Lighting Plan According to building

How to Develop an Acceptable Lighting Plan


1. Identify where as well as when lighting is needed. Confine and minimize lighting to the

extent necessary to meet safety purposes. Plans should define the areas for which illumination is

planned. Itemizing each area (e.g. parking lot, doorways, walkways, signage, foliage) with the

anticipated hours of use. Commercial outdoor lighting should be used for safe pedestrian passage

and property identification, and lit during active business hours and shut off afterward.

2. Direct light downward by choosing the correct type of light fixtures.

Specify IES (Illuminating Engineering Society) "Full Cut Off" designated or “fully shielded” fixtures,

so that no light is emitted above the lowest light emitting part of the fixture. Top mounted sign

lighting is recommended with "RLM" (dish) type shields, and aimed so that the light falls entirely on

the sign and is positioned so that the light source (bulb) is not visible from any point off the

property or into the roadway to reduce glare. For each one square foot of sign, usually no more

than 200 lumens is necessary for good visibility.

3. Select the correct light source (bulb type). Compact fluorescent (2300K) or High Pressure

Sodium is recommended unless the light is motion sensor activated, in which case incandescent or

the instant start compact fluorescent bulbs can be used. Metal Halide (due to its higher costs, energy

use, impact on the environment, and greater contribution to "sky glow") is discouraged, as well as

light sources rated over 3000 Kelvin; and outdated Mercury Vapor bulbs are prohibited.

4. Utilize "shut off" controls such as sensors, timers, motion detectors, etc. Automatic controls

turn off lights when not needed. All lights should be extinguished no later than one half hour after

the close of business. Additional motion sensor activated lighting can be used for emergency access.

Avoid "dusk-to-dawn" sensors without a middle of the night shut off control. Lights alone will not

serve to "protect" property and are a poor "security" device. Examine other means of protecting

property and to discourage criminal activity. Let your local police know that you have a “lights out”

policy so that they can investigate if they see lights or activity after hours.

5. Limit the height of fixtures. Locate fixtures no closer to the property line than four times the

mounting height of the fixture, and not to exceed the height of adjacent structures. (Exceptions

may be made for larger parking areas, commercial zones adjacent to highways, or for fixtures with

greater cut off shielding behind the pole mount in commercial zones.)

6. Limit light crossing property lines, i.e. “light trespass”. Limit light to spill across the property

lines. Light levels at the property line should not exceed 0.1 footcandles (fc) adjacent to business

properties, and 0.05 fc at residential property boundaries. Utility leased floodlight fixtures mounted

on public utility poles in the public right-of-way should not be used.

7. Use the correct amount of light. Light levels and uniformity ratios should not exceed

recommended values, per IESNA RP-33 or 20.  "Lumen cap" recommendations for areas to be illuminated are as follows:commercial properties in non-urban commercial zones = 25,000 lumens per acre; for projects in residential and LBO zones = 10,000 lumens per acre. For residential properties: for suburban:

50,000 lumens per acre cap, and in urban areas: 100,000.

8. Ask for Assistance Your Planning Department and local lighting sales representatives can assist

you in obtaining the necessary information for good lighting. For large projects over 15,000

lumens: greater energy conservation and control of light pollution, light trespass and glare, may be

achieved with the help of a professional lighting designer with "dark sky" lighting plan experience.

9. A post installation inspection should be conducted to check for compliance. Substitutions

by electricians and contractors are common and should not be accepted. Final Approved Site Plans

will not allow additional exterior fixtures or substitutes without reviews.

10. Design interior lighting so that it does not illuminate the outdoors. Provide interior lighting

photometrics for the building’s perimeter areas, demonstrating that the interior lighting falls

substantially within the building and not through the windows. After closing, interior lighting

that extends outdoors needs to be extinguished by the use of shut off timers.