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City of Raleigh | Planning Department | Lighting Ordinance Page <br />• Limits light levels under vehicular canopies and in outdoor sales areas (to 24 FC); provides Six <br />different methods of compliance for the former <br />• Requires sports lighting and outdoor performance area lighting to have a glare control package, and to <br />be turned off an hour after an event ends <br />• Does not affect street lights <br />• Permits "period" (historically styled) lighting fixtures <br />• Permits flexibility (e.g.. Planning Commission can approve many alternative configurations) <br />• Grandfathers in most existing fixtures {Exception-. Those affecting residential properties, which have 5 <br />Vi years to comply) <br />Ordinance Q & A's <br />How can I obtain a copy of the new lighting ordinance? <br />Copies can be downloaded directly from this web site by clicking Complete Text of Ordinance. The <br />ordinance will also be included in the latest Raleigh City Code of Ordinances. <br />When did the ordinance go into effect? <br />The ordinance was approved by City Council on November 20, 2001. As specified in the ordinance, it <br />went into effect five days after council approval (November 25). <br />What projects does the ordinance affect? <br />All private and public projects within the City of Raleigh’s legal jurisdiction that have outdoor lighting are <br />subject to ordinance provisions. Projects immediately affected, however, are those coming under review <br />on or since the ordinance's effective date. <br />Do existing non*compliant fixtures have to be made compliant? <br />Yes. though not right away. <br />Light fixtures affecting residential properties have until May 2007 (SVz years after ordinance approval) to <br />comply with the ordinance, although owners can voluntarily make such fixtures compliant at any point <br />before then. <br />Non-compliant fixtures that do not affect residences can remain in use until the end of their practical <br />functioning. If, however, a fixture is altered by changing its wattage, fixture type, mounting configuration, <br />fixture location, or. in the case of aged-out units, is to be completely replaced, it must be made compliant <br />with the ordinance. <br />Routine maintenance, including changing the lamp, ballast, starter, photo control, fixture housing, lens <br />and other required components, is permitted for all existing fixtures (without changing out the fixture). <br />What criteria determine whether or not a fixture complies with the ordinance? <br />Different provisions apply to different types and locations of fixtures. In general, the ordinance permits <br />most types of lighting now in use, while seeking to reduce glare and curb excessive light levels. No types <br />of lighting fixtures are completely prohibited, although most are subject to certain performance standards <br />(for example, all wallpacks and dusk-to-dawn lights must have cutoff-style shielding). <br />Are light levels specifically limited? <br />Yes, in some instances Levels must measure no more than 0 5 footcandle at the lot line of properties on <br />which a residence stands, and nor more than 2.0 footcandles at any public right-of-way. Lighting under <br />vehicular canopies (e g . over gas pumps) and on display lots (e g., at vehicle dealerships) is limited to <br />24 footcandles. <br />Does the ordinance require a minimum light level? <br />r>i1oinVi.n/« orrtrrtlanhJnfl/f'niHiihissinrtc Tiolifino hltr>1 i/i/?Ana <br />. > <br />****^*"^------------