Chapter 4 Generally Applicable Development Standards Part 1General Compatibility Standards Page 2 of 2

  1. Regulations
    1. All public and private outdoor lighting shall be in conformance with the requirements established by this Regulation.
    2. Control of Glare – Luminaire Design Factors
      1. All luminaires shall be aimed, directed, or focused such as to not cause direct light from the luminaire to be directed toward residential uses or protected open spaces (i.e., conservation easements, greenways, parkways) on adjacent or nearby parcels, or to create glare perceptible to persons operating motor vehicles on public streets and right-of-way.
      2. The following items shall apply to the mounting height of luminaires:
        1. Within the Neighborhood or Village form district or within a form district transition zone related to a Neighborhood or Village form district, any luminaire with a lamp or lamps rated at a total of more than 1800 lumens, and all flood or spot luminaires with a lamp or lamps rated at a total of more than 900 lumens shall be mounted at a height equal to or less than thirty (30) feet unless otherwise approved by the Planning Commission.
        2. Within the Traditional Neighborhood, Traditional Workplace, or Traditional Marketplace Corridor form district or within a form district transition zone related to the Traditional Neighborhood, Traditional Workplace or Traditional Marketplace Corridor form district, any luminaire with a lamp or lamps rated at a total of more than 1800 lumens, and all flood or spot luminaires with a lamp or lamps rated at a total of more than 900 lumens shall be mounted at a height equal to or less than twenty (20) feet unless otherwise approved by the Planning Commission.
        3. Luminaires mounted on residential structures shall be exempt from items (i.) and (ii.) above.
      3. Shielding
        1. In the Neighborhood, Traditional Neighborhood or Village form districts, or within a form district transition zone related to the Neighborhood, Traditional Neighborhood or Village form districts, luminaires that emit more than 7,000 lumens shall be fully-shielded luminaires so that they do not emit any direct light above a horizontal plane through the lowest direct-light-emitting Part of the luminaire.
        2. In all other form districts or form district transition zones, luminaires that emit more than 7,000 lumens shall be shielded luminaires so that they do not emit more than 2.5 percent of the lamp lumens above the horizontal plane through the lowest direct-light-emitting Part of the luminaire.
    3. Exceptions to Control of Glare
      1. Street lights, including all lights installed by or funded by government agencies shall be exempt from the provisions of this section.
      2. All hazard warning luminaires required by Federal regulatory agencies are exempt from the requirements of this article, except that all luminaires must meet all Federal design standards and must be shown to be as close as possible to the Federally required minimum lumen output requirement for the specific task. Strobe lights shall be permitted only if there is no other federally approved hazard warning illumination technique.
      3. Luminaires used primarily for sign illumination shall not extend more than one foot above the sign which they are lighting.
      4. Decorative luminaires installed in public parks shall be shielded so as to not cause direct light from the luminaire to affect residential uses or to create glare perceptible to persons operating motor vehicles on public streets, however these luminaires are not subject to the shielding requirements of paragraph 2.c, above.
      5. Law Governing Conflicts. Where any provision of federal, state, county, or city statutes, codes, or laws conflicts with any provision of this code, the most restrictive shall govern unless otherwise regulated by law.
    4. Freestanding Business Signs
      1. Lighting fixtures used to illuminate a freestanding business sign shall be mounted on the top of the sign structure and directed towards the ground. Freestanding business signs with bottom-mounted lighting shall only be used if the fixtures are pointed directly at the sign.
      2. Freestanding business signs of the type constructed of translucent materials and wholly illuminated from within do not require shielding.
    5. Canopy, Pavilion, or Drive-Through Bays Lighting
      1. All luminaires mounted on or recessed into the lower surface of canopies, pavilions, or drive-through bays shall be fully shielded and utilize flat lenses.
      2. The following maximum illumination levels shall apply to canopy, pavilion or drive-through bay lighting:
        1. The level of lighting shall not exceed 50 footcandles at any point beneath a canopy, pavilion, or drive-through bay located in the Neighborhood, Traditional Neighborhood, Traditional Workplace, Traditional Marketplace Corridor and Village form districts.
        2. In all other form districts, the level of lighting shall not exceed 70 footcandles at any point beneath a canopy, pavilion, or drive-through bay.
      3. In all form districts, all canopy, pavilion, or drive-through bay lighting shall maintain a uniformity ratio of 4:1.
    6. Recreational Facilities
      1. Any light source permitted by this Code may be used for lighting of outdoor recreational facilities (public or private), such as, but not limited to, football fields, soccer fields, baseball fields, softball fields, tennis courts, or equestrian arenas, provided all of the following conditions are met:
        1. All fixtures used for recreational facilities lighting within 500 feet of any residential use shall be fully shielded, or be designed or provided with sharp cut-off capability, so as to minimize up-light, spill-light, and glare.
        2. Illumination of any playing field, court, or track located within 500 feet of any residential use shall be permitted after 11:00 p.m. only to conclude an event normally expected to end before 11:00 p.m. and circumstances prevented concluding before 11:00 p.m.
      2. Recreational facilities shall be required to submit a lighting plan for review and approval by the Planning Commission.

        The plan shall document the effect of lighting on adjacent residential areas. The Planning Commission may require modification of the lighting plan or impose conditions on its approval as necessary to mitigate the impacts of the lighting.
    7. Pedestrian Areas
      1. Pedestrian facilities (sidewalks, paths, etc.) leading from a building to parking facilities shall not exceed an average lighting level of 2.5 footcandles.
      2. Luminaires used only to illuminate pedestrian facilities shall not be mounted higher than 15 feet from the finished grade of the walking surface.
    8. Temporary Lighting

      Temporary lighting shall be permitted in accordance with the following guidelines:
      1. The purpose for which the lighting is proposed is not intended to extend beyond fifteen (15) days.
      2. The proposed lighting is designed in such a manner as to minimize light pollution and light trespass.
      3. The proposed lighting will comply with the general intent of this regulation.
      4. The permit will be in the public’s best interest.
    9. Note: This does not prohibit the use of holiday lighting.
      Prohibitions*
      1. The use of search lights except by civil authorities is prohibited.
      2. Fixtures with drop or sag lens lighting are prohibited.

        Flashing and strobe lights employed to draw attention to business establishments, special events, etc. are prohibited. Please see Section 4.3.2 C.1 for information regarding federal hazard warning luminaries.
    10. Architectural Lighting
      1. Architectural lighting used to illuminate building facades, walls, landscaping, flags, fountains, statues, or other architectural or design items shall be carefully located and aimed so that light is directed only onto the surface of the building façade, wall, landscaping, flag, fountain, statue or other architectural or design item it is intended to light.
      2. Architectural lighting used to illuminate building facades, walls, landscaping, flags, fountains, statues, or other architectural or design items shall not create glare for traffic on streets or roads.
    11. Light Trespass
      1. The following provisions shall apply to light trespass:
        1. The level of lighting resultant from luminaires installed on a subject site shall not exceed one-half (0.5) footcandles at any property border adjoining a low- to medium-density residentially zoned or used2 property border, and 1.0 footcandles on any high–density residentially zoned or used3 property border, or public right of way parcel of land.
          2 “Low- to medium-density residentially zoned” parcels include R-R, R-E, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, PRD, PVD R-5A, and R-5B.
          3 “High-density residentially zoned” parcels include TNZD, U-N, R-6, R-7, and R-8A.
        2. If the ambient level of lighting at any property border exceeds one-half (0.5) footcandles prior to the development of the subject site, then the level of lighting resultant from luminaires installed on that site shall not increase the ambient level of lighting at any property border by more than one-half (0.5) footcandles.
      2. In all zoning and form districts, any lighting shall be arranged so as not to shine directly on an adjoining property.
  2. Permit Required
    1. Whenever a person is required to obtain a building or electrical permit, a Conditional Use Permit, or any development plan approval by the County, the applicant shall, as a Part of said application, submit sufficient information to enable the permit issuing agency to determine whether the proposed lighting will comply with this Regulation.
  3. Enforcement and Penalty
    1. The following standards shall be used when measuring and inspecting outdoor lighting complaints:
      1. When inspecting light fixtures the inspector shall do a visual evaluation to determine whether the fixture meets the requirements established in this Regulation.
      2. When inspecting light trespass complaints, the inspector shall use an approved instrument to take a footcandle reading to determine whether the light brightness exceeds the standards set in this regulation. The inspector shall stand at the property line (as mapped on PVA maps) and hold the detector approximately three (3) feet off the ground. The inspector shall take measurements on the horizontal plane to assure proper measurement of light at the property line. The average of the vertical and horizontal measurements shall be used to determine compliance with applicable standards. (not in effect within Louisville Metro)
      3. When inspecting light trespass complaints, the inspector shall use an approved instrument to take a footcandle reading to determine whether the light brightness exceeds the standards set in this regulation. The inspector shall stand at the property line (as mapped on PVA maps) and hold the detector approximately three (3) feet off the ground. The inspector shall take measurements on the horizontal plane to assure proper measurement of light at the property line. The average of the vertical and horizontal measurements shall be used to determine compliance with applicable standards. Measurement of light brightness under gasoline canopies shall be measured under the canopy at a height of three (3) feet (in effect within.
  4. Severability
    1. Should any section, clause or paragraph of this regulation be declared by court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the same will not affect the validity of the regulation as a whole or Part hereof other than the part declared to be invalid.
  5. Effective Date
    1. This regulation shall take effect from and after its passage, approval and publication according to law.
    2. Amortization/Alternative Provisions (Reserved)
  6. Installation
    1. The owner or contractor of record shall install the approved outdoor lighting fixtures in conformance to the listing, manufacturer’s specifications, and all applicable local building and electrical codes. An electrical permit and inspection by the permit-issuing agency is required.
  7. Modifications, Waiver or Variation

    Waivers may be granted in accordance with Chapter 11 Part 8.
  8. Illustrations

    Example of a fully-shielded or full-cutoff light.

4.1.4 Noise

NOTE: Section 4.1.4 is reserved. Noise standards may be drafted as Part of a later phase of the Land Development Code, if regulation in addition to the existing noise ordinance is deemed necessary.

4.1.5 Odor Refer to applicable regulations administered by the Air Pollution Control District.

4.1.6 Operating Hours

The following operating hour restrictions shall apply to all uses that are within 100 feet of any property that is zoned residential, any solely residential use or any mixed use development that contains residential uses on the ground floor as measured from the closest property line of the proposed use.

  1. Collection of Garbage and Recyclables - No garbage or recyclables collection services shall be conducted between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
  2. Loading Operations - No loading or unloading operations shall be conducted between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. This restriction shall also be applicable to the idling of any heavy or medium trucks on the site for the purpose of conducting loading or unloading operations regardless of whether said activities have already occurred or are scheduled to occur in the future.