Ornamental lighting in LZl .
(vii) i\ny other lighting application not listed in Table 5.
(2) To obtain a conditional use pelmit, applicants shall demonstrate that the
proposed lighting installation:
(a) Is not within LZl, except for ornamental lighting and necessary
construction lighting.
(b) Utilizes fully shielded luminaires and, if require, side shielded. and
internally shielded luminaires that are installed in a fashion that maintains
the shielding characteristics unless certified in writing by a registered
engineer or by a certified lighting professional that such shielding is
impractical. Where fully shielded fixtures cannot be utilized, acceptable
.
21105-10
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PLYMOUTH ZONING ORDINANCE
luminaires shall include only those that are installed with minimum aiming
angles of twenty-five (25) degrees downward from the horizontal. Said
aiming angle shall be measured from the axis of the luminaire's maximum
beam candlepower as certified by an independent testing agency.
(c) Has received every reasonable effort to mitigate obtlUsive light and
artificial sky glow, supported bya signed. statement from a registered
engineer or by a certified lighting professional describing the mitigation
measures.
(d) Complies with all the technical requirements of this Section after
curfew, with the following exception. No illumination of athletic fields
shall be permitted after II :00 PM, except to conclude a scheduled event
that was in the progress before II :00 PM and circumstances prevented
concluding before II :00 PM.
(Amended by Ord No. 2004-30, 11/23/04)
21105.07. SMOKE: The emission of smoke by any use shall be in compliance with and
regulated by the State of Minnesota Pollution Control Standards, Minnesota Regulation APC
70]7.
21105.08. DUST AND OTHER PARTICULATE MATTER: The emission of dust, fly
ash or other particulate matter by any use shall be in compliance with and regulated by the State
of Minnesota Pollution Control Standards, Minnesota Regulation APC 7011.
21105.09. AIR POLLUTION: The emISSIOn of air pollution, including potentially
hazardous emissions, by any. use shall be in compliance with and regulated by Minnesota
Statutes 116, as may be amended.
21105.10. NOISE: Noises emanating from any use shall be in compliance with and
regulated by 2025 of the City Code. (Amended by Ord No. 2000-06, 02/29/00)
21105.11.
OUTSIDE STORAGE/DISPLAY:
Subd.1.
General.
(a) Passenger automobiles and trucks not currently licensed by the State, orwhich are
incapable of movement under their own power due to mechanical deficiency, which are
parked or stored outside for a period in excess of ninety-six (96) hours, and all materials
stored outside in violation of the City Ordinances are considered refuse or junk and shall
be disposed of pursuant to City regulations.
21105-11
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koomington City Code Chapter 19 page 23
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Part II. Code
Chapter 19. ZONING
Section 19.54. PARKING FACILITY AND EXTERIOR
SECURITY LIGHTING.
Purpose. The purpose of this Section is to establish lighting
requirements for personal safety and crime prevention while regulating
, any spill-over of light and glare on operators of motor vehicles,
pedestrians, and land uses near alight source to promote personal and
traffic safety and to prevent the creation of public nuisances.
Lighting Plan. I Except for single family and two family dwellings, plans
for required parking Jot and security lighting shall be approved by the
Planning Manager and the City of Bloomington Police Department prior
to approvals for or the issuance of permits for the activities requiring
compliance under Subdivision (d) of this Section. The plans, at
appropriate scale, shall be based on accurate, approved final site plans
and shall depict all exterior lighting as to its location, orientation and
configuration for the development. This must include but not be limited
to:
(1 )
(2)
(3)
(a)
(b)
-
(c)
-
Luminaire height;
Luminaire and standard technical specifications;
Intensity of illumination measured at the least point of illumination
and the greatest point of illumination when measured from
ground level;
Type of light source (Metal Halide, High Pressure Sodium, etc.);
Hours of illumination; and
Photometric plan superimposed on the site plan for each
classification of lighting with points no greater than 30 feet apart.
Performance Standards -
(1) Lighting standards in all zoning districts except those for a
residential use and those in a residential zone -
(A) Wall or roof lighting may be used to illuminate the
pedestrian walkways, entrance areas and yard areas
within 30 feet of the building. No wall or roof lighting shall
be used to illuminate areas for motor vehicle parking or
access unless the City of Bloomington Police Department
and the Planning Manager find the following:
(i) That the proposed lighting is not in conflict with the
stated purpose in Section 19.54 of this Code;
(ii) That the proposed lighting will not unreasonably
harm or restrict public health, safety and welfare or
create a nuisance; and
(iii) The proposed luminaire has a cutoff angle of less
than or equal to 66 degrees.
(4)
(5)
(6)
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(B) Any open area used for motor vehicle parking, storage or
access shall be illuminated with free-standing luminaires.
Free-standing luminaires are permitted to be a maximum
of 30 feet in height with a three foot support for a
maximum height from the ground of 33 feet. When a
luminaire is located within 500 feet of a protected
residential property, the maximum permitted luminaire
height shall be 25 feet. All measurements shall be taken
from the average elevation of the finished grade within 10
feet of the structure or fixture to the highest point of the
luminaire. All luminaires must have a total cutoff angle
equal to or less than 90 degrees. The use of exterior
lighting with a cutoff angle greater than 90 degrees shall
be permitted only when the Bloomington Police
Department and the Planning Manager find the following:
(i) That the proposed lighting is not in conflict with the
stated purpose in Section 19.54 of this Code;
(ii) That the proposed lighting will not unreasonably
harm or restrict public health, safety and welfare or
create a nuisance; and
(iii) The proposed lighting will not result in an
impairment of vision creating a hazard for vehicular
or pedestrian traffic.
(C) In no instance shall Low Pressure Sodium fixtures be
used to illuminate .non-protected residential property
unless the Bloomington Police Department finds the"
following:
(i) That the proposed lighting is not in conflict with the
stated purpose in Section 19.54 of this Code;
(ii) That the proposed lighting will not unreasonably
harm or restrict public health, safety and welfare or
create a nuisance; and
(iii) The color distortion effect of Low Pressure Sodium
lighting will not create a hindrance to crime
prevention and investigation.
(2) Intensity of lighting in all zoning districts except those for a
residential use and those in a residential zone -
(A) The amount of illumination attributable to exterior lighting
from a property shall not exceed 1 foot-candle when
measured at any boundary line with an adjoining
property. This provision may be waived by the Issuing
Authority when:
(i) The proposed lighting is not in conflict with the
stated purpose in Section 19.54 of this Code;
(ii) The proposed lighting will not unreasonably harm or
restrict public health, safety and welfare or create a
nuisance; and
(iii) The proposed lighting will not result in an
impairment of vision creating a hazard for vehicular
or pedestrian traffic.
(B) All parking lot and parking structure lighting located within
300 feet of a protected residential property line may be
illuminated not more than one (1) hour before the start of
business and shall be extinguished within one (1) hour
after the end of business except as approved by the
Bloomington Police Department after finding the following:
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(i). The property has been identified as an area where
the incidence or potential for crime warrant
additional lighting;
(ii) Additional lighting is required to increase visibility of
a property which is not readily accessible for police
during routine patrol; and
(iii) The use of timers, sensors, or other devices that
produce a reduced lighting level that does not
conflict with the stated purpose in Section 19.54 of
this Code.
(C) All lighting shall be maintained for all uses at the level
specified in Table 19.54-1 of this Code when measured
from the point of least and greatest illumination at any
location within the property.
In no instance may required lighting have a greater
maximum/minimum uniformity ratio than 10: 1.
(3) Lighting standards in all residential zoning districts and all
residential uses except those containing six or less parking
spaces for a residential use and those containing single
family and two family dwellings -
(A) Wall or roof lighting may be used to illuminate the
pedestrian walkways, entrance areas and yard areas
within 30 feet of the building. No wall or roof lighting shall
be used to illuminate areas for motor vehicle parking or
access unless the City of Bloomington Police Department
and the Planning Manager find the following:
(i) That the proposed lighting is not in conflict with the
stated purpose in Section 19.54 of this Code;
(ii) That the proposed lighting will not unreasonably
harm or restrict public health, safety and welfare or
create a nuisance; and
(iii) The proposed luminaire has a cutoff angle of less
than or equal to 66 degrees.
(B) Any open area used for motor vehicle parking, storage or
access shall be illuminated with free-standing luminaires.
Free-standing luminaires are permitted to be a maximum
of 25 feet in height. All measurements shall be taken from
the average elevation of the finished grade within 10 feet
of the structure or fixture to the highest point of the
luminaire. All luminaires must have a total cutoff angle
equal to or less than 90 degrees. The use of exterior
lighting with a cutoff angle greater than 90 degrees shall
be permitted only when the Bloomington Police
Department and the Planning Manager find the following:
(i) That the proposed lighting is not in conflict with the
stated purpose in Section 19.54 of this Code;
(ii) That the proposed lighting will not unreasonably
harm or restrict public health, safety and welfare or
create a nusiance; and
(iii) The proposed lighting will not result in an
impairment of vision creating a hazard for vehicular
or pedestrian traffic.
(C) In no instance shall Low Pressure Sodium fixtures be
. used to illuminate non-protected residential property
~ unless the Bloomington Police Department finds the
following:
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(i) That the proposed lighting is not inc:onflict with the
stated purpose in Section 19.54 of this Code;
(ii) That the proposed lighting will not unreasonably
harm or restrict public health, safety and welfare or
create a nuisance; and
(iii) The color distortion effect of Low Pressure Sodium
lighting will not create a hindrance to crime
prevention and investigation.
(4) Intensity of lighting in all residential zoning districts and all
residential uses except those containing six or less parking
spaces for a residential use and those containing single
family and two family dwellings -
(A) The maximum power of any light source shall be 250
watts.
(8) The amount of illumination attributable to exterior lighting
from a property shall not exceed 1 foot-candle when
measured at any boundary line with an adjoining
property. This provision may be waived by the Issuing
Authority when:
(i) The proposed lighting is not in conflict with the
stated purpose in Section 19.54 of this Code;
(ii) The proposed lighting will not unreasonably harm or
restrict public health, safety and welfare or create a
nuisance; and
(iii) The proposed lighting will not result in an
impairment of vision creating a hazard for vehicular
or pedestrian traffic.
(C) All parking lot and parking structure lighting may be
illuminated not more than one (1) hour before the start of
business and shall be extinguished within one (1) hour
after the end of business except as approved by the
Bloomington Police Department after finding the following:
(i) The property has been identified as an area where
the incidence or potential for crime warrant
additional lighting;
(ii) Additional lighting is required to increase visibility of
a property which is not readily accessible for police
during routine patrol; and
(iii) The use of timers, sensors, or other devices that
produce a reduced lighting level that does not
conflict with the stated purpose in Section 19.54 of
this Code.
(D) All lighting shall be maintained for all uses at the level
specified in Table 19.54-1 of this Code when measured
from the point of least and greatest illumination at any
location within the property.
In no instance may required lighting have a greater
maximum/minimum uniformity ratio than 6: 1.
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Table 19.54.1: Minimum Intensity of Lighting for the
Specific Uses
Use
Minimum
lIIumination1
2 foot-candles3
.
Parking Lots for non-residential uses and
zones2
Parking Lots for residential uses and
1.5 foot-candles
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residential zones2
Parking Structures4 - Vehicle Parking and 5 foot-candles
Drive Aisles
Parking Structures4 - Designated Pedestrian 20 foot-candles
Walkways
Pedestrian Access5 5 foot...candles
BuildinQ Entrance and Exits6 10 foot-candles
ParkinQ Structure Entrance and Exits7 35 foot-candles
1 The minimum light when measured in foot-candles at the point of
least illumination when measured at ground level.
2 This shall not include parking structures or approved open storage
areas for the storage of motor vehicles.
3 This may be reduced to 1.5 foot candles within 30 feet of the
outside perimeter of a parking lot curb with the approval of the
Bloomington Police Department in accordance with the findings in
Section 19.54(c)(1 )(B)(i), (ii) and (iii).
4 This includes all parking ramps and parking structures.
5 This includes all sidewalks designated for pedestrian access. This
does not include areas in an open parking lot which are not
exclusively designated as pedestrian access only. Measurements
shall be taken at ground level anywhere on the sidewalk.
6 When measured 10 feet from any pedestrian entrance or exit to
an enclosed structure.
7 This level of light is for a minimum of 50 feet inside a 100% closed
parking structure to allow for a transition zone for transient light
adaptation.
(d)
(5) Glare. In all zoning districts, any lighting shall be arranged so as
not to shine directly on any adjoining property. A person shall
not conduct a use that has a source of illumination that produces
glare clearly visible beyond a property line or creates a
sensation of brightness within a visual field so as to cause
annoyance, discomfort, or impairment of vision. The use of
lenses, deflectors, shields, louvers, or prismatic control devices
shall be used to eliminate nuisance and hazardous lighting to
facilitate compliance with this requirement.
(6) Parking Structures. Luminaires used for illumination of
designated pedestrian walkways in parking structures shall be of
a significantly different color value than luminaires. used for
illuminating vehicle parking and drive aisles.
Compliance. Any new lighting installed after the effective date of this
ordinance shall be in compliance with the requirements of this
ordinance. Any lighting in existence before the effective date of this
ordinance that does not comply with its requirements shall be
considered legally non-complying and may remain, subject to the
following provisions:
{1} Alterations to existing lighting.
(A) When poles and support structures are removed and
replaced for reasons other than acts of god or accidents,
they must be replaced with luminaires, poles and supports
that comply with this Section; and
(B) When luminaires are replaced, they must be replaced with
luminaires that comply with all provisions of this Section
except the minimum light intensity provisions of
subsection (c){2){E) and Table 19.54-1. In no event,
however, may the existing light intensity levels be reduced
below existing lighting levels for the parking area.
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(2) Removal and replacement of parking lot surface. When less
than 50% of the gross area of the parking lot surface on a
particular site is removed and replaced, only the parking area
replaced must be provided with lighting in compliance with this
Section. If greater than 50% of the parking area on a particular
site is removed and replaced at one time, the entire parking lot
on the site where the construction activity occurs must be in full
compliance with this Section. A parking lot or portion thereof is
"removed and replaced" when any portion ofthe existing parking
surface material is removed and a new surface is installed.
(3) New parking lots or parking lot additions. When a new
parking lot or addition to an existing parking lot is constructed,
the new lot or lot addition must be provided with lighting in
compliance with Section 19.54 of this Code.
(4) New structures, additions, or replacements. When a site is
improved with new structures or additions to or replacements of
existing structures, the lighting for the new structure, addition or
replacement on the site must be upgraded with complying
lighting and the parking lot lighting must be upgraded with
complying lighting over a portion of the parking area that is
equivalent to the amount of parking that would be required for
the new, structure, addition or replacement by Section 19.64 of
this Code. In the event that the new structure, addition, or
replacement is accompanied by new or replaced parking area,
the amount of upgraded lighting area shall be that required
under this subparagraph (4), or that required under the
combination of subparagraphs (2) and (3), whichever is greater.
(5) Change of type of occupancy. When the type of occupancy of
a site is changed, the lighting for the site shall be upgraded, as
necessary, to comply with this Section for the structure and the
parking lot be upgraded for the required parking for the
occupancy as established in Section 19.64 of this Code. For
purposes of determining the type of occupancy of a site, the
occupancy classifications of the Minnesota State Building Code
shall be utilized.
(6) Unoccupied sites. When a site has been unoccupied for a
period of one year, the lighting shall be upgraded to fully comply
with this Section prior to any reoccupation of the site.
(7) When a development application is made for a site, the City
Council may as a condition of approval require compliance with
any or all of the performance standards of this Section, and the
extent of compliance required in such cases may be greater than
that otherwise required under subdivision (d), if deemed
reasonably necessary to protect the public health, safety or
welfare and to achieve the purposes of this Section.
(8) Date for final compliance. Notwithstanding any of the above,
the lighting of all sites within the City shall be in full compliance
with this Section no later than January 1,2010.
(e) Point of Measurement. Any light intensity measurement taken at the
property line shall be measured at the greatest point of illumination of
said property line. Any measurements to determine the minimum and
maximum lighting levels internal to a site will be measured by
positioning the meter horizontally at ground level at the greatest and
least points of artificial illumination.
(f) Applicability. Modifications to the requirements of this Section may be
approved as part of a Final Development Plan for a Planned
Development Overlay District, pursuant to the provisions of Section
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19:38.01, provided:
(1) That any deviations from lighting standards established by this
Section are clearly delineated in the plan submission reviewed
by the Planning Commission and approved by the City Council;
(2) That any deviations are consistent with the purpose of this
Section;
(3) That the minimum light level proposed provides a minimum 0175
percent of the illumination required in subsection 19.54-1;
(4) That the height of support poles above grade does not exceed
the maximum permitted by this Section by more than 25 percent,
except that no development shall be allowed for increased
support pole height within 500 feet of a protected residential
property;
(5) That no increase in glare occurs as a result of deviation from the
adopted standards; and
(6) That the lighting plan does not propose any deviations to the
performance standards in subsection (c)(1) except as allowed in
19.54(f)(4). ,
(Code, 1958 S 9.06; Ord. No. 54, 12-18-61; Ord. No. 69, 5-30-62; Ord. No.
96-35, 8-19-96; Ord. No. 98-52,
11-2-98)
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Saint Louis Park
g. Lighting. All parking lots containing parking for six vehicles or more shall provide an
average horizontal illumination of between 0.4 and one footcandle. The average horizontal
illumination within all parking ramps shall be one footcandle. All lighting shall comply with
section 36-363.
Sec. 36-363. Special provisions regulating exterior lighting.
(a) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to minimize the adverse effect of light and
glare on operators of motor vehicles, pedestrians, and on residential and other lan~ uses in
the vicinity of a light source in order to promote traffic safety and to prevent the nuisances
associated with the intrusion of spillover light and glare.
(b) Applicability: The requirements of this section apply to all exterior lighting except
lighting for signs which is- covered under section 36-362 and street lighting within public
rights-of-way.
(c) General provisions.
(1) The city shall require submission of a light distribution plan to ensure compliance
with the intent of this section for all new development, redevelopment, and additions other
than single-family and two-family dwelling units, which exceed 20 percent of the floor area
of the principal structure after the effective date of the ordinance from which this section is
derived. This plan shall include the type and arrangement of proposed lighting and
proposed lighting levels in footcandles at all locations on the site including its property
boundaries.
(2) Upon completion of any lighting project, measurement of lighting levels of
properties within the project must be shown to be within Illuminating Engineering Society
(JES) standards as specified in the IES Handbook 5th Addition and shall comply with the
provisions of this section. Mitigative measures shall be employed to limit glare and spill
light to protect neighboring parcels and to maintain traffic safety on public streets and
roadways. These measures shall include lenses, shields, louvers, prismatic control
devices and limitations of the height and type of fixtures used.
...
(3) Measurements shall be made after dark at the property line.
.
(4) Exterior lighting shall be designed and arranged to limit direct illumination and
glare in any contiguous parcel of land. Reflected glare or spill light shall not exceed five-
tenths footcandle when the source of light abuts any residential parcel or one footcandle
when the source of light abuts any commercial or industrial parcel or any public right-of-
way measured at one foot above the ground.
(5) The city may limit the hours of operation of outdoor lighting equipment if the city
believes it necessary to reduce the impact of light on the surrounding neighborhood.
(6) No flickering or flashing lights shall be permitted.
(7) Lighting equipment shall not be placed or permitted to remain on a site if the light
source or its reflected image can be viewed directly from a location off the site unless
ornamental light fixtures are installed in the manner provided in a site and building plan
approved by the city. Ornamental fixtures shall only be approved when the developer
can demonstrate that undesirable off-site impacts stemming from direct or reflected
views of the light source are eliminated by the fixture design or location of the lighting
fixture.
.
(8) No light source or luminaire shall be located within a bufferyard except on
pedestrian walkways unless it is demonstrated that no other alternative to provide site
lighting is available.
(9) Light poles or standards for exterior lighting shall not exceed a height of 45 feet,
except that poles or standards on the top level of parking structures shall not exceed 250
feet.
(d) Outdoor recreational lighting.
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(1) Outdoor recreational facilities, such as baseball diamonds and other athletic
playing fields which are in existence at the time of the ordinance from which this section
is derived, are exempted from the exterior lighting standards of this section because of
their unique requirements for nighttime visibility and their limited hours of operation.
Outdoor recreational lights shall only operate between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 11 :00
p.m.
(2) Any new lighting or replacement lighting shall meet the provisions of this chapter
except for subsection (c)(9) of this section. Lighting facilities for these outdoor
recreational uses shall not exceed a maximum height of 80 feet.
(Code 1976, 9914:6-3.0--14:6-3.4)
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Shedding Light on the. Urban~anclscape
"" By Fay Do/nick
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NO CUTOFFWMINAlRE
LUMINAIRE WI1H LESS THAN 900 CUTOFF
900(:UTOFfWMlNAIRE
Tbe amou1ltof ctttoff provided in a ligbt fixture protects against excessif{eg14reand lighttresp4Ss. Amtoff
luminaire (right) ens't1'es that no light is emitted above a horiuJ1ltal/lineparallel to the ground. A luminaire with
a cutoff of less than 90 degrees (middle) completely shields the light sourcefrom an observer five feetab{}vl!the
ground at the point where the cutoff angle intersects the ground.
Exterior lightin. g h.as s el.dom.. bee. n a prio rity forpl. anners,
who often are not knowledgeable about the subject. This
aspect of the urban environment more often has been
handled by engineers, public works officials, and lighting trade and
.'lity company representatives. Decisions concerning lighting types
d design often have been made by those public officials who pay
. the bills and must face the grim reality of cost containment.
. But all that is changing. Several factors playa part in what
seems to be the general public's increased interest in the visual
environment. These include a heightened awareness of the
aesthetic value of their communities, consciousness of
environmental pollution, and increased fear of crime. These
concerns have complicated the basic purpose of light-to
illuminate and provide security-and can create situations in
which these purposes are at odds with each other.
Most communities have to recognize and deal with the
problem of glare. Light trespass from one land use to another
needs to be regulated. Residential neighborhoods must be
protected from glare from parking lots, sports facilities, and other
recreational events like outdoor concerts. Streets need to be lit well
enough to give reSidents a feeling of security. The lighting must
also be attractive enough to make commercial and recreational
facilities inviting and create a lively and prosperous setting.
This issue of Zoning News reports on communities that have
produced inventive lighting plans and ordinances and have
taken a holistic approach, addressing lighting in all areas of the
community and involving a cross-section of citizens in the
process. It also looks at some good regulations and the measures
they take to control glare, protect privacy, and promote safety.
Lighting Glossary
Exterior lighting types fall into two main categories-
.ndescent lamps (the type used to illuminate most homes)
the more prevalent high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps.
. Incandescent lamps produce light by heating a filament to high
temperatures through an electric current while HID lamps
produce light by passing an electric current through a gas. Very
few communities in the United States stilll,lse incandescent
lamps for streetlighting because, although they produce a soft,
white, attractive light, they are both costly and wasteful of
energy. One community that does-Kennebunkport, Maine-
is discussed below.
HID lamps include mercury vapor, high-pressure sodium
(HPS), low-pressure sodium (LPS), and metal halide. Mercury
vapor lighting produces a harsh yellow light that is aesthetically
unappealing but cheap to maintain. It was used widely in the
United States until the introduction of sodium lighting in the
1970s. HPS has now become the nation's main source of
exterior lighting.
Because of its strong illumination and because it distorts
color less than LPS, law enforcement officials prefer high-
pressure sodium. For them, identification of suspects is crucial.
Citizens have also come to prefer it as their fear of street crime
intensifies. Some lighting professionals, however, feel that the
safety feature has been overrated and that the glare produced by
HPS is a hazard in itself.
Metal halide produces a warm white light that is akin to
incandescent lighting, is aesthetically pleasing, and produces
excellent color rendition. But it suffers from high maintenance costs
owing to a lower lamp life. "Group relamping rather than spot
relamping is the answer to this problem," says Nancy Clanton,
president of Clanton Engineering in Boulder, Colorado. Clanton
says most of the costs of replacing lamps are labor cOsts and that
replacing whole areas oflamps at one time regardless of whether or
not all are burned out is a cost-efficient maintenance scheme.
Lighting Plans
Kennebunkport, Maine. This town has "one of the two best
lighting ordinances in the United States," says Tony Dater, a
consultant in Biddeford, Maine. His other choice: Tucson,
Arizona. First developed in 1970 by a committee of citizens and
planners chaired by city engineer Peter Talmadge, the
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ordi'pance has been updated regularly, most recently in 1992. It
is shorr and simple and uses ample graphics.
Its unique feature is that it controls glare and light trespass
by regulating the height of the luminaire (light fixture) and its
setback from the property line. The height of the luminaire may
be increased to 25 feet as it moves away from the property line.
In conjunction with this, a full cut-off shade, which allows no
direct light above a horizontal plane, is required for light over a
certain degree of brightness. .
s ~
stan I' me oveW#~~~~~fitg~ne
square foot), which requires the enforcement officer to be
equipped with expensive light-calibrating instruments.
Talmadge is one of the many lighting professionals who feel
strongly that, in the interests of security, most communities
- ". Zl...... ".) require too much brightness.
,.' This results in dazzling glare,
Communities lack 0 9 . j which is in itself unsafe.
Full-scaledighting I Kennebunkport has found its
I tot'. tf!..'O ft I incandescent lighting
Pans s 1 . mus . " . . II . bl b .
. I - 0 0 .' '. j economlca y via e ecause It
p". O. ...V.1S'.O.. ns.tq.protect,:., keeps the wattage low.
'f ,",otoristI6nJ ' I Although the original
Pe4e~trian.., rom .././1 ~ecision to ret~in . .
1wiaic1$ of. 'lare,an9 I incandescent lIghting still
!, rest...r:..l.oct'li9.h. '.' ~. s;''''' . i:,J. '.......1 ~old. ~, t.~e p. o~sibil!ty ofLPS
i' aHi I" eb Tf .1 lIghtIng IS bemg discussed
! ,1 p.' .c~ a Y 11 \: -. with the Central Maine
(.: slde1]t'alprg..per-rJ.,....., Power <;:ompany. Talmadge
,~~ . :.' emphasizes that 35-watt LPS
L._ --..--"'----' lamps provide good light.
Most utility companies disagree, but Talmadge feels that a
dialogue on this subject can be productive.
,.,.. - ~-- =. I - ~.no'"ftl~dl.#ti'01tti~
[' r' ll~IJll'l1]linif~J . I grll~':2~..,..~pst
~ '.' .;:"n 1974, PimaCounty~a'''ij''~nually
identical ordinance, and many other Arizona comfllllnities have
adopted all or part of this code. T.......AlIlt..""'~ljfl;W~~x
~;.,()~t ~;~~~~~~~~;~~_r~.;~~ l~~
~;:: ;;s; in~ers, it rust be turned off between 11 p.m. '
- an sunrise. It also prohibits searchlights and laser-source lights
for outdoor advertising. Lighting for parking lots and sports
facilities must be fully shielded so that no light is emitted above
a horiwntal plane. LPS lighting, which is essentially all one
color, has been adopted throughounhe community.
The proximity of the Kitt Peak National Observatory
influenced the development of this ordinance. The telescopes in
use in observatories cannot filter out the broad-band lighting in
HPS, and astronomers have successfully argued against its use in
surrounding communities. They prefer the monochromatic
lighting of LPS, which the telescopes can filter out.
Kansas City, Missouri. Like many cities across the nation,
Kansas City is phasing out its mercury-vapor lighting in favor of
more efficient HPS streetlights. Last fall, the city and Kansas City
Power and Light Company initiated a Neighborhood Streetlight
Demonstration Project in twO neighborhoods in an attempt to
determine the best kind oflighting for an urban residential
neighborhood. The neighborhoods included single- and
multifamily residences, businesses, churches, and schools. One
high-crime area was chosen because the perception of safety was
deemed important. This pilot area was divided into two 20-block
2
,,,tio",. HPS Jigh~ w,,, i",,~loo in on' ",d m"~ h~id, in ,;e ~ I
other. The city surveyed residents, business people, and
community officials and found that all groups felt that the new
streetlights werean improvement. Residents and business people ,
were evenly divided, however, in their preferences for metal
halide and HPS. Community officials, perhaps because of lower
maintenance costs, have decided to install HPS lights.
Nancy Clanton, whose firm designed the program, is pleased
that Kansas City is using this pilot to help develop a lighting plan
for the whole city. Clanton feels that cities too often approach
their lighting piecemeal instead oflooking at the overall context.
She hopes the experiment will interest other cities.
Toronto. Last fall, Toronto, the last major North American
city to be served almost entirely by an incandescent lighting
system installed after World War II, completely retrofitted its
street lights. Yearly costs approaching $4 million impelled the
city to seek a cheaper system.
The choice became a ho~olitical issue. Not surprisingly, the
commissioner of public works preferred HPS because of its low
capital and operating costs. But strong opposition within the
community led to the formation of the Street and Lane Lighting
Sub-Committee consisting of citizens, council members, and
representatives from the planning and public works departments
and Ontario Hydro. The committee initiated test installations
and recommended warm-white metal halide lights (the closest
in character to incandescent lighting) in the traditional acorn-
shaped lamps already in use.
"Metal halide costs more, but we made a decision that it is
worth more," says committee member Alfred Holden. The city
installed 40,000 of these high-efficiency lamps, expecting to
reduce electric bills-by about $2 million annually-as well as I
carbon monoxide emissions from generating stations. Ontario
Hydro's Street Smart Program will reimburse the city for 25
percent of the cOSt of replacing existing fixtures. The entire
project is expected to cost approximately $15 million.
Des Moines. The Riverfront Lighting Master Plan in Iowa's
capital is the product of a cooperative endeavor by planners,
engineers, transportation engineers, parks and recreation officials,
and outside landscape and lighting professionals, architects, and
power company representatives. Planning department staff led
the Riverfront Lighting Committee, which wanted to realize the
riverfront's potential as a major recreational source and reverse
public perception of the area as unsafe. The committee chose to
ban high-intensity floodlights, choosing a combination of HPS
lamps over bridges and metal halide lamps on the Des Moines
River esplanade. The city council adopted the plan in 1992, but
it has been only partially implemented due to difficulties in
obtaining funding. Nonetheless, it is an example of a lighting
plan in which engineers and planners were part of the same
process and could endorse what they felt was a solid workable
plan in which they agreed on aesthetic and maintenance issues.
Basic Ordinance Provisions
Communities lacking full-scale lighting plans still must draft
provisions to protect motorists and pedestrians from the hazards of
glare and restrict light trespass, particularly near residential
property. In The Subdivision and Site Plan Handbook (Center for
Urban Policy Research, 1989), David Listokin and Carole Walker
recommend that communities follow standards provided by the ,
Illuminating Engineering Society (lES) or use a plan designed by
the utility company. However, some lighting professionals feel tha
utility companies routinely pressure for excessive illumination. In
any case, Listokin and Walker recommend that lighting be
J-'-'~' :. ;'I~SOllrCeS
f'
~ .
,-
,
i.:d:{'iilmPJIr'1
Illuminating Engineering Society
of ;North America
345 East 47th St.
New York, NY 10017
212-705-7913
International Dark Sky Association
3545 North Stewart
Tucson, AZ 85716
New England Light Pollution
Advisory Group
Daniel W.E.Green
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
60 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
R.E.S.V. Inc.
Debra L. Sachs-Principal Investigator
Michael Munson
11 Pearl St.
Essex Junction, VT 05452
802-879~0605
Urban Consortium Energy Task Force
Chitt~nden County Regional
Planning Commission
P.O. Box 108
Essex Junction, VT 05455
802-658-3004
. .
-, ,.
~
De Chiara, Joseph and Lee Koppelman,
Site Planning Standards, New York:
McGraw-Hili, 1978.
Kendig, Lane, with Susan Connor,
Cranston Byrd, and Judy Heyman,
Peiformance Zoning, Chicago: AP A
Planners Press, 1980.
Listokin, David and Carole Walker, The
Subdivision and Site Plan Handbook,
New Brunswick, N.J.: Center for
Urban Policy Research, Rutgers
University, ] 989.
Smith, Thomas P., The Aesthetics of
. Parking, PAS Report No.4] ],
_ Chicago: APA ] 988.
.~
Cutoff: th~ point at which all light rays
emitted by a lamp, light source, or
luminaire are completely eliminated
(cut off) at a specific angle above the
ground.
Cutoff Angle: the angle formed by a line
drawn from the direction of light rays at
the light source and a line perpendicular
to the ground from the light source,
above which no light is emitted.
provided at intersections, along walkways, at entryways, between
buildings, and in parking areas. They also advise more lighting on
_. mmercial than onresid. ential streets. As to the spacing and
ight of light fixtures, they suggest:
. . Spacing of standards shall be equal to approximately four
times the height of the standard.
. The maximum height of standards shall not exceed the maxi-
mum building height permitted, or 25 feet, whichever is less.
. The height and shielding oflighting standards shall provide
proper lighting without hazard to drivers or nuisance to residents.
Cutoff Type Luminaire: a unit of
illumination with elements such as
shield, reflectors, or refractor
panels that direct and cutoff the
light at a cutoff angle less than 90
degrees.
Footcandle: a unit of illumination
produced on a surface, all points of
which are one foot from a uniform
point source of one candle.
Glare: light emitting from a luminaire
with an intensity great enough to
reduce a viewers' ability to see and,
in extreme cases, causing momentary
blindness.
Light Trespass: the shining of light
produced by a luminaire beyond the
boundaries of the property on which
it is located.
Luminaire: a complete lighting unit
consisting of a light source and all
necessary mechanical, electrical, and
decorative parrs.
AU definitiom are from Performance
Zoning, except definitions of light
trespass and glare, which come from the
Kennebunkport, Maine, ordinance.
Glare and Light
Below are some examples of zoning ordinances that regulate
glare and light spill by prescribing a combination of luminaire
height, cutoff shields, and precise footcandle measurements.
Greenwich, Connecticut, requires that, with some exceptions,
all light sources be shielded so that, "[a]djacent to business uses,
the light source shall not be visible at a~eight greater than five
(5) feet above ground level" and "[aJdjacent to residential uses,
the light source shall not be visible at ground level or above." Any
type of uplighting that is not lighting buildings, trees, shrubs, or
site surfaces is prohibited. This ordinance does'not differentiate
between residential and business zones except that perimeter
lighting in residential zones must be limited to 0.1 footcandle
anywhere along a propert'"f line.
Vail, Coloradoj~I.jf.1F..bwl__7~~
l.:r:;;~parately from the site plan or landscape plan, and
. . . s ow the location, the height above grade, the type of
illumination (such as incandescent, halogen, high-pressure
sodium etc.), the source lumens, and the luminous area for each
source light which is proposed." A pole light may not be higher
than 35 feet in a commercial area, eight feet in a residential area,
or eight feet in either if "affixed to vegetation." In commercial
areas, all light sources higher than 15 feet must be fitted with a
full cutoff shield. All flashing lights are prohibited.
Eatontown, New Jersey. The light pollution ordinance
requires that, "at the property line of subject property
iIIumination from light fixtures shall not exceed 0.] footcandles
on residentially zoned property or 0.5 footcandles on business
zoned property, measured on a vertical plane." IES
recommended levels are to be used in roadway lighting, parking
lots, and recreational and sports facilities. Shielding is required
on almost all outdoor lighting.
., \,,- Bronxville, New York, is still lit mainly by incandescent
--lighting. Provision is made for some fluorescent and metal
halide lamps, but high- and low-pressure sodium, mercury-
The authors do not speci/}, standards for shielding, but many
lighting professionals say only full cutoff shields, which allow no
light above a horizontal plane, are acceptable. Lane Kendig, in
Performance Zoning (APA Planners Press, ]980), says a light
fixture's maximum height should depend on the amount of
shielding provided.
Many uses have the option of providing a lower light post with
a noncutoff type luminaire or a higher pole, up to sixty (60) feet
with a luminaire that totally cues off light spillover at a cutoff
angle smaller than ninety (90) degrees.
Kendig exempts outdoor lighting for night sports facilities
'such as baseball diamonds, playing fields, and tennis courts
but requires that the illumination source be shielded at a 90-
degree angle.
The IES recommends twO foorcandles of illumination for
pedestrians to have good perception of obstacles more than 50
feet away on a street or sidewalk. It recommends two
efootCandles for atrendant parking in a commercial area and one
. for self-parking. In Site Planning Standards, De Chiara and
Koppelman concur, but some parking consultants advise that
the real or perceived dangers of parking environments require
an average of five footcandles for adequate safety.
3
Ir if-
c-
'-.../
..
Li5 h7-J:j (E-A 7o/:':/'::i:5
'~ .......
.'. lit'!' .. _ . .
,~. ", ~...i,..~'.~ ~~
d:
l'
vapor, and neon lights are prohibited, as are flashing lights,
searchlights, and cobra head fixtures. Metal halide fixtures in
parking lots, pedestrian paths, and building perimeter areas
must be fitted with full cutoff. In those areas, lamps with
decorative fixtures may not exceed the equivalent of 150 watts
(incandescent) .
Juneau, Alaska, relates the height of light fixtures to "the
lamp size, the type of luminaire which is being used, and the
purpose of the lighting." Heights range from below eye level
through 10 to 15 feet in malls and walkways to 60 feet and 100
feet for large-area lighting such as parking lots and highway
interchanges. Shielding is required on all outdoor lighting under
35 feet to reduce hazards from glare. Lighting intensity
guidelines are: 1.5 footcandles in parking lots; three in
intersections; 0.2 in residential developments; and one along the
perimeter of property lines.
Other Developments
No national standards for outdoor lighting exist in the U.S., but
states are getting involved. A Maine law bars use of state funds
to replace any permanent outdoor lighting fixture unless state-
mandated guidelines for the design of the fixture are followed.
The guidelines say that any new or replacement fixture must be
equipped with a full cutoff shade. Connecticut has passed
legislation controlling glare, and Wisconsin, Massachusetts,
New Jersey, New York, and Texas are considering doing so.
In Vermont, the Chittenden County Regional Planning
Commission has hired Michael Munson, of the Research
Evaluation Specialists of Vermont, to prepare a manual, "A Site
Lighting Guide for Vermont Municipalities." The commission
created an Urban Consortium Energy Task Force with funding
from the U.S. Department of Energy and other sources. The
task force aims to educate communities on general principles of
good lighting and to help in crafting workable ordinances.
Three communities (urban, suburban, and rural) will be
selected for case studies as part of this process. APA's Northern
New England chapter and the Vermont Planners Association
are cooperating in this venture.
Much of the impetus behind the banning ofHPS lighting in
the Southwest has come from the International Dark Sky
Association, formed 13 years ago by David Crawford, an
astroflomer at the Kitt Peak Observatory. San Diego, which
modeled its ordinance on Tucson's, has since bowed to pressure
from law enforcement officials and the public and reinstalled
HPS lighting in some areas. Crawford and his colleagues view
this as evidence that they need to intensify their public education
efforts. The organization has helped communities nationwide
prepare light control ordinances and also has focused attention
on the problem of light trespass in urban areas.
Zoning N,ws is a momhly newsletter published by rhe American Planning Association.
Subscriprions are available for $45 (U.S.) and $54 (foreign). Michael B. Barker, Executive
Director; Frank S. So, Deputy Executive Director; William R. Kl~in. Director of Research.
Zoning N,ws is produced at APA.Jim Schwab. Ediror; Fay Dolnick, Scott Dvorak, Michelle
Gregory. Sanjay Jeer, Megan Lewis, Marya Morris, Marty Roupe. Laura Thompson.
Reporters; Cynthia Cheski. Assistant Editor; Lisa Barron. Design and Produccion.
Copyright@1995 by American Planning Associarion, 122 S. Michigan Ave.. Suite
1600, Chicago, lL 60603. The American Planning Association has headquarters
offices at 1776 MassachusettS Ave., N.W.. Washington, DC 20036.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any
form or by any means, decHonic or mechanical. including photocopying. recording.
or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the American Planning Association.
Printed on recycled paper, including 50-70% recycled fiber
and 10% posrconsumer waste.
@
4
The New EnglandLight Pollution Advisory Group
(NELP AG) is based at the Smithsonian Astrop~1Ysica1
Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and directed by
Daniel Green, who argues that reducing wattage and fully
shielding lamps are more important than the choice of lighting
type. NELPAG has also produced an information package for
writing city and town ordinances and lobbies for state lighting
reform legislation.
Planners may find it rewarding to develop a clear sense of
purpose about public lighting and to become more involved in
its design and regulation in their communities. Community
lighting often grows to inappropriate and unnecessaty levels,
producing energy waste, rising fiscal.costs, and glar~~c'"
~.d,.;~..J,J,...-........";kr . .
~;l~~ coI11pany,
for other ommUnlt1es are m st
succ ion of the
com~ . " ,. _1,_ gfficials, utility
co=\! J" [~ lighting design
profe~i~~Dl?: in constructive di ogue.
.. ---
,
ZON/HGReJ2orts
Adult Entertainment Study
Booksto~e, Department of City Planning, City of New' York, 22 Reade
St.,New York, NY 10007. November 1994.96 pp. $5 plus $1
postage. 41 cents sales tax unless ordered with tax-exemption form.
As reported in Zoning News last month, New York City is in
the midst of revamping its adult use zoning regulations
citywide. This study was part of the planning effort that
prepared those regulations and contains a good deal of
interesting data on patterns of adult use concentrations
throughout the city. It is also valuable to planners and zoning
administrators elsewhere for its review of major adult use studies
in other cities across the country, as well as for its histoty of
legal developments in this field and of the evolution of adult
uses in relation to advances in cinematography. The study
notes, for example, that $100 films have nc'.v becc:!lA '/:'l
videotapes, altering the marketing of adult movies.
I
Fortress America: Gated and
Walled Communities in the
United States
Edward]. Blakely and Mary Gail Snyder. Lincoln Institute of
Land Policy, 113 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA 02138. 1995. 63
pp. $10 plus $3.50 shipping and handling (50 cents shippingfor
each additional copy).
Acknowledging a dearth of scholarly analysis to date on the
subject of gated communities, this working paper attempts an
investigative study drawing heavily on journalistic sources and
interviews with focus groups. Illustrating a trend toward
withdrawal from the larger society, the authors raise serious
questions about the segregative impacts of walled communities
and even the viability of democratic government where citizens
have erected such walls. Going well beyond planning and
zoning questions about the phenomenon if studies, this paper
attacks the vety philosophy that undergirds the growing trend
toward enclosure.
,
Night's Light Dims Stars and Irks Residents
JOHN RATHER
New York Times (1857-Currentfile); lullS, 2001; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 _ 2001)
pg. LI2 ..~ vi?'" /5-; ? c,X./ /
.
MIUdDe Hlw for 11le New York T1mcI
Outdoor lighting at night is increasingly considered a form of pollution, Unshielded lights glared at the Stony Brook Long Island Rail.Road station.
Night's Light Dims Stars and Irks Residents
By JOHN RATHER
.
~ a distance of 43 million
. . miles from Earth, about as
close as it ever comes, Mars
appeared as a shimmering,
red-tinged dot last weekend through
the 13-lncb diameter telescope at the
Custer Institute observatory In
Southold, where public viewing is a
Saturday night tradition.
But at the 75-year-old institute, a
nonprofit amateur astronomy educa-
tion center located In a surviving
pocket of nighttime darkness on the
North Fork, some say even closer
,Miii1iail,.encounters are just up the
road In,Nassau County. ,
"The skies there are all orange
. and red at night," said Barbara Leb-
kiiei:l1er. the lnstitute treasurer. "It's
horrible.. You might as well be living
on Mars."
On Long Island, where a growing
profusion of outdoor fightjog now ob-
scures the nighttime sky over wide
areas of Nassau and Suflolk Coun-
ties, stargazers and planet watchers
are having Increasing difflcolty see-
ing the heavens dearly, or at all.
Equally Important, intrusive and
glaring lighting affects residents.
. Diminishing the view Is an over-
hanging pinkish-red canopy of light,
.a result of, widely used high-pressure
sodium fixtures on roadways mixed
with mercury vapor and high-watt-
age security,lighting. The sky glow, a
'reswt.of'&i:tiflclal1lght renectlng off
:.iiirliOrne: ,dust, haze or water drop-
lets. ~Iots out even the brWlance of
the Milky Way from an expanding
area of the Island where darkness no
'longer really falls.
On the ground, security Ughtlng
casts glare beyond cmnmercial and
residential propertY lines into neigh-
bors' windows, at Its worst lIlumlnat-
ing bedrooms with unwanted light
and depriving people of sleep,
Now New York may become the
-seventh state to pass legislation that
addresses excessive, intrusive and
energy-wasting outdoor illumination
used lor commercial buildings, high-
.ways, . parking lots, municipal cen-
ters and residential backyards.
A bill to limit light pollution spon-
sored by State Senator Michael A. L.
Balboni, a Republican of East Willis-
ton, and State Assemblyman Alexan-
.
der B. Grannis, a Democrat Irom
Manhattan, passed overwhelmingly
in both houses late last month and Is
now before Gov. George E. Patak!.
"This bill represents the next
wave of environmental concern,"
Mr. Balboni said. "It began with wa-
ter, land and air pollution. Then pe0-
ple began to recognize that excessive
noise was a pollutant. And now what
we are recognizing Is that excessive,
mlsdltected, ambient light Is also a
pollutant"
If Mr. Pataki signs the measure,lt
wlll require that all new state and
municipal Ughting be shielded and
directed to prevent IigIlt from beam.
ing wastefUlly upward and producing
unnecessary glare: Lighting already
in place would II!It be affected. but, as
older systems were replaced, gov.
ernments would be requlred to in-
stall new fixtures that focus light
downward and use less electricity.
The law would also create a viola.
tion called light trespass that would
allow local governments to curb resi.
dential and commercial outdoor
lighting that shines into neighbors'
yards and windows, Violators would
be asked to shield or reposition of-
fending lights or face fines,
"Anyone who has had an overzeal-
ous neighbor put .up secul'lty lights
that shine into their bedroom at night
knows the intrusive effect. and. the
potential effect on sleeping at exces-
sive lighting," Mr. Balbonl'sald..He
said at least sIX Long island'lI)uoicl-
paUtles have ordinances .regulating
such lights,,, . .
The New York measure, which Mr.
Balboni described as more sweeping
than those In force in the six other
states, woUld also empower the New
York State Department of Environ-
mental ConservatlOllto designate so-
called dark areas where nighttime
lighting would be minimized in order
to protect what Mr. Balboll.i de-
scribed as die nighttime wilderness.
. The department would also be re-
quired to devise a model outdoor
lighting ordinance and distribute it to
local governments..
Mr. Balboni said there was evi-
dence that excessive, poorly de-
signed nighttime lighting could af.
fect photosynthesis and bird migra-
tion. He clted an environmental
group's estimate that $3 billion 10
$4.5 billion a year of electricity was
wasted nationwide because of light
shll.tlng uselessly Into the night sky.
Other advocates of lighting curbs
say excessive nighttime light Im-
pedes the pineal gland In the brain
from producing the hormone melato-
nin, whose prOduction in darkness Is
associated with physIological
changes leading to sound sleep.
Joseph E. Conway, a spokesman
for Mr. Patak!, said Mr. Pataki had
DOt yet decided whether to sign Mr.
Balboni's measure. "We are still In
the process of reviewing the detaUs
of the legislation," Mr. Conway said,
Mr. Balboni said last week that if
Mr~ Patak! vetoed the bill, he would
immediately alter an amended ver-
. sian or reintroduce a similar bUl in
i1iii'next session.
The state moves to
limit excessive and
intrusive
illumination.
Asked whether poorly designed
lightl!'lg was wasting efectricity,
Richard M. Kessel, the Long Island
.POwef' Authority chairman, said:
"'There Is always waste with outdoor
lighting, but It Is obviously Important
.lci'll1liDy businesses, residential com.
. munltles. municipalities and school
districts for security purposes."
The authority's Night LIght pro-
gram offers special rates for busi-
nesses and municipalities that Install
security. lighting and promotes
greater use of nighttime lights,
Mr. Kessel said night lighting had
no effect on the authority's ability to
meet peak demand, which occurs
during hot summer days.
~'If you Umited nighttime lighting,
you could create dangerous situa-
tions," Mr. Kessel said. "Nighttime
lighting Is important to hold down
robbery and vandaUsm."
Groups striving to bring light pol-
.Iutlon to public attention said there
was no evidence that excessive out-
door lighting lessened crime. In fact,
the groups said, at least one study
showed that graffiti vandalism was
actually worse In l~iionS that were
highly lllumlnated atnlghL
They said.the New, York measure
marked a breakthrough. .
"This wlll bring a .lot of new
awareness," said Susan .Harder, a
retired art dealer from East Hamp-
ton and a member of the Internation-
al Dark-Sky Association. "People
will begin to realize they don't need
so many watts to light up a quarter of
an acre In their. backyard."
Ms. Harder said more effk:ient,
IIght-dlrectlng fIXtures. were now
widely available. "There is.no reason
to have bad lighting exCept that pe0-
ple are toOwy'tiiCliange It," she
said. She also salll: If. thlit,Governor
Patak! 'signed: lAA:l>iJl,: governments
and agencl~ ~"'d '!9. \~!!ller install
lights she referred. to as "glare
bombs" on roails and. bignWaYs.
Gary Citro, a music teacher from
Hlcksville and a member of Selene,
the acronym for a group called Sen-
sible and Efficient Lighting to En-
hance the NlghtUme Environment,
said Ught poUutlon was growing
worse in Nassau County.
"There Is ieaJ.ly IIOwhere you can
go to really, see a dark sky," he said.
Mr. Citro,lIII amatew"astronomer,
said objects in the sky he could see
clearly five years ago were now fad-
Ing. The I'eliSim;~ hll-sa'fd, ,was the
insta1lation ilf..iito're'~d.iiiDre light-
Ing that was'pOOrly'tIesIgnl!d."
"We are IIOt.caI11ng.rlir; the elimi-
nation of Ilghtmlir lie said. "We are
veryconcei'i1ed'/iboLltpeople's safety
and security. What,we Bnf calling for
Is the elimlnatloD of bad and ineffi-
cient lighting." '.
At the Suffolll County Vanderbilt
Museum In Centerport, Its executive
director, J. Lance Mallamo,sald
school. shows at the museum plane-
tarium were adjusted to reflect the
tUght sky on u,ng Island. ."lnstead 01
a black .sky, we gray it more," he
said. Many of the studeiltS, he said,
were UnIamWarwlth a b18ck sky and
objects visibleln.l4..:;., ...
Mr.' Mallamo said the museum
also changed to liiciliideScent white
lights in Its parltiiigJcit!ieCiiuse high-
pressure sodium, .fixt!!res . were so
bright they Interfered with observa-
tion sessions' Irom tbe.pllinetarium's
Ill-inch diameter telescope. .
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
And Now, a New York Version of Star Wars
JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.
New York Times (J857-Currentfile); Dee 22, 2001; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 _ 200
pg.AI
And Now, a New York Version of Star Wars
By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.
ALBANY, Dec. 21- Seldom tn tillS
capItal of compromISes can a fight
over a bill be called a battle between
darkness and light, but that de-
sCribes the struggle over a bdl
passed thIS year that was mtended to
let more New Yorkers see the stars
The forces of light, led by Mayor
Rudolph \Y. Giuliani and other may-
ors across the state. are trymg to
stop the legISlation, whIch would fos-
ter more darkness for stargazers,
who want unobstl1\ctednlght skIes
The bdl passed both houses of the
Legislature m June WIth httle fan-
fare or debate The measure would
require the state and local govern-
ments to gradually replace street-
bghts and other outdoor lights WIth
ones Ihat focus bght downward rath.
er than spraymglt out to the heav-
ens. It would also make It Illegal to
erect lights that bother tIelghbors
and would direct the state to desIg-
nate darkness preserves where out-
door bghtlng would be restricted
But Gov. George E. Patakl, who
prides himself on hIS environmental
record, has not been keen on the bdl,
In. part because II would cost the
Slale mllbons of dollars to carry out,
hiS aIdes saId. For SIX months, he has
kept the legislation at bay by threat-
ening to veto It If It IS sent to him In
ItS current form
"I appreciate the goal of the bdl. In
fact my brother IS an astronomer, so
I mean he's got to be In favor of It,"
the governor s3ld thiS week during a
radiO interview "And I remember
gomg With him many II time and
lookmg out m a telescope and trying
to find the darkest part of the sky.
"In concept," he saId, "the Idea of
taking measures to make our energy
use lower when It'S unnecessary and
to help neighbors from betng blinded
m the middle of the mght IS some-
thmg that I would like to suppon"
Bul, he added, he did not know
whether he would sign the bill. be-
cause he had not read all the provI-
SIOns
The sponsors, Senator MIChael
Conttnued on Page D5
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NEW
Y 0 R K
S TAT E
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And NoW; a New York Version of Star Wars: Forces of Darkness vs. Light
Colltrnued From Page AI
A. L Balbom lUId Assemblyman AI-.
exander B GrlUlms, have proposed
amendment aCter amendment In an
effort to sallsfy the governor's con"
cerns, so far without success.
1\Iayor GluluUII and others haV'e
argued that the measure would not
only cost hundreds of millions dol-
lars for new hghts but would also
JeopardIZe the safety of urban resI-
dents, smee Cities could no longer
hght up hlgh-crlme areas as they see
fit, without the state's appwval
But astronomers, environmental-
Ists and groups hke the International
Dark-Sky ASSOCiation argue that the
dome of glaring hght over cllles and
towns from mercury-vapor bulbs
and other security hghts IS a form of
One sponsor of a
bill likens light
pollution to noise
pollution.
pollution They argue that the cur-
rent lighting systems keep people
from seemg the stars, disrupt the
rhythms of wildlife and waste mil-
hons of dollars on light proJccted
upward
"The city could save money m the
long run," Said Susnn Harder, it re-
tired art dealer from East Hampton
\\ho IS a member ofthe International
Dark-Sky Assoclallon "There IS a
hOrrible fmancull waste"
U Mr Patalu were to sign thebltl,
New York would become the seventh
state m the nallon to enact a hght.
\JOllullon law mtended to allow peo-
ple to see the stars better In addl-
lion, hundreds of mURlClpallUes 10
North America, InclUding San DIego,
Tucson and Calgary, Alberta, have
converted to the downward focused
lights
"ThIS IS a major bill," said Assem.
blyman Grnnms, a Democrat from
Manhattan "This IS what nOIse pol.
IUllon was a decade ago ..
DaVid L Crawford, a rellred as-
tronomer who heads the Internatlon.
al Dark-Sky ASSOCiation, based m
Arizona, Said recent studies suggest
about 70 percent of the people m the
United States cannot see the Milky
Way because of hght pollullon
"That part of the environment IS
disappearing and dlsappearmg
fast," he Said. "If the children aren't
tn touch wllh the sky, II'S really crlm-
maL The only place they get to see
these thmgs IS In an anlflCllll enVI-
ronment, a planetanum ..
But Mr, Gluhanl and other city
managers are less WOrried about
children learmng the constellations
than they are about deterrmg cnme
They arc also concerned nbOlIt Ihe
cost of mstalllng new fIxtures and
what the new lights mIght do 10
street hghtlng systems based on old-
er lights
In a letter to Mr. Patakl,l\Ir Glull.
am said rcplacmg the city's 180,000
streetlIghts WIth flxlures that focus
downward, known as full cut-of(
lIghts, would create patches of dark
on the roadways
The clly would hnve to double the
number of Streelllghts, Mr GiulianI
wrote, to !.eep rhe lighting even, at a
cost he estlmllted at $700 mllhon
That sum would not Include the .cost
of changmg 130,000 olher floodhghts
In parks, playgrounds, overpasses
and above sIgns, he said
CtllNtin". CinntrarTh\ ~_ lnrt h,.,.""
Opponents of light cscaping Into the sky made theIr pomt With graUIt! on a sign 10 Bridgehampton. N.Y.
The mayor also mnde II plarn he
dId not want the state meddling In
the City's dCClslons about Irghtmg
aImed at sloppmg crIme The law
would require a city to allply 10 the
state for a waIver to msmll secunty
hghts
"In terms of public safety It IS
extremely unwise for a state slatute
to dictate the appropnate hghbng
standards to .1 mUDlclJI3hty," Mr
Glullnm .." rote
Edward C Farrell, the executive
dlrcctor of the New Yor'" State Con.
forcncC! 01 Mayors, said many Clt)'
managers arebrlStlmg althe notion
that local polrce officers wll' have to
enforce the bill's "light trespass"
prOVISIOnS, which prohibit pUllIng up
hghts Ihat disturb a neighbor's sleep
or prIVacy
",\t n time \\ hen locnl pubhc safc-
Iy resources 3re bomg stretched to
Ihe limn because of concerns abouI
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner, Further reproduction prohibited without permission,
terrorism," Mr, Farrell sard, "be-
commg the light police wOllld be a
very low Priority"
LegISlative nldes say Governor
Patakl IS also warned the defmllton
of "hght tresp:!Ssmg" mIght be too
broad. He also IS troubled that the
Mltreats outdoor hghtmg solely as
an envIronmental ISSUe, Ignoring Its
role ID reducmg .crime or attracting
tounsm, Times Square's "ghts, for
IDstance, might run afoul of the bill's
proVISIons, llIdes saId
"We are sltll workIng wuh the
sponsors to remedy some of the con-
cerns," said Suzanne Morns, n
spokeswomllD for the governor. "It's
too soon to say whllt'sgomg to hap-
pen."
Senator Balbom, a Long Island Re-
pubhcan who sponsored the bIll ID
the Senate, s<ud he $tlll hopes to
reach a compromlSC WIth the gover.
nor He said many of the governor's
and mayors' worries about the cost
of new hghts were shortSighted
"Most of these places would save
money," he said.
Mnny environmental groups,
meanwhile, have been pushmg hard
to get the bill signed About a third of
the outdoor hghtlng In the Umted
States IS POlDted skyward, a feder.11
study has shown The dark-sky ossa-
Cllltlon estnnates the country now
spends about $4 5 billion a year on
what It conSIders wasted light. the
eqUivalent of 30 million bllrrels 01 011
It IS unclear how much energy could
be saved rn New York.
"thiS IS the only bill passed by the
New York State LegIslature thiS
year thai WIll actually lead to a re-
duction m energy," saId Jeff Jones, a
spokesman for Envlronmentnl Ad\'1)-
c:ues "We think the blllls great, and
could be Signed as It IS ,.
,
Archives
Page I of3
Southwest MInneapolis'
Community Newspaper
Southwest
Monday September 12, 2005
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!_.~_",,-!l.~11:1a1~
Getting the glare out of city streetlights
By Scott Russell
, Steve Orfield wants the city to take the
glare out of its streetlights.
Orfield, owner of Minneapolis-based
Orfield Labs, has pushed the city to
create lighting codes that focus on
'better visibility, not simply brightness.
Steve Orfield says pedestrian lighting
"Lighting is thought of as a quantity is a matter of quality, not quantity.
problem rather than a quality problem;
it is 97 percent a quality problem," he said from his lighting and acoustic testing
facility, 2709 E. 25thSt.
"Conceivably, the city could have a lighting standard where the lighting level is
lower than it is now but where the ability to see is dramatically higher," he said.
.
Orfield is not a disinterested party. He wants to work with the city and lighting'
industry to develop the visibility standard, he said. Potential light vendors then
would pay his firm to test their light fixtures. If they meet the visibility standard,
the company would qualify to compete for city lighting contracts.
Orfield said his firm worked on the lighting at the University of Minnesota's
Mariucci Arena, to improve visibility for both spectators and players. It has
created lighting systems for industrial clients, such as Harley Davidson.
At his lab, Orfield demonstrates how less light is more for a worker looking for
part imperfections. He turns on one high-intensity light to show how it reflects
offthe part. The glare would make it difficult for an inspector to see the flaw. A
much softer - and better-targeted light - makes the imperfection much easier to
see.
COUncilmember Dan Niziolek (lOth Ward) has toured Orfield's lab and has
pushed for a lighting visibility standard for six years, both as a Councilmemper
and in .his previous job as a city crime-prevention specialist. He said it would
improve public safety and aesthetics.
"Drive down Hennepin and look at how much glare is there. Then go down
Excelsior [Boulevard]," he said. "They have hooded their lights. There isn't
much glare. Most of it shines straight down on the sidewalk [and] they have
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. illuminated the trees. It is a much softer, more enjoyable environment and [has]
,much better visibility."
Councilmember Sandy Colvin Roy (12th Ward), chair ofthe Public Works and
, Transportation Committee, said she supports creating a lighting visibility
standard. Her committee asked city staff to work with Orfield labs and report
back in February.
The Council alreadyis working on a city lighting policy, which, among other
things, would set appropriate light levels for residential, pedestrian and the
central business district.
Pedestrian-level lights have been popular with neighborhood groups. Some
initiated their own lighting programs, in part to improve safety. They paid for
them through special assessments and/or Neighborhood Revitalization Program
money.
'The City Council put a moratorium on new neighborhood pedestrian lighting
programs in 2002, until it created a lighting policy. A draft policy includes
approved fixtures and poles and a petition process for neighborhood groups to
follow.
Colvin Roy said her committee delayed approving the draft policy until it could
address the visibility issue. She called it part of a government trend - "moving
away from just measuring the number of widgets and instead trying to determine
whether the widgets are effective."
Orfield said because pedestrian-level lights are on shorter poles, the light is more
likely to shine in people's eyes. That creates glare.
Typically, city codes require that lights illuminate the sidewalk with a certain
amount of light, but don't address glare, he said. A city visibility standard could
require fixture designs that both improve the quality of light on the sidewalk,
reduce the light directly in people's faces and make it easier to see.
The low-glare fixtures would also be more energy-efficient, he said. High-glare
fixtures shoot light horizontally, where it isn't needed.
Older people are 200 times more sensitive to glare than younger people, Orfield
said. "What we should be doing is making it easier for the least able of our
population to function. We are making it more difficult," he said.
Jon Wertjes, the Public Works Department's point person on the lighting code,
said the question is whether the city could lower the lights to pedestrian level,
reduce glare - and make it cost-effective.
He had not heard public complaints about glare from existing pedestrian-level
lights, he said. He planned to talk to Orfield, lighting industry representatives,
the Illuminating Engineering Society and other cities to evaluate a visibility
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standard.
"We are going to be challenged to try to figure out what that 'quality' means," he
said.
Orfield said he is not aware of any city in the country that has created a lighting
visibility standard.
He did not have an estimate of what it would cost to develop the standard and
test the lights. The project didn't need to cost the city anything, he said. The
lighting vendors themselves could pay for the testing.
Niziolek agreed the city needed to do a better job with its outside lights.
"We don't think about how annoying lighting is in our environment and how
much, especially as we age, how much it hurts our ability to see," he said.
Home News Southwest Life Classifieds Neighbors Opinion About Us
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Keeping the stars in sight; GROWTH IN THE TWIN CITIES AND AROUND
MINNESOTA CONTINUES TO BLOT OUT CELESTIAL SIGHTS. FOR SOME,
IT'S THE LATEST QUALITY-Of-LIFE ISSUE.; [METRO Edition]
Bill McAuliffe, Staff Writer. Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minn.: Nov 14, 2004. pg. 1.A
People: Fish, Dan, Kauper, Michael, Anderson, Carl
Author(s): Bill McAuliffe, Staff Writer
Section:
NEWS
Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minn.: Nov 14, 2004. pg.1.A
Newspaper
08952825
737132071
1392
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entld=2256&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Abstract (Document Summary)
- The Fishes last year prevailed on Ham Lake and a subdivision developer to install streetlights that reduce
sideways glare, focusing it more directly on the street. Now, said city administrator Doris Nivala, the city is requiring
"cutoff" lighting in all new developments.
Publication title:
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Carl Anderson, manager of visibility research for the Federal Highway Administration, said there's been widespread
agreement that roadway lighting can be improved so roads are lit more effectively and the sky stays dark. Most
street and highway lights today, with "drop" lenses, cast light sideways and even slightly upward, so they can
actually be seen from planes. They also tend to cast a glare into drivers'eyes that can reduce visibility, he said.
Full cutoff fixtures will eliminate horizontal and upward lighting as well as some glare. But directing light more
narrowly to the pavement below could require more fixtures closer together, and thus more public expense,
Anderson said. Dark-sky advocates counter that money would be saved in the long run by eliminating wasted
energy. Anderson also said the new lights may bounce more light directly upward, defeating the shielding purpose,
he said.
Full Text (1392 words)
(Copyright 2004 Star Tribune)
Light has always been the mark of human achievement and comfort - the symbol of knowledge, the enabler of
industry, a flag planted in a tamed land. For rural dwellers, artificial light let them join the mainstream of society.
But in the North Star State, with more people unable to see the North Star through the glow of city and suburb,
some people are trying to adjust the shades.
"I think it's a quality-of-Iife issue," said Maline Fish of Ham Lake, who with herhusband, Dan, owns a telescope
shop in Mounds View. Both are avid amateur astronomers. "If you can maintain the visual connection to the sky, I
think people are more connected to their world. I think it's soothing to people."
. When Dan Fish was recently talking about the Milky Way to a group of gifted and talented elementary
schoolchildren, he got blank stares in return.
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"And I realized, these kids have never seen the Milky Way," Fish said.
.
Artificial night light, particularly when it beams into the sky, is called "light pollution" by dark-sky advocates. Its .
impact was notable during last year's blackout in the northeastern United States, when New York City residents
could suddenly see the Milky Way and meteors.
Others in the discussion talk about "light trespass" - unwanted light from residential, public, commercial and
industrial neighbors. There's also plain old "glare" - bright light in the eyes that can blot out backgrounds.
None of it is poisonous. It doesn't smell bad. It doesn't dirty the water. But that doesn't mean it should be ignored,
some say.
And many are taking action.
- The Fishes last year prevailed on Ham Lake and a subdivision developer to install streetlights that reduce
sideways glare, focusing it more directly on the street. Now, said city administrator Doris Nivala, the city is requiring
"cutoff'lighting in all new developments.
- In Chatfield, in southeastern Minnesota, the city of only 2,400 people was putting out enough night glow that
residents of outlying townships asked officials to try to tone it down. They've been installing cutoff lights in new
developments and replacing existing streetlights as needed.
I
- Minneapolis, meanwhile, has been seeking public opinions to help develop a comprehensive street lighting plan.
John Wertjes, director of traffic and parking services, said the issue of skyward light has hardly been raised. At
least one man, however, amateur astronomer and day-care operator Michael Kauper, has written the entire City
Council advocating cutoff streetlights.
"It's an uphill battle," Kauper said.
.
Star gauging
Anyone who's been in a deserted place on a moonless night knows the sensation of standing among the stars.
Beneath the arc of the Milky Way, pinpoints of light glitter all the way down to the horizon. By some estimates, more
than 2;000 of them are visible to the naked eye. On the same night, people strolling in downtown Minneapolis might
see just 50 or 100.
Bob Bonadurer,director of the Minnesota Planetarium Society, said that over the past 20 years the Milky Way has
become increasingly hard to see from Afton State Park, one of his favorite viewing spots. He points to the growth of
Woodbury as the reason.
At the Eisenhower Observatory in Hopkins, director Ron Schmit said the increasing urban glow - from Minneapolis
to the northeast and from his parking lot to the southeast - has reduced the 49-year- old observatory's reach. Local
skywatchers generally agree that the skies above Onan Observatory, at Baylor Regional Park just north of
Norwood Young America, have lost their deep darkness.
Another indicator of people's growing detachment from the night sky: The planet Venus is the planetarium's most
frequently reported UFO, Bonadurer said.
The debate over night glow naturally attracts the poets among us.
"When we talk about how beautiful 'she' is, we talk about the stars in her eyes," said Kauper, who holds star-gazing
parties in the yard of his Minneapolis day-care center. "When we talk about how lovely a place is, we say it's like ..
heaven.
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''The night is a beautiful thing. I can't tell you why, but we love it," he said. "And to be completely cut off from it is
sad."
Astronomers, on the other hand, often describe the starry night as a dwindling natural resource.
\jn.Flagstaff, Ariz., where scientists at the Lowell Observatory discovered the planet Pluto in 1930, regulations on
how streets and public and commercial buildings are lit have been on the books since 1959.
But when San Diego and its surrounding county adopted Iight- limiting ordinances nearly 20 years ago, resolutions
. went beyond astronomy to address unwanted neighborly lights and "glare hazards."
Meanwhile, wildlife and health advocates are being drawn to the issue, citing disruptions to animal migration
patterns and the role of natural darkness in stimulating humans' production of melatonin, which regulates sleep
cycles.
Now astronomers, lighting engineers and highway and traffic safety consultants are coming together to try to
develop national lighting standards.
Carl Anderson, manager of visibility research for the Federal Highway Administration, said there's been widespread
agre,ement that roadway lighting can be improved so roads are lit more effectively and the sky stays dark. Most
street and highway lights today, with "drop" lenses, cast light sideways and even slightly upward, so they can
actually be seen from planes. They also tend to cast a glare into drivers' eyes that can reduce visibility, he said.
Full cutoff fixtures will eliminate horizontal and upward lighting as well as some glare. But directing light more
narrowly to the pavement below could require more fixtures closer together, and thus more public:: expense,
Anderson said. Dark-sky advocates counter that money would be saved in the long run by eliminating wasted
en~rgy. Anderson also said the new lights may bounce more light directly upward, defeating the shielding purpose,
he said.
.
Working it out
Most cities have zoning rules that try to address glow from gas stations, billboards, parking lots and other night light
sources. Meanwhile. in developing townships, there's a conflict between residents who want rural darkness and
developers who want attractively lit communities. Some local governments require basic road lighting, some don't,
and most don't have any design standards for such lights.
Byron Westlund, executive vice president of Woodland Development, which worked with the Fishes and Ham Lake
to establish the cutoff lighting strategy, said developers are finding themselves leading governments toward the
newer technologies.
Dan Fish also noted that individuals can cut down on wasted or ill-aimed light by choosing more effectively shielded
fixtures for their homes and landscapes.
The point, he added, is that Minnesotans need not be afraid of the dark: It brings on the stars.
"These are the kinds of things," he said, "that enrich you, technically, spiritually, artistically."
Bill McAuliffe is at
. mcaul@startribune.com.
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Night's Light Dims Stars and Irks Residents
JOHN RATHER
New York Times (J857-Currentfile); Ju115, 2001; ProQuestHistorical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2001)
pg. L12 .. Jc//y /S /' ?O-? /
MUlDe Hltkl fOr 11Ie Hew YOI'll: T1rPca
Outdoor lighting at night is increasingly considered a form of pollution. Unshielded lights glared at the Stony Brook Long Island RaiI.Road station.
Night's Light Dims Stars and Irks Residents
't
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By JOHN RATHER
I{. a distance of 43 mllilon
. miles from Earth, about as
close as It ever comes, Mars
appeared as a shimmering,
red-tinged dot last weekend through
the l3-lnch diameter telescope at the
Custer institute observatory In
Southold, where public viewing is a
Saturday night tradition.
But at the 75-Year-old InStitute, a
nonprofit amateur astronomy educa-
tion center located In a surviving
pocket of nighttime darkness on the
North Fork, some say even closer
.MBitlait..encounters are just up the
road In,Nassau County. .
"The skies there are all orange
imci red at night," said Barbara Leb-
kiieeber, the Institute treasurer. "It's
horrible.. You might as well be liVing
on Mars~"
On Long Island, where a growing
profusion of outdoor lighting now ob-
scures the nighttime sky over wide
areas of Nassau and Suffolk Coun-
ties, stargazers and planet watchers
are having increasing difficulty see-
ing the heavens clearly, or at all.
Equally Important, intrusive and
.glaring lighting affects residents.
. . Diminishing the view Is an over-
hanging pinkish-red canopy of light,
,a result of, widely used high-pressure
$OdIUm fixtures on roadways mixed
with mercury vapor and high-watt-
age security,lightlng. The sky glow, a
'ieslilt.of'8i:tlflclallight reRectlng off
:i\lrliOi'Ite: ,dilst, haze or water drop-
lets, blots out even the br1lllance of
the 1iiIiIliy Way from an expanding
area of the Island where darkness no
longer reallY falls.
On the ground, security lighting
casts glare beyond commercial and
residential property lines lnto neigh-
bors' windows, at its worst Wuminat-
Ing bedrooms with unwanted light
and depriving people of sleep.
Now New York Inay become the
,seventh state to pass legislation that
addresses eltcessJve. intrusive and
energy-wasting outdoor Wumlnatlon
1lSed for colnmerclal buildings. hlgh-
,Ways, 'parking Jots, Inuolclpal cen-
ters and residential backyards.
A bill to limit Ught poUution spon-
sored by State Senator Michael A. L.
Balboni, a Republican of East Willis-
ton, and State A.ssemblYIllllll AJeun-
der B. Grannis, a Democrat from wasted nationwide because of light
Manhattan, passed overwhelmingly sh~lng uselessly Into the night sky.
In both houses late last month and is f Other advocates of lighting curbs
now before Gov. George E. Pataki. /say excessive nighttime light 1m-
"This blll represents the nexr' pedes the pineal gland In the brain
wave of environmental concem,i from producing the hormone melato-
Mr. Balboni said. "It began with wl\- nIn, whose production In darkness Is
ter, land and air pollution. Then Pea\. ~iated with physiological
pie began to recognize that exce~~~ ~anges leading to sound sleep.
noise was a pol1utant. And now what Joseph E. Conway, a spokesman
we are recognizing Is that excessive, for Mr. Pataki, said Mr. Patakl had
misdirected, ambient light Is also a not yet decided whether to sign. Mr.
pollutant." Balboni's measure. "We are stIli In
If Mr. Pataki signs the measure, It the process of reviewing the details
will require that all new state and of the legislation," Mr. Conway said.
municipal lighting be shielded and Mr. Bal~i said last ~eek that If
directed to prevent light from beam. Mr. Patakl vetoed the bill, he would
Ing wastefully upwaro and producing immediately offer an amended ver-
unnecessary glare~ Lighting already ~,or reintroduce a similar bUl in
in place would I\!lt be affected, but, as the ~ session.
older systems were replaced, gov.
ernments would be required to in.
stall new fixtures that focus light
downward and
The I d also create a viola.
tion ed light trespass that would
local governments to curb resl.
8ential and commercial outdoor
lighting that shines Into neighbors'
yards and windows. Violators would
be ~ked to shield or reposl' of.
"Anyone who has had an overzeal-
ous neighbor put ,up security lights
that shine btto their bedroom at night
knows the intrusive effect, and. the
potential effect on sleeping ot exces-
sive lighting," Mr. Balboni' said. 'He
said at least six Long '~land'lJ)unicl-
Itles have ordinances, regulating
ch lights. . ,
The New York measure, which Mr.
Balboni described as more sweeping
than those in force in the six other
states, would also empower the New
York State Department of Environ-
mental Conservation to designate Sl)o
called dark areas where nighttime
lighting would be minimized in order
to protect what Mr. Balboni de-
scribed as tJie nighttime wilderness.
The department would also be re-
quired to devise a model outdoor
lighting ordinance and distribute It to
local governments.,
Mr. Balboni said there was evi-
dence that excessive, poorly de-
signed nighttime lighting couJd af-
fect pbotosynthesis and bird migra-
tion. He cited an environmental
gtoup's estimate that $3 blUion to
$1.5 billion a year of electricity was
The state moves to
'limit excessive and
intrusive
illumination.
Asked whether poorly designed
lighting was wasting electricity.
Richard M. Kesse~ the Long Island
'POwer'"' Authority chairman, said:
."There Is always waste with outdoor
iighting, but It Is obviously Important
.. ici'll1aiiy businesses, residential com-
'munltles, municipalities and school
districts for security purposes."
The authority's Night Light pro-
gram offers special rates for busi-
nesses and municipalities that Install
security lighting and promotes
greater use of nighttime lights.
Mr. Kessel said night lighting had
no effect on the authority's ability to
meet peak demand, which occurs
during hot summer days.
~'If you Umited nighttime lighting,
you could create dangerous situa-
tions," Mr. Kessel said. "Nighttime
lighting Is Important to hold down
robbery and vandaUsm."
Groups striving to bring light pol-
. Jution to public attention said there
was no evidence that excessive out-
door lighting lessened crime. In fact,
the groups said, at least one study
showed that graffiti vandalism was
actually worse In locationS that were
highly Illuminated at.night,
They said'the New, York measure
marked a breakthrough.
"This wlll bring a .Iot of new
awareness," said Susan ,Harder, a
retired art dealer from East Hamp-
ton and a member of the Internation-
al Dark-Sky Association. "People
will begin to realize they don't need
so many watts to light up a quarter of
an acre in thelr'backyard."
Ms. Harder said more effJclent,
Iight.djrecting fixtures. were now
widely available. "There is'no reason
to have bad lighting exCept that pe0-
ple are toO wy'tii ~CIiiliige it," she
said. She also sald:}f that.Governor
Patakl'slgned." ~:.!l"',: governments
and agencl~ ~C?~,d '!9. \~Illl1' install
lights she referred, to as "glare
bombs" on mails and. hlgJiways.
Gary Citro, a music teacher from
Hlcksville and a member of Selene,
the acronym for a group called Sen-
sible and Efficient Lighting to En-
hance the Nighttime Environment,
said light pollution was growing
worse in Nassau County.
"There Is ieaJly nowhere you can
go to really,see a dark sky," he said.
Mr. Citro;.an amateUr.astronomer,
said objects in the sky he could see
clearly five years ago were new fad-
ing. The reilSiii1;~ he-sa1d.. ,was the
installation iif"iilriri'illiinnore light-
ing that was'poilrly'tIes1g11ed."
"We are not,oaI{ing.(or. the ellmi.
nation of Ilghiirig,!''!ie said. "We are
very concerned./ibout'people's safety
and security. What,we are' call1ng for
Is the eUmlnatloi1 of bad and ineffi-
cient Ilghting." "
At the Suffolk County Vanderbilt
Museum in Centerport, Its executive
director, J. Lance Mallamo,sald
school shows at the museum plane-
tarium were adjusted to reflect the
night ak)' on I.l1ng Island. ~'lnstead of
a black sky, we gray it more," he
said. Many of the studentS, he said,
were unfamiliar with II bllic:k sky and
objects vislbleln.l~ .,,;. , ,..
Mr.' Mallamo said the museum
also changed to IiicBiiiieSclmt white
lights In Its parkiiiil:Jlit.beCaUse high-
pressure sodIum..fillt!!~, were so
bright they Interfered with observa-
tion sessionS fronithe.planetarlum's
Iii-inch diameter telesCope. .
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
By JAMES Co McKINLEY Jr.
ALBANY, Dec. 21- Seldom m tS
capllal of compromISes can a fl t
over a bill be called a baUle betwe
darkness and light, but that d,
scnbes the struggle over a bill
passed thIS year that was mtended to
let more New Yorkers see the Slars
The forces of light, led by Mayor
RUdolph W. (Jlullanl and other may-
ors across the state, are trymg to
stop the legtSlatJon, whIch would fos-
ter more darkness for stargazers,
who want unobstructed naght slues
The bill passed both hOIl$esof the
Legislature In June WIth httlef~-
,fare or ~bateThe measure woulil\
requIre the state and local govern-
lents to gradually replace street-
And Now, a New York Version of Star Wars
JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.
New York Times (J857-Currenlfile); Dec 22, 2001; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 _ 200
pg.AI
And Now, a. New York Version of Star Wars
--~
IghtS and other outdoor lights WIth "I apprecIate the goal of the bill. In
ones that focus light downward rath- fact my brother IS an astronomer, so
er than spraymglt out to the heav- I mean he's got to be III favor of 11,"
enS. It would also make It Illegal to the governor smd thiS week durmg a
erect lights. that bother neighbors radiO mterYIew "And I remember
and would direct. the state to deslg- gomg With him many a lime. and
nate darkness preserves where out- loolung .out ID a telescope and trymg
,r lighting Wlluld be restnc~ed to.fmd the darkest part of the sky.
ltJt-G"" G"QrgA ~f'lItakl, whll "In concept," he saId, "the Idea of
pndes himself on hIS enVIronmental takmg measures to make our energy
record, has not been keen on the bill, use lower when It's lIlIIJecessary and
In part because It would cost the to help neighbors from helDg blinded
state millions of dollars to carry out, m the middle of the night IS some-
hIS aides S11Id. For SIX months, he has thmg that I would like to support"
kept the leglslallonat bay by threat- But, he added, he did IlOtknow
enlDg to veto II If It IS sent to him In whether he would Sign the. bill, be-
llS current form cause he had not read all the provI-
Sions
The sponsors, Senator Michael
Continued 011 Poge DS
:1Onofthe copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
.
.
.
.
. .
NEW
YORK STATE
And NoW; a New York Version of Star Wars: Forces of Darkness vs. Light
thatloc.al polace orr,cers will have~o
e.n....f....o.r..c.e..th. c.... b.. .'.II...S......I' g. ht....t. res p;IS. ...s.............
provISions. which prohibit pUlling up .
bghts that disturb a nClghbor's sleep
or privacy
",\t :Itlmc \\ hen IOClll publac sllfe-
ty resources llro being strctcOOd to
the bmn because of concerns nbo
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited withoufpermission.
Contlr1ued From Page AI
A. L Batbonl and Assemblyman AI.
exander B Granms, have proposed
amendment after amendment 10 an
errort to sallsfy the governor's con-
cerns, so far without success.
1\Iayor Giuliani and Dthers have
argued that the measure would not
only CDst hundreds of millions dol-
lars for new lights but would alsD
Jeopardize the safety of urban resI-
dents, smce CllleS could no longer
bgbt up hlgh-crlme areas as they see
fit, Without the state's approval
But astronDmers, environmental-
Ists and groups lake the InternauDnal
Dark-Sky Assoclllt,on argue that the
dDme Df glarmg light over ClUes and
tDwnS from mercury-vapor bulbs
and Dther secunty lights IS a form of
One sponsor of a
bill likens light
pollution to noise
pollution.
pDIIUtlon They argue thllt the cur-
rent hghtlDg systems keep people
from seemg the stars, disrupt the
rhythms of wlldhfe and waste mil.
hons of dollars on hghtprDJected
upward
"The cny could save mo~ 10 the
long run," 5aId Susnn Narder, a re-
ured art dealer from East Hlllnpton
\\ ho IS a member of the Internauonal
Dark-Sky ASSDclallon "There IS a
hDrrable fmanclal waste ..
If Mr Patalu were to illgn the bill,
New York would beCOme the seventh
state m the nauon to enact a bght.
pollution law mtended to allow pe0-
ple tD see the stars better In addl'
lion, hundreds of mumclpallues 10
North Amenca. mcludmg San Diego,
Tucson and Calgary, Alberta, have
converted to the downward focused
Iaghts
"ThIS IS a major bill," sl1ld Assem-
blyman Grannis, a Democrat from
Manhattan "This IS what noise pol.
lullon was a decade ago"
DaVid L. CrawfDrd, a reured as-
tronDmer who heads the Internallon-
al Dark-5ky AssoclaUon, based m
Anzona, said recent studies suggest
about 70 percent of the people In the
United States cannot see the Milky
Way because of Iaght pollution
"That part of the environment IS
dlsappeanng and dlSappearmg
fast," he said. "If the children aren't
'" touch WIth the sky, It's really cnm-
mal. The only place they get to see
these thmgs IS m an art,flclal envI-
ronment, a planetarium"
But Mr, Glullam nnd other city
managers are less worried about
children learnIng the constellations
than they are about deterrmg cnme
They are also concerned about the
cost of Installing new fIXtures and
what the new lights. might do. to
street IIghtmg systems based on old-
er lights
In a letter to Mr. Patakl, Mr GIuli-
ani said replacmg the Clty's 180,000
streetlights With fIxtures that focus
downward, known as full cut.oll
lights. would create patches of dark
on the roadways
The city would have to double thl!
number of streetlights, Mr Giuliani
wrote, toJ..eep the lighting even, at a
cost he esllmated at $700 Dulllon
Thllt Sum would not Include the cost
01 changmg 130,000 Other floodlights
m . parks, playgrounc:ls,.. Overpasses
and above Signs, he said
(1UflJon)t Gr.....tot'n". ~"'ftI'k II......
Opponents of bgllt escaping mto. the sky made their point With gralflb on a sign In $ridgehampton. N.Y.
The mayortllsomade II plarn he
. did not. WOlnt . the state meddbng. In
the cltY'$ decISionS about. hghtrng
aimed al SlOPPing Crime The law.
would requIre a City to apply 10 the
state for a waiver to Install securlly
lights .
"In termS of public safety It IS
extremely un\vlsefor a state statute
to . dictate the appropriate lighting
standards to ,1 munlclJlllhty," .Mr
GlUbnnl \\rote
Edward C Farrell, the executive
director of the New Yorl. SUIte Con.
fernnco Of Mayors. said many eny
managers are brlStlang at the nollon
terrorism," Mr. Farrell said, "be-
comUlg the light pollee would be :t
very tow pnorlty"
Legislative aides say Governor
Pataklls also warned the deflRltlon
01 "light trespassmg" might be tDO
broad. He also IS trDubled that the
bill treats Dutdoor bghtmg solely as
an .envuonmental Issue, Ignoring ItS
role 10 reducmg crime or nttractmg
tOUrISm, Times Square's lights, lor
Instance, might run aloul 01 the bill's
proVISions, aides said
"We are stdl working with the
sponsors to remedy some of the con-
cerns," said Suzanne MOrriS, a
spDkeswoman for the governor. ..It.s
too soon to say what's gDmg to hap-
pen."
Senator Balbom, a Long Island Re-
publican who sponsored the bill rn
the Senate, said he. sUII hopes to
reach a com e With the g
nor He many Df the governor's
and yors' wOrries about the cost
Df w Iaghts were shortsighted
"Mo of these places waul save
money,
Many environmental groups.
mel1ltwhlle, have been pus1ung hard
to get the bill sIgned About a third of
the outdoor hghtmg m thl! Umted
States IS pomted skyward, a leder.ll
study has shown The dark-sky asso-
ClallDn estimates the country now
spends about $015 billion a year on
wha.t It conSiders wasted light, the
eqUivalent of 30 million barrels 01 011
It IS unclear how much energy could
be saved I.n New York.
"This IS the only bill passed by the
New York State legislature thiS
year that will actually lead t.o a re-
duction 10 energy," said Jell Jones, It
spokesman for Environmental Am'O-
c:ltes "we think the bill IS great, and
could be Signed liS It IS ,.
, . Archives
Page 1 of3
SouthwutMinneapolis'
Community Newspaper
Monday September 12, 2005
.
_'~_"Ii'''lllftl_~~..
Getting the glare out of city streetlights
By Scott Russell
o Steve Offield wants the city to take the
glare out of its' streetlights.
Orfield, owner of Minneapolis-based
Orfield Laps, has pushed the city to
create lighting codes. that focus on
better visibility, not simply brightness.
Steve Orfield says pedestrian lighting
"Lighting is thought of as a quantity is a matter of quality, not quantity.
problem rather than a quality problem;
it is 97 percent a quality problem," he said from his lighting and acoustic testing
facility, 2709 E.. 25th St.
"Conceivably, the city could have a lighting standard where the lighting level is
lower than it is now but where the ability to see is dramatically higher," he said.
.
Orfield is not a disinterested party. He wants to work with the city and lighting'
industry to develop the visibility standard, he said. Potential light vendors then
would pay his firm to test theirJight fixtures. If they meet the visibility standard,
the company would qualify to compete for.city lighting contracts.
Orfield said his firm worked on the lighting at the University of Minnesota's
Mariucci Arena, to improve visibility for both spectators and players. It has
created lighting systems for industrial clients, such as Harley Davidson.
At his lab, Orfield demonstrates how less light is more for a worker looking for
part imperfections. He turns on one high-intensity light to show how it reflects
off the part. The glare would make it difficult for an inspector to see the flaw. A
much softer - and better-targeted light - makes the imperfection much easier to
see.
Councilmember Dan Niziolek (10th Ward) has toured Orfield's lab and has
pushed for a lighting visibility standard for six years, both as a Councilmember
and in his previousjob as a city crime-prevention specialist. He said it would
improve public safety and aesthetics.
"Drive down Hennepin and look at how much glare is there. Then go down
rfI'.Excelsior [Boulevard]," h.e said. "They have hooded their lights. There isn't
\1 much glare. Most of it shines straight down on the sidewalk [and] they have
.
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illuminated the trees. Itisa much softer, more enjoyable environment and [has]
.much bettetvisibility."
Councilmember Sandy Colvin Roy (12th Ward), chair of the Public Worlcs and
. Transportation Committee, said she supports creating a lighting visibility
standard. Her committee asked city staff to work with Orfield labs and report
backin February.
The Council already is. working on a city lighting policy, which, among other
things, would set appropriate light levels for residential, pedestrian and the
central business district.
Pedestrian-level lights have been popular with neighborhood groups. Some
initiated their own lighting programs, in part to improve safety. They paid for
them through special assessments and/or Neighborhood Revitalization Program
money.
.
The City Council put a moratorium on new neighborhood pedestrian lighting
programs in 2002, until it created a lighting policy. A draft policy includes
approved fixtures and poles and a petition process for neighborhood groups to
follow.
. Colvin Roy said her cOmmittee delayed approving the draft policy untilit could
address the visibility issue. She called it part of a government trend - "moving
away from just measuring the number of widgets and instead trying to determine
whether the widgets are effective."
Orfield said because pedestrian-level lights are on shorter poles, the light is more
likely to shine in people's eyes. That creates glare.
The low-glare fixtures would also be more energy..efficient, he said. High-glare
fixtures shoot light horizontally, where it isn't needed.
d....O...lde.r peop Ie. are 2 O. Ot imes more. sensitive to glare than youn. ger people, O.rfield
. said. "What we should be doing is making it easier for the least able of our
population to function. Weare making it more difficult," he said.
Jon Werljes, the Public Works Department's point person on the lighting code,
said the question is whether the city could lower the lights to pedestrian level,
reduce glare - and make it cost-effective.
He had not heard public complaints about glare from existing pedestrian-level
lights, he said. He planned to talk to Orfield, lighting industry representatives,
the Illuminating Engineering Societyand other cities to evaluate a visibility
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standard.
"We are going to be challenged to try to figure out what that 'quality' means," he
said.
Orfield said he is not aware of any city in the country that has created a lighting
visibility standard.
He did not have an estimate of what it would cost to develop the standard and
test the lights. The project didn't need to cost the city anything, he said. The
lighting vendors themselves could pay for the testing.
Niziolek agreed the city needed to do a better job with its outside lights.
"We don't think about how annoying lighting is in our environment and how
much, especially as we age, how much it hurts our ability to see," he said.
Home News Southwest Life Classifieds Neighbors Opinion About Us
Advertising Info
Staff Profiles E-mail Directory Archives Businesses Directories Place An Ad
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Keeping the stars in sight; GROWTH IN THE TWIN CITIES AND AROUND
MINNESOTA CONTINUES TO BLOT OUT CELESTIAL SIGHTS. FOR SOME,
IT'S THE LATEST QUALITY-Of-LIfE ISSUE.; [METRO Edition]
Bill McAuliffe, Staff Writer. Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minn.: Nov 14, 2004. pg. 1.A
People: Fish, Dan, Kauper, Michael, Anderson, Carl
Author(s): Bill McAuliffe, Staff Writer
Section: NEWS
Publication title: Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minn.: Nov 14, 2004.. pg. 1.A
Source type: Newspaper
ISSNIISBN: 08952825
ProQuest document 10: 737132071
Text Word Count 1392
Document URL: http://proquest.umLcomlpqdweb?did=737132071&sid=3&Fmt=3&cli
entld=2256&RQT=309& VName=PQD
Abstract (Document Summary)
- The Fishes last year prevailed on Ham Lake and. a subdivision developer to install streetlights that reduce
sideways glare, focusing it more directly on the street. Now, said city administrator Doris Nivala, the city is requiring
"cutoff" lighting in all new developments.
Carl Anderson, manager of visibility research for the Federal Highway Administration, said there's been widespread
greement that roadway lighting can be improved so roads are lit more effectively and the sky stays dark. Most
street and highway lights today, with "drop" lenses, cast light sideways and even slightly upward, so they can
actually be seen from planes. They also tend to cast a glare into drivers' eyes that can reduce visibility, he said.
Full cutoff fixtures will eliminate horizontal and upward lighting as well as.some glare. But directing light more
narrowly to the pavement below could require more fixtures closer together,and thus more public expense,
Anderson said. Dark-sky advocates counter that money would be saved in the long run by eliminating wasted
energy. Anderson also said the new lights may bounce more light directly upward, defeating the shielding purpose,
he said.
Full Text (1392 words)
(Copyright 2004 Star Tribune)
Light has always been the mark of human achievement and comfort - the symbol of knowledge, the enabler of
industry, a flag planted in a tamed land. For rural dwellers, artificial light let them join the mainstream of society.
But in the North Star State, with more people unable to see the North Star through the glow of city and suburb,
some people are trying to adjust the shades.
.
"I think it's a quality-of-life issue," said Maline Fish of Ham Lake, who with her husband, Dan, owns a telescope
shop in Mounds View. Both are avid amateur astronomers. "If you can maintain the visual connection to the sky, I
think people are more connected to their world. I think it's soothing to people."
When Dan Fish was recently talking about the Milky Way to a group of gifted and talented elementary
schoolchildren, he got blank stares in return.
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"And I realized, these kids have never seen the Milky Way," Fish said.
.
.
Artificial night light, particularly when it beams into the sky, is called "light pollution" by dark-sky advocates. Its
impact was notable during last year's blackout in the northeastern United States, when New York City residents
could suddenly see the Milky Way and meteors.
Others in the discussion talk about "light trespass" - unwanted light from residential,public, commercial and
industrial neighbors. There's also plain old "glare" - bright light in the eyes that can blot out backgrounds.
None. of it is poisonous. It doesn't smell bad. It doesn't dirty the water. But that doesn't mean it should be ignored,
some say.
Ahd many are taking action.
- The Fishes last year prevailed on Ham Lake and a subdivision developer to install streetlights that reduce
sideways glare, focusing it more directly on the street. Now, said city administrator Doris Nivala, the city is requiring
"cutoff" lighting in all new developments.
-In Chatfield, in southeastern Minnesota, the city of only 2,400 people was putting out enough night glow that
residents of outlying townships asked officials to try to tone it down. They've been installing cutoff lights in new
developments and replacing existing streetlights as needed.
I
- Minneapolis, meanwhile, has been seeking public opinions to help develop a comprehensive street lighting plan.
JohnWertjes, director of traffic and parking services, said the issue of skyward light has hardly been raised. At
least one man, however, amateur astronomer and day-care operator Michael Kauper, haswritten the entire City
Council advocating cutoff streetlights.
"It's an uphill battle," Kauper said.
.
Star gauging
Anyone who's been in a deserted place on a moonless night knows the sensation of standing among the stars.
Beneath the arc of the Milky Way, pinpoints of light glitter all the way down to the horizon. By some estimates, more
than 2,000 of them are visible to the naked eye. On the same night, people strolling in downtown Minneapolis might
see just 50 or 100.
Bob Bonadurer, director of the Minnesota Planetarium Society, said that over the past 20 years the Milky Way has
become increasingly hard to see from Afton State Park, one of his favorite vi.ewing spots. He points to the growth of
Woodbury as the reason.
At the Eisenhower Observatory in Hopkins, director Ron Schmit said the increasing urban glow - from Minneapolis
to the northeast and from his parking lot to the southeast - has reduced the 49-year- old observatory's reach. Local
skywatchers generally agree that the skies above Onan Observatory,. at Baylor Regional Park just north of
Norwood Young America, have lost their deep darkness.
Another indicator of people's growing detachment from the night sky: The planet Venus is the planetarium's most
frequently reported UFO, Bonadurer said.
The debate over night glow naturally attracts the poets among us.
''When we talk about how beautiful 'she' is, we talk about the stars in her eyes," said Kauper, who holds star-gazing .
parties in the yard of his Minneapolis day-care center. "When we talk about how lovely a place is, we say it's like
heaven.
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,JP-"The night is a beautiful thing. I can'ttell you why, but we love it," he said. "And to be completely cut off from it is
.. Sad;"
Astronomers, on the other hand, often describe the starry night as a dwindling natural resource.
In.Flagstaff, Ariz., where scientists at the Lowell Observatory discovered the planet Pluto in 1930, regulations on
how streets and public and commercial buildings are lit have been on the books since 1959.
But when San Diego and its surrounding county adopted light- limiting ordinances nearly 20 years ago, resolutions
. went beyond astronomy to address unwanted neighborly lights and "glare hazards."
Meanwhile, wildlife and health advocates are being drawn to the issue, citing disruptions to animal migration
patterns and the role of natural darkness in stimulating humans' production of melatonin, which regulates sleep
cycles.
Now astronomers, lighting engineers and highway and traffic safety consultants are coming together to try to
develop national lighting standards.
Carl Anderson,. manager of visibility research for the Federal Highway Administration, said there's been widespread
agre,ement that roadway lighting can be improved so roads are lit more effectively and the sky stays dark. Most
street and highway lights today, with "drop" lenses, cast light sideways and even slightly upward, so they can
actually be seen from planes. They also tend to cast a glare into drivers' eyes that can reduce visibility, he said.
Full cutoff fixtures will eliminate horizontal and upward lighting as well as some glare. But directing light more
narrowly to the pavement below could require more fixtures closer together, and thus more public expense,
Anderson said. Dark-sky advocates counter that money would be saved in the long run by eliminating wasted
en~rgy. Anderson also said the new lights may bounce more light directly upward, defeating the shielding purpose,
he said.
.
Working it out
Most cities have zoning rules that try to address glow from gas stations, billboards, parking lots and other night light
sources. Meanwhile, in developing townships, there's a conflict between residents who want rural darkness and
developers who want attractively lit communities. Some local governments require basic road lighting, some don't,
and most don't have any design standards for such lights.
Byron Westlund, executive vice president of Woodland Development, which worked with the Fishes and Ham Lake
to establish the cutoff lighting strategy, said developers are finding themselves leading governments toward the
newer technologies.
Dan Fish also. noted that individuals can cut down on wasted or ill-aimed light by choosing more effectively shielded
fixtures for their homes and landscapes.
The point, he added, is that Minnesotans need not be afraid of the dark: It brings on the stars.
"These are the kinds of things," he said, "that enrich you, technically, spiritually, artistically."
Bill McAuliffe is at
. mcaul@startribune.com.
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WHY? For a nighttime
environment that is:
· Functional
· Comfortable
· Safe
· Attractive
('
. .
.. WHERE and WHEN to
light
· Only- light where
needed.
· Only light when
needed.
· Avoid obtrusive
light.
· Avoid wasted
light or energy.
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Purpose of "Ord I nanCe(~kO)
· Permit reasonable uses of outdoo.r
lighting fornight-time safety, utility,
security, productivity, enjoyment and
commerce
. .
· Minimize glare, obtrusive light and
artificial sky glow by limiting outdoor
lighting that is misdirected, excessi;ve or
unnecessary
.
.
Purposecont.
· Conserve energy and resources to the
greatest extent possible.
· Help protect the natural environment
from the damaging effects of night
lighting from man-made sources.
. .
Omitted Purpose
Statements
,
· Curtail and reverse the degradation of
. the nighttime visual environment and the .
night sky.
· Preservation of the dark night sky for
astronomy.
c~ I.' ~
LA~. ~~~'W"\.) ~.~hit/Jla Ih:~).4JtJ Cl'Y'o.fl.Jn:.J
.
.
Lighting Zones
L1:o ~ w.lll,f.€-fi-f a.>1ro""tny z-~,
LZ1
LZ2
LZ3
L-l'f
Ambient
Illumination
Dark
Low
Medium
&~
.~I.-~jv
,-:;~/.;\ f\\'I~
. . Typical
Locations
Natural areas;
rural areas.
.
.
Lighting Zone Map
.
Zone Ambient Illumination
LZ-1 Dark
LZ-2 Low
LZ-3 Medium
Adopted November 23. 2004
h. Amended through May 10, 2005
~
City of Plymouth
o
0.5
w+,
s
2
Miles
. . .
do I\.ot c?Jp't*' ve);di.~.:b'q J
Maximum "y~ ,h~o.w. Cf',"~~)
Wattage/Shielding
A~. .~~.
Lighting
Zone
LZ1
LZ2
LZ3
Full Must be
Shield Shielded
70 30
watts watts
150 . 55
watts watts
450 100
watts watts
Partly
Shielded
Not
allowed
Not
allowed
55
watts
Un-
Shielded
Not
allowed
. Limited .
app \ r~~~
. .)~ ~
Limited
app.
+ ~t.
I/)QI4)t. -pi'tlJ whJ.- Joo)1, J-.I-'eJ,tlt~e. /
6h~lcA.
. .
Maximum Mounting
Height
Lighting Driveways, Walkways,
Zone Parkin~6 Plazas
LZ1 I 25 feet . I 12 feet
Other
Lighting
4.5 feet
,vi'"
LZ2
25 feet
u!
~
12 feet I 8 feet
LZ3
30 feet
18 feet\J~~ I 15 feet
\~"LII\l;
,I)
. .
. .
Lighting Power
All 0 Wetn ces p<r~Jt !~y~. {(~'f."3-)
Lighting Application
Parking Lots, Drives
Sidewalks
Building Entry
Service Station
LZ2
LZ3
.02
.04 I .08
:04
. .08 I .15
.35
.50 I .70
.30
.60 I 1.20
~ hll/;dt,.r Ir~/JJd-} ptQ~a~) J 'I} r>'Il4/iL e)?~ ~r- j~
"
. .
. Light Trespass J,q.?
~...~.. .. . ~
~~()w"~~)~ Lim itations
'(\'~\~ ,~ .
Lighting Zone Max. Level I Max.. Level
Pre-curfew I' Post-curfew
LZ1 ~ I 0.1 foot-candle I 0.1 foot-candle
{J 't}y(' rJ.-"
~~ c~
LZ2 (f'i' I 0.3 foot-candle I 0.1 foot-candle
\0 f ~v
c'(j])-
. LZ3 I 0.8 foot-candle I 0.2 foot-candle
'e.y.(2t1h~) 1- p",1/;l s~ bld?).I toed. ~,.,) dt-.
. fov-l(.~ ~(. ~
.' ~ .
.'
.
Prohibited Lighting
· Mercury vapor lamps
· Fixtures mounted to aim light only
toward ,8 property line,.
· Fi'xtures mounted so as to cause
,
confusion or hazard to traffic or conflict
with traffic control signs/lights.
"
.
. .
Where to find the
ordinances
· Plymouth Lighting Regulations: go to
www.ci.gJymouth.mn.us and then click
on the following City Gov, Zoning
Ordinance, Plymouth Zoning Ordinance,
Section 211 05; then scroll down to
Section 21105.06, Exterior Lighting
· MLO: go to www.darksky.org and click
on IDA Model Lighting Ordinance
(VIrI~1//y ~pJti/ ~y 10 eJh~J y?-<Jsy I~ ~jr ~1ht I~ 10J~. ec..-a-
~11 .. (,.n>{(j~ O,\. IJ~~ IJfj .". ~.tflt~yJ t-. ~l11 wII11Ji1S~Nq~/n..~retS
~iT\'r.r.MAt4H5i5 p,~Ju-1 1'1W-bAM (/~/J1, (twI4l)) + i!Jre~y-~j
.
.
.
REVISED October 10, 2005
Draft Principles for the 1-394 Study Corridor
1. Enable the corridor to evolve toward a diverse mix of land uses. includin2
residential as well as commercial and industrial. A mix of activities, uses and
densities will help to sustain the corridor through changing economic cycles,
consumer preferences and housing trends. Mixed uses can create synergies and
increase the level of pedestrian activity. Active uses (such as retail) at ground floor
level can help to create activity after working hours. At the same time. the corridor
should complement. not compete with. the Highway 55IWinnetka district. now the
City's true 'downtown'.
2. Maximize integration rather than separation of land uses, where appropriate.
Many land uses can benefit from increased integration with one another, including
neighborhood-serving retail, multi-family and senior housing, offices, and low-impact
services. Other land uses, such as auto-oriented commercial or industrial uses, can
benefit from integration with similar uses, but need to be buffered from residential
neighborhoods.
3. Maintain the corridor as an employment center. Jobs within the corridor help
maintain Golden Valley's jobs-housing balance while sustaining commercial
enterprises. Retaining 'living wage' iobs should be a priority.
4. Improve the visual coherence and attractiveness of the corridor. Improvements
in streetscapes, landscaped areas, open spaces, building aesthetics and parking/service
areas all contribute to a more unified and visually appealing environment, with an
increased sense of identity. Buildings and other private improvements should make
positive contributions to the district and the broader public realm, while public
improvements should set the standard for private investment.
October 10, 2005
URS
.
.
.
5. Improve connectivity for all modes. The development ofI-394 and subsequent
road realignments have resulted in a discontinuous and confusing circulation system.
Improvements in east-west vehicular circulation and north-south pedestrian
circulation are most needed; however, roadways should be designed to be attractive
and safe for all modes of travel.
6. Foster neighborhood-serving retail and services. Commercial development
should include a variety of small independent businesses and larger enterprises that
serve City residents, supplementing and broadening the current mix of commercial
uses.
7. Maintain or improve the functioning of intersections and highway interchanges.
The functioning of the 1-394 interchanges at Xenia and Louisiana Avenues, and other
key intersections within the corridor, is critical to maintaining commercial viability
and neighborhood quality of life. New development must be carefully planned,
evaluated and designed so that interchanges and intersections continue to function at
an adequate level.
October 10, 2005
URS