|
Background. In January 2000, Fauquier County adopted
its current lighting provisions as part of the Zoning
Ordinance, with amendments addressing outdoor lighting for
recreation uses in October 2002. The new lighting
regulations were adopted after an extended process of review
by the Planning Commission, and the review process included
input from representatives of the Dark-Sky Association
regarding reduction of light pollution.
In its
preparation of the existing regulations, the County also
used a wide variety of community Ordinances and technical
documents prepared, for example, by the Illuminating
Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) and other
similar references. As a result, the existing standards are
fairly stringent, and incorporate the limitations
promulgated by Dark-Sky for protection against light
pollution. Most notably, shielding is required on almost
all outdoor light fixtures, including a requirement for
“full-cutoff” luminaries or optics, which is defined as
outdoor lighting that is shielded or constructed so that all
light emitted is projected below a horizontal plane running
through the light part fixtures. In addition, light source
visibility is required to be shielded from all adjoining
property. Staff notes that the lighting regulations in the
County’s Zoning Ordinance are actually presented on the
Dark-Sky Association’s web page as a good example of a local
lighting Ordinance.
Planning
Commission Review. The Planning Commission initiated
the review of existing provisions to determine if additional
limitations or standards are appropriate for incorporation
to further the goals of protecting the dark skies and
controlling light spillover and glare. Specific issues
which have been reviewed are as follows:
Issue
1. Include foot-candle limits for all uses.
Issue
2. Parking lot lighting, car sales lot should be
specifically mentioned.
The first
issue raised by the Planning Commission was to ensure that
the regulations include foot-candle limits for all uses.
The Commission specifically noted the need to limit light
levels in parking lots and car sales lots. The current
regulations include the following foot candle limits:
|
Use |
Maximum Illumination |
|
Playing fields and recreational
areas |
Foot candles must be within the parameters
recommended by IESNA (Illumination Engineering
Society of North America). Section 9-1006.1.a.(1) |
|
Gasoline Station/ Convenience
Store Aprons and Canopies |
Limited to minimum of 1.0 foot candles and a maximum
of 10 foot candles at grade, with a uniformity ratio
no greater than 4:1. (Section 9-1006.4.d) |
|
Parking lots, loading and display areas |
Limited to 2.5 footcandles. (Section 9-1006.5.a) |
|
Spillover light from parking areas |
Limited to ½ foot candle at the property line where
adjacent to RA/RC or Residential districts.
(9-1006.7) |
To address
the two issues, staff and the Planning Commission recommend
that the “Parking lots, loading and display areas” category
be expanded and clarified to say “All outdoor areas,
including parking lots, loading, sales and display areas.”
This action would limit outdoor lighting to 2.5 footcandles
in all areas, not just paved areas, and it clearly includes
car sales lots. The BP Convenience Store (formerly Amoco)
and automobile dealerships north of Warrenton and the East
Coast in Opal have over 80 footcandles of light emitted from
under their canopy and parking areas. The construction of
these valued businesses occurred well before the adoption of
the 2000 amendments.
Issue 3: Assure that nonconforming fixtures are
brought into compliance with the lighting regulations when
they are replaced.
The current
language in the Ordinance related to nonconforming fixtures
is shown below, with staff and Planning Commission suggested
additional language highlighted. The additional language
more clearly defines “replacement,” one of the triggers for
upgrading lighting. The new language is based on the
Fairfax County Ordinance.
9-1007.1 Nonconforming Fixtures. Outdoor light
fixtures installed prior to the effective date of this
Article are exempt from the provisions of this Article,
provided, however, that no change in use, and no
replacement or structural alteration of outdoor light
fixtures shall be made unless it thereafter conforms to the
provisions of this Article. Replacement of a
fixture shall mean a change of fixture type or change to the
mounting height or location of a fixture. Routine lighting
fixture maintenance, such as changing lamps or light bulbs,
ballast, starter, photo control, housing, lenses and other
similar components shall not constitute replacement and
shall be permitted provided such changes do not result in a
higher lumen output.
Issue 4: Lighting of Architectural Features
should be limited to the feature only, and should prohibit
lighting such as that placed on the roof at the Opal
McDonalds.
The current
language of the Ordinance states:
9-1006.2 Outdoor Illumination of Building,
Landscaping and Signs. The unshielded outdoor illumination
of any building or landscaping is prohibited. Lighting
fixtures used to illuminate an outdoor advertising sign
either shall be by directed ground lighting sign or mounted
on the top of the sign, and shall comply with the shielding
requirements.
Staff and
the Planning Commission recommend the following replacement
language. The underlined revision provides strength and
better clarity, and it is based on language from the Fairfax
County Zoning Ordinance, as well as text from the proposed
Town of Warrenton Zoning Ordinance:
9-1006.2 Outdoor lighting of buildings,
landscaping, signs, flags, statues and other objects shall
consist of full cut-off or directionally shielded lighting
fixtures that are aimed and controlled so that the directed
light shall be confined to the object intended to be
illuminated. Directional control shields shall be used
where necessary to limit stray light.
No light from any
illuminated sign shall cause or direct non-reflected light
from the fixture to shine onto any adjoining property or
public right-of-way.
Staff noted
to the Planning Commission that the existing Ordinance
already includes language, under the signage provisions,
that prohibits the type of lighting placed on the McDonald’s
roof in Opal. Section 8-1000.8 of the Zoning Ordinance
prohibits:
8. Any arrangement of exposed tubing or a series of
lights in rows, strings, patterns or designs that outline or
are affixed to any portion of a building or structure. This
prohibition does not apply to exposed tubing or lights which
are an integral part of an approved sign or sign structure;
nor does this prohibition preclude those seasonal displays
or decorations as permitted by the provisions of 8-301.19.
Issue 5: Limit Sign Lighting
Issue 6: Prohibit Neon Lighting, In Accord
with the Town of Warrenton’s Approach
The
provisions control exterior lighting of signs and require
that such lighting be shielded. The current Ordinance also
contains the following additional limitations on the
lighting of signs:
A. Signs with flashing lights are considered animated
signs and are prohibited in all districts. (Sections 8-201.1
and 8-1000.3)
B. Tube signs—signs with a light source supplied by
neon or other gas in tubes bent to form letters—are
permitted in the commercial and industrial zoning
districts. (Section 8-201.35). The Ordinance limits such
signs to one per establishment, displayed in the window,
with a size limit of 4 sq.ft. (Section 8-1501.2.I)
C. No sign in the residential or rural districts may
be internally illuminated. (Section 8-1401.10)
Neon
Signs
Provision
B, above, limits neon signs to commercial and industrial
zones and further limits such signs to a maximum of one 4
square foot window sign per establishment. The new Town of
Warrenton provisions prohibit external neon signs; the
County’s provisions only allow neon window signs, and are
thus consistent. However, staff would recommend adding
“Exterior neon signs” to the list of prohibited signs in
Section 8-1000, for further clarification on this issue.
Staff would
note that other jurisdictions, including the Town of
Warrenton, include further limitations on the lighting of
signs to reduce impacts, including limiting actual
illumination levels of signs, limiting the background color
of illuminated signs, and limiting the location of
illuminated signs near residential uses.
Recommended Sign Illumination Limitations
Three
additional provisions, based on the Town of Warrenton, are
suggested for inclusion in the County’s sign Ordinance
provisions in order to provide additional control over light
emitted from signs:
A. The average illumination on the face or vertical
surface of any sign shall not exceed 1 foot-candle.
B A sign shall consist of light lettering, symbols
and logo on an opaque or dark colored background only.
Light sources internally illuminating signs shall be
carefully located, aimed and shielded so that light is
directed onto the message only. Shielding shall be
accomplished with architectural elements and/or specific
lighting components, such as shields or louvers within the
sign. Lettering or symbols shall constitute no more than
forty percent of the surface area of the sign.
C. Illuminated signs shall not be located within 50
feet of a residential or rural zoning district boundary.
Illumination of any advertising sign in a commercial or
industrial district located within three hundred (300) feet
of any residential or rural district shall be extinguished
between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 7:00 a.m. except for
any time during that period when the use is allowed to be
open for business.
Issue 7: Require use of Best Available
Technology for Lighting and Shielding
The
Planning Commission decided not to make a specific
recommendation for incorporating language that requires the
use of the “best available technology” for lighting as
technology changes over time. The conclusion was that it is
difficult to do so in a manner that makes the specific
requirements understandable to the public and enforceable by
the County. However, it is noted that the existing
Ordinance standards, with requirements for full shielding
and full cut-off optics, do provide for a very high level of
lighting technology.
Issue 8: Provide visual examples of
requirements where appropriate.
Staff has
incorporated a number of illustrations into the regulations.
Other
Refinements: Staff notes that the definitions related
to lighting are contained in Article 9 (Performance
standards, including lighting) rather than in Article 15
(Definitions). Staff and the Planning Commission
recommended as part of this amendment that the definition
section as described be shifted to Article 15.
Public
Hearing and Actions: The Planning Commission held a
public hearing on the proposed text amendment on August 26,
2004. No one spoke during the hearing. The Planning
Commission deferred action and the matter was placed on the
September 28, 2004 public hearing agenda. No action was
taken on September 28, since the public hearing agenda was
cancelled because of inclement weather. By a unanimous vote,
on October 28, 2004, the Planning Commission forwarded the
proposed text amendment to the Board of Supervisors with a
recommendation it be adopted as revised.
|