18A.60.095 Outdoor lighting code | Lakewood Municipal Code

18A.60.095 Outdoor lighting code.

A. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to protect and promote public health, safety, welfare, and quality of life by establishing regulations and a process for review of outdoor lighting that will accomplish the following:

1. Protect the air-based mission of Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) by reducing lighting impacts that impair or negatively impact pilot training and missions and eliminating such impacts over time as obsolete lighting practices are curtailed;

2. Protect against light pollution, thereby reclaiming the ability to view the night sky and thereby help preserve the quality of life and scenic value of this desirable visual resource throughout the region and nearby natural open spaces, including state and national parks;

3. 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;

4. Promote lighting practices and systems to conserve energy, decrease dependence on fossil fuels and limit greenhouse gas emissions;

5. 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 commercial properties and activities;

6. Provide easily understood regulations for residential lighting that help minimize obtrusive light and mitigate neighbor-to-neighbor lighting issues;

7. Allow reasonable flexibility in the style of lighting fixtures and the technology used to generate and control light; and

8. Permit appropriate lighting employing historic and current technology, evolving advancements, energy use and economic needs.

B. Applicability. Other than the exemptions listed below in this subsection, all outdoor lighting installed or modified after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this title shall comply with the provisions herein; all outdoor lighting shall also comply with LMC 15.05.020(F) and (J). This includes, but is not limited to, new lighting, replacement lighting, additions and alterations, or any other lighting whether attached to structures, poles, the earth, or any other location, including lighting installed by any third party.

Exemptions: The following are not regulated by this section:

1. Indoor lighting.

2. Exterior lighting provided in association with single-family homes, mobile homes, and duplexes.

3. Lighting solely for signs.

4. Repairs to existing luminaires, including lamp, ballast, and lens replacements.

5. Temporary lighting for one-time permitted events.

6. Underwater lighting in swimming pools and other water features.

7. Temporary lighting and seasonal lighting limited to cord-and-plug portable lighting or specifically permitted hard-wired lighting.

8. Short-term lighting associated with activities authorized by a valid temporary use permit, special event permit or film permit.

9. Construction or emergency lighting provided such lighting is temporary and is discontinued immediately upon completion of the construction work or abatement of the emergency necessitating said lighting.

1. Shielding. All luminaires shall be fully shielded and shall not emit light into the upper hemisphere around the luminaire once installed, except in accordance with Figure 6. Support and mounting systems for luminaires shall not allow post-installation adjustments that could defeat compliance with this requirement.

Exceptions: Decorative lighting, landscape lighting, or architectural floodlighting and outlining in Lighting Zone 3 or as otherwise specifically provided for herein.

2. Lighting Color (Chromaticity). The correlated color temperature of all outdoor lighting shall be four thousand (4,000) Kelvin maximum or lower, with tolerance within the ANSI standard C78.377 of LED sources.

Exceptions:

a. Amber sources necessary to protect shorelines and environmentally sensitive habitat areas, as determined by the Director.

b. Legally required monochromatic light sources including but not limited to aviation obstruction lighting, traffic signal lighting, and marine lighting.

c. Architectural floodlighting or outlining.

d. As allowed by a special use permit.

3. Prevention of Light Trespass. All lighting shall be designed and implemented to mitigate light trespass onto adjacent properties. The maximum allowable light trespass shall be per Table 1 and Table 2.

4. Lighting Not Permitted. None of the following outdoor lighting equipment is permitted except by special permit:

a. Dynamic lighting.

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

c. Laser lighting.

d. Unshielded lighting such as string lights, light rope, neon lighting, or LED tubing.

e. Any lighting of environmentally sensitive habitat.

a. The only requirements of this title with respect to street lighting are for the shielding requirements set forth in Table 3, which specifically are intended to protect military missions associated with Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

b. All other applicable local standards or regulations related to street lighting shall apply. Such examples would include lighting for designated historic districts and/or designated historic luminaires.

D. Lighting Zones. The Community and Economic Development Director shall develop and maintain a lighting zone map of Lakewood identifying the following lighting zones:

Lighting Zone 1 (LZ-1), which shall include all areas of Lakewood that are anticipated for low-intensity land uses, like parks, open space, rural areas, resource lands, and military-critical lands; LZ-1 may also be appropriate in other areas which are determined by the Director to be suitable for low levels of exterior lighting at night.

Lighting Zone 2 (LZ-2), which shall include all areas of Lakewood that are anticipated for medium-intensity land uses, like residential, mixed use, neighborhood commercial, neighborhood parks, office, light industrial, and military-important lands, and/or which are determined by the Director to be suitable for modest levels of exterior lighting at night.

Lighting Zone 3 (LZ-3), which shall include all areas of Lakewood that are not likely to impact military operations, but are anticipated for high-intensity uses, like heavy commercial and industrial, manufacturing, and major transportation hubs, and/or are determined by the Director to have needs for medium to high levels of exterior lighting at night. Deference to the needs of military-critical and military-important lands shall be accommodated where LZ-3 zoning exists in such areas.

1. Posting of Lighting Zone Map. The lighting zone map shall be posted on the Lakewood website and remain available to the public.

a. The Director shall recommend lighting zones for Lakewood to the City Council, based on the lighting zones recommended in the Lighting Study Report insofar as possible. The final lighting zone map and any subsequent changes thereto shall be approved by the City Council as required by law.

b. The Director shall develop a process to review proposed changes to and appeals from the lighting zone map approved by the City Council. Approved changes and appeals resulting in a required amendment to the lighting zone map shall be made by the Director.

1. General. Luminaires shall not be equipped such that the luminaire may be aimed upward, except as specifically permitted in Lighting Zones 2 and 3 (LZ-2 and LZ-3).

a. Luminaires shall be rated for the lighting zone in which they are being installed according to the “BUG” system.

b. In Lighting Zones 1 and 2, the BUG uplighting value (U) shall be Zero (0).

a. Luminaires having BUG ratings shall comply as for nonresidential luminaires.

b. Luminaires not rated shall be fully shielded in Lighting Zones 1 and 2 (LZ-1 and LZ-2) per Figure 6.

a. Except as provided in subsections (B) and (F)(2) of this section, in addition to the foregoing within this section, all outdoor lighting must meet the following requirements based on lighting zone and whether the subject property is residential or nonresidential:

Residential properties other than single-family, duplex, and mobile homes shall comply with Table 1; nonresidential properties shall comply with Table 2 as described below. For the purposes of these requirements, multifamily residential properties of eight (8) dwelling units or more shall be considered nonresidential.

For the purposes of these requirements, special needs housing shall be considered residential if for less than eight (8) dwelling units and nonresidential if for more than eight (8) dwelling units.

b. Subsection (C)(5) of this section and Table 3 of this section govern the installation of street lighting within Lakewood. This subsection F and Tables 1 and 2 do not apply to street lighting.

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

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.

3. Maximum Lumens. For a dedicated fluorescent, LED, or HID luminaire, the allowed maximum rated lumens shall be per a photometric report or manufacturer’s product literature. For a line voltage socket luminaire or a low voltage socket luminaire shall be the rated lumens of the lamp installed in it.

4. Maximum Mounting Height. The maximum mounting height above adjacent grade for luminaire shall be as provided in Tables 1 and 2.

Exception 1: There is no maximum mounting height for fully recessed luminaires.

Exception 2: For multi-story residential buildings and motels with exterior entrance doors, the maximum mounting height shall be eight (8) feet above adjacent floor unless recessed into an adjacent ceiling, soffit, or overhang.

5. Landscape Lighting. Landscape lighting is permitted per Table 1 and Table 2.

6. Architectural Floodlighting and Outlining. The use of lighting to illuminate building facades, statuary, and similar edifices for appearance or other needs, which do not involve visual tasks such as walking or driving, may be permitted in Lighting Zone 3 only, if all the following conditions are met:

a. A plan and rendering is submitted for review and approval by the Director, which demonstrates compliance with this section.

b. The amount of unshielded lighting does not exceed twenty thousand (20,000) lumens per acre of the site.

c. The average illumination of a facade or edifice shall not exceed fifty (50) lux.

d. Such lighting shall be extinguished at curfew, in accordance with Tables 1 and 2, as applicable.

No such lighting may be used within Lighting Zone 3, except in compliance with the above standards, and shall not be allowed in Lighting Zones 1 and 2 under any conditions.

a. Plan Review. All outdoor lighting installations or installations involving new lighting, or the modification, alteration, or replacement of outdoor lighting shall submit plans and related information as listed below and receive a permit prior to proceeding with any work.

i. Plans depicting the proposed luminaires.

ii. Product specification data such as manufacturer’s data sheets for each luminaire and control device(s) or systems being used.

iii. For nonresidential properties, demonstrated compliance with the Washington State Energy Code, with signatures required by Lakewood attached to the plans.

iv. Details, elevations, summaries or calculations as required to demonstrate compliance with this section.

b. Alternative Means and Methods. Deviations from the lighting standards provided in this section may be approved by the Director. The request shall state the circumstances and conditions relied upon for the approval and shall be accompanied by accurate plans and a legal description of the subject property. In addition, the following information shall be submitted:

i. Plans depicting the proposed light fixtures;

ii. Detailed description of the circumstances which necessitate the deviation;

iii. Details on the use of the proposed light fixtures for which the deviation is requested, including the type of outdoor light fixture(s) to be used, the total light output and character of the shielding, if any; and

iv. Such other data and information as may be required by the Director to demonstrate compliance with this title, guidance provided in the JBLM Lighting Study Report, recommendations from JBLM, and other best practices guidance related to outdoor lighting.

c. No Substitutions or “Value Engineering.” Deviations from approved plans including products and control device(s) are not permitted unless the applicable processes set forth in subsection (A) or (B) of this section are repeated and a new permit granted.

d. Appeals and Variances. Appeals from and variances from the provisions of this title shall be in accordance with LMC 18A.20.080, Type I administrative permit, either design review or land use approval.

H. Conflicts with Other Laws. Outdoor lighting shall comply with LMC 15.05.020(F) and (J). In the event the provisions in this section conflict with other state or federal laws, this section shall be applied in a manner intended to carry out all provisions of law to the maximum extent feasible. When there is an irreconcilable conflict between the provisions of this section and the provisions of federal or state law, the provisions of federal or state law shall prevail over the provisions contained in this section only to the extent necessary to avoid a violation of those other laws or code provisions. In the event of a conflict between the standards for individual uses and other general requirements of this section, the more stringent shall apply. Determination for appropriate standards shall be made by the Department.

1. Change of Use. If a property with noncompliant lighting changes use, then all outdoor lighting shall be brought into compliance with this title before the new use begins. Any uncorrected noncompliant lighting shall be removed or remain extinguished.

2. Resumption of Use after Abandonment. Beginning on the effective date of the ordinance codified in this title, If a property with noncompliant lighting is abandoned for a period of twelve (12) months or more, then all outdoor lighting shall be brought into compliance before resumption of use of the property. Any uncorrected noncompliant lighting shall be removed or remain extinguished.

3. Enforcement and Penalties. Reserved.

Figures and Tables

Table 1. Residential (other than SF, Duplex and Mobile Home) Lighting Limits
	Lighting Zone 1 (One)	Lighting Zone 2 (Two)	Lighting Zone 3 (Three)
Maximum lumens per fully shielded luminaire	900	900	900
Unshielded and decorative lighting	One per residence not to exceed 300 lumens	Two per residence not to exceed 300 lumens	Three per residence not to exceed 600 lumens
Maximum mounting height above adjacent grade	12 feet	12 feet	15 feet
Landscape lighting	Downlighting only not to exceed 300 lumens	Downlighting and/or shielded uplighting not to exceed 450 lumens per luminaire	Downlight and/or shielded uplighting not to exceed 600 lumens per luminaire
Maximum landscape lighting lumens per acre	6,000	12,000	18,000
Maximum allowable light trespass	0.1 footcandle (1 lux)	0.2 footcandle (2 lux)	0.5 footcandle (5 lux)

Table 2. Nonresidential and Multifamily Residential Lighting Limits
	Lighting Zone 1 (One)	Lighting Zone 2 (Two)	Lighting Zone 3 (Three)
Maximum lumens per fully shielded luminaire, if not having BUG rating	2,500	5,000	15,000
Unshielded and decorative lighting	None allowed	Maximum 600 lumens per luminaire not to exceed 12,000 lumens per acre.	Maximum 900 lumens per luminaire not to exceed 18,000 lumens per acre
Maximum mounting height above adjacent grade	20 feet	25 feet	35 feet
Landscape lighting	Downlighting only not to exceed 450 lumens	Downlighting and/or shielded uplighting not to exceed 600 lumens per luminaire	Downlighting and/or shielded uplighting not to exceed 900 lumens per luminaire
Maximum landscape lighting lumens per acre	9,000	12,000	18,000
Maximum allowable light trespass	0.1 footcandle (1 lux)	0.2 footcandle (2 lux)	0.5 footcandle (5 lux)

Table 3. Street Lighting
	Lighting Zone 1 (One)	Lighting Zone 2 (Two)	Lighting Zone 3 (Three)
Unshielded and ornamental decorative street lighting	None allowed	None allowed	Shielded uplighting limit rating of U3
Fully shielded street lighting	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed

[Ord. 789 § 2 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 726 § 2 (Exh. B), 2019.]