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Home My WebLink AboutPSD-037-10Clarin~on REPORT Leading the Way PLANNING SERVICES Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE Date: March 8, 2010 Resolution #: t~p(-}~/y$ /cgy_law #: N/A Report #: PSD-037-10 File #: PLN 31.9 Subject: PROPOSED LIGHTING GUIDELINES RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: THAT Report PSD-037-10 be received; and 2. THAT the "Lighting Guidelines" as provided to Committee members under separate cover, be adopted for consideration in the review and approval of new development applications and be made available to the development industry including posting on the Municipality of Clarington website. Submitted by: Reviewed by: ay Langmai , FCSLA, MCIP Acting Director, Planning Services RH/CP/ah/df 1 March 2010 Franklin Wu, Chief Administrative Officer CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON 40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C 3A6 T (905)623-3379 F (905)623-0830 REPORT NO.: PSD-037-10 PAGE 2 1.0 BACKGROUND 1.1 In recent years, light pollution has become a significant concern in terms of both environmental and safety impacts. Excessive outdoor lighting can result in wasteful energy consumption, create glare levels that can be detrimental to drivers and pedestrians, and generate light trespass on neighbouring properties: The phenomenon of "Urban Sky Glow" is also a concern in over-lit areas, as it renders the night sky effectively unviewable to town and city dwellers. 1.2 An Inter-municipal Lighting Committee, comprising members from the area Municipalities within the Durham Region as well as the Regional Planning Department, was formed in 2005 with the goal of establishing a set of Lighting Guidelines (Attachment 1), an Information Pamphlet (Attachment 2) and a Generic Implementing Lighting By-law. Lumentech Engineers Inc. were retained by the Committee in order to provide their expertise and assist with the preparation of the three documents. 1.3 A copy of the draft Lighting Guidelines was circulated by Inter-municipal Lighting Committee members to their respective Municipal departments for review and comment. The Durham Region Astronomical Association was also included in the review and preparation of the three generic documents. Final submission of the documents was made in November 2009. 1.4 Staff believe a Lighting By-law would be difficult to enforce and would not provide the flexibility afforded by the proposed Lighting Guidelines. This report recommends that only the Lighting Guidelines be adopted by the Municipality of Clarington for consideration in the review and approval of new development applications. Should it prove necessary that a by-law is required, a further report would be necessary. 2.0 PURPOSE 2.1 The purpose of the Inter-municipal Lighting Guidelines is to provide a set of effective standards, consistent across Durham Region. They are designed to limit the impacts of excess and unnecessary external lighting. The Guidelines are intended to be used as part of the Site Plan approval process for new development applications. They are not meant to regulate lighting for single family dwellings or municipal street lighting. 2.2 The Guidelines are intended to address, but are not limited to, the following: • Buildings and structures, including building entrances, canopies or overhangs; • Parking lot lighting; • Pedestrian and landscape lighting; • Recreational area lighting; • Display, service and advertising lighting; • Wall mounted lighting; • Security lighting; • Ornamental/decorative lighting; and • Lighting in heritage areas. REPORT NO.: PSD-037-70 PAGE 3 3.0 CONTENT OF LIGHTING GUIDELINES 3.1 The Lighting Guidelines address all aspects of the Site Plan process with respect to proposed external lighting by including the following sections: Lighting Plan Requirements; Lighting Fixture Requirements; Illumination Requirements; Submission Requirements and Standards; Qualified Designer Signoff; and Post Installation Investigation. Definitions are also provided as an appendix to the Guidelines. 3.1.1 .Lighting Fixture Requirements Light fixture design refers to the nature of the fixture itself and not the type of lamp used, as each lamp type has different attributes and can be installed where most suitable. The standard requirement is for full cut-off lights, which are designed and/or shielded in such a way that all of the light rays emitted by the fixture are projected below the horizontal plane of the fixture. Light fixture designs which cannot meet these standards, such as those with sag lenses or wall mount lights that shine horizontally, are prohibited. 3.1.2 Illumination Requirements A set of maximum illumination values for different Lighting Zones have been established, as shown in Table 1. The Lighting Zones are intended to recognize that not all areas can achieve the same lighting levels. At the pre-consultation stage, the applicant will work with Planning Services Department to determine which Lighting Zone the proposal falls under. Table 1: Lighting Zones Where multiple lighting zones are present on a single lot or development, or if an Environmental Impact Study makes specific recommendations regarding lighting levels, the more restrictive shall apply. z The Maximum Illuminance Level at Property Line represents worst case scenarios. Lighting designers will be expected to attempt to achieve minimal or no lighting on or beyond property lines in all Lighting Zones. Dense Urban>_ Land uses that warrant special. 'consideration. Generally this '' LZ4 High Development/ 1.5°('t51ux) Downtawa: zone is reserved for properties in the Downtowns REPORT NO.: PSD-037-10 PAGE 4 3.1.3 Submission Requirements and Standards Site plan applications should be accompanied by a lighting plan and lighting fixture details demonstrating that the proposal meets the Lighting Guidelines. The Site Plan submission requirements for lighting fixtures and lighting plans are provided within the Guidelines. Specific lighting standards include the following: • Position light fixtures across the site for uniform distribution of light; • Encourage energy conservation, directing light away from neighbouring properties; • Assess the suitability of lighting in terms of photometric performance rather than aesthetics; • Permit only down-lighting or back lighting for on-site signage; and • Require additional lighting based on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (OPTED) principles in areas identified as unsafe. 3.1.4 Qualified Designer Signoff A statement indicating that the lighting design is in accordance with the Lighting Guidelines is to be included on the lighting plan and signed by the qualified designer. The exact wording of the statement is provided in the Lighting Guidelines. 3.1.5 Post Installation Investigation After the installation of any new lighting subject to Municipal review and approval, the applicant's lighting consultant shall provide a written signoff confirming that the lighting has been installed as per the approved plan. 4.0 INFORMATION PAMPHLET 4.1 The information pamphlet serves as a resource for the public and interested stakeholders, demonstrating the detrimental effects of excessive outdoor lighting and explaining the intent and content of the Lighting Guidelines. Hard copies of the pamphlet will be made available in the Planning Services Department. 5.0 CONCLUSIONS 5.1 Over the last five to six years the Municipality has increasingly taken a more active role in reviewing on-site lighting as part of a proposed development. Although the Municipality has been requiring full cut-off lighting and ensuring there is little or no light trespass, the Lighting Guidelines identify standards for light fixtures, Lighting Zone illumination requirements, and Site Plan approval submission requirements for lighting plans, light fixtures, qualified designer signoff, and post installation investigation. The Guidelines will now provide applicants with a clear set of requirements at the outset of an application that are intended to mitigate the negative impacts of outdoor lighting REPORT NO.: PSD-037-10 PAGE 5 across the Municipality and Region by providing standards to be adopted by the area Municipalities for consideration in the review and approval of new development applications. Staff Contact: Robin Heathcote Attachments: Attachment 1 -Lighting Guidelines (distributed under separate cover) Attachment 2 -Information Pamphlet (distributed under separate cover)