TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Eva Cutro, Community Development Director
DATE: June 8, 2017
CONTACT:
Staff Contact Eva Cutro, 480-348-3522
End
AGENDA TITLE:
Title
Consideration of Ordinance Number 2016-04 Amending Article 10 Height and Area Regulations, Section 1023 Outdoor Lighting and Illumination; Article 25 Signs, Section 2506 Lighting; and Special Use Permit Guidelines, Section 2 Lighting
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Ordinance Number 2016-04.
Background
PURPOSE:
Staff has been tasked with exploring several Quality of Life Initiatives including lighting.
At the Council Retreat there was consensus to:
“Preserve low light level conditions while realizing lighting is necessary for safety, security, and enjoyment of outdoor living”.
BACKGROUND:
The Town Code sections pertaining to lighting have not been updated in over 20 years. In January 2016 Chairman Strom asked to have a discussion regarding possible modifications to the Town lighting code regulations, specifically the use of watts versus lumens. Since that time revisions to the lighting code were discussed in detail at nine Planning Commission work sessions and at a public hearing in September. The lighting code was then discussed at a Town Council work session on November 3, 2016 and a public hearing on November 17, 2016. The scope of the revision grew large and there was trouble reaching consensus. In April staff discussed this item again with Council and a resolution was reached to move forward with minor, necessary updates and revisions.
PROPOSED REVISIONS
Certain portions of the lighting code are outdated and do not reflect current standards. Other sections of the Code need “housekeeping” such as the addition of definitions, purpose, and clarifications. Following are the changes proposed:
• A purpose statement has been added
• A definition section has been added
• All references to watts have been changed to lumens
• A provision for holiday lights has been added
• Light measurements can now be computed in both Footcandles (existing measurement) and Lux (new measurement)
• Sign regulations have been tightened:
o Sign lighting permitted only during business hours
o Kelvin measurement added to prevent bright, blue/white lighting
o Non-opaque, back lit signs now prohibited
Hillside lighting is not being addressed at this time. A Hillside Code revision is being drafted separately and hillside lighting will be reviewed with the Hillside Code revision.
ATTACHMENTS:
Ordinance 2016-04