18.31.470 Site lighting | Covington Municipal Code

(a) To ensure that lighting contributes to the character of the streetscape and does not disturb adjacent developments and residences.

(b) To protect against light pollution, thereby reclaiming the ability to view the night sky and helping to preserve the quality of life and scenic value of this desirable visual resource throughout the region and nearby natural open spaces.

(c) To help protect and enhance human health and wellness and wildlife habitation and migration by minimizing light pollution and its impact on all forms of life.

(d) To promote lighting practices and systems to conserve energy, decrease dependence on fossil fuels, and limit greenhouse gas emissions.

(e) To ensure that sufficient lighting can be provided where needed to promote safety and security on public and private property, and to allow for reasonable lighting for outdoor activities.

(f) To provide attractive lighting that supports and enhances the urban environment, emphasizes architectural elements, and encourage pedestrian activity and wayfinding beyond daylight hours, especially during the long nights of Pacific Northwest winters.

(2) Applicability. All outdoor lighting shall comply with the provisions herein. This includes, but is not limited to, new lighting, replacement lighting, additions and alterations, or any other lighting whether attached to buildings, poles, structures, the earth, or any other location.

(a) Exemptions:

(i) Lighting solely for signs.

(ii) Underwater lighting.

(iii) Temporary and seasonal cord-and-plug portable lighting.

(iv) Construction or emergency lighting.

(v) Outdoor rope and string lights for outdoor seating and gathering areas.

(a) All luminaires shall be fully shielded and shall not emit light into the upper hemisphere around the luminaire or onto adjacent properties and structures, either through exterior full cut-off shields or through optics within the fixture. Support and mounting systems for luminaires shall not allow post-installation adjustments that could defeat compliance of this requirement.

(b) City-approved standardized fixtures shall be used for sidewalk lighting located within the right-of-way or publicly accessible easements on private property.

(c) On-site lighting elements throughout and surrounding the site should be complementary, including pedestrian pathway, accent and parking lot lighting, lighting of adjacent developments and the public right-of-way.

(d) Except as provided in this section, outdoor lighting is encouraged to follow the intensity, technology, and other recommendations of the International Dark Sky Association and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.

Figure 18.31.470(3). Examples of Appropriate Light Shielding

(a) Freestanding lighting fixtures in parking lots shall not exceed 20 feet in height. Lighting fixtures on the top level of parking garages shall not exceed 12 feet in height.

(b) Pedestrian scale lighting shall not exceed 16 feet in height.

(c) Building-mounted exterior lighting shall not be placed at any point greater than 20 feet above the adjacent grade, except the height limit is 14 feet when within 100 feet of a single-family zone. This standard does not apply to fully recessed lights, such as when mounted on the underside of a gas station fueling canopy or building roof overhang.

Figure 18.31.470(4). Examples of Site Lighting

(5) Parking Lot Lighting. Lighting in parking lots shall be appropriate to create adequate visibility at night and evenly distributed to increase security. Lighting shall be located so that trees within the parking lot do not obscure the operation of the light fixture.

(6) Lighting Color (Chromaticity). The correlated color temperature of all outdoor lighting shall be 3,500 Kelvin maximum or lower (refer to American National Standard Institutes publication C78.377 for guidance on LED lighting). Exceptions may be made for architectural floodlighting, accent lighting, or outlining.

Figure 18.31.470(6). Kelvin Temperature Chart

(a) Automated control systems, such as energy management systems, photoelectric switches, motion sensors and astronomic timer switches, shall be used to meet the hours of operation requirements and the technical and energy efficiency requirements of the applicable Washington State Energy Code.

(b) Exceptions:

(i) Egress lighting as required by the Building Code.

(ii) Lighting required for accessibility.

(iii) Lighting required by statute, law, or ordinance to operate all night.

(iv) A manual override at each exit door is allowed regardless of automatic control device.

(v) Seasonal holiday lighting and event lighting.

(a) Dynamic lighting.

(b) Luminaires exceeding 500,000 peak candelas and/or 500,000 lumens.

(c) Laser lighting.

(d) Any lighting of critical areas.

(e) Any lighting that may be confused with warning signals, emergency signals, or traffic signals.

(f) Mercury, low pressure sodium, or other light sources in public areas that can impede or distort the perception of actual colors.

(g) Blinking, flashing, intermittent, and/or moving lights unless specifically allowed elsewhere in the Covington Municipal Code.

(h) Lighting permanently attached to trees. (Ord. 08-21 § 3 (Exh. B))