10-21-2002 Planning Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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to 10.4 foot-candles within the site. While Orono Code does not contain numerical standards for lighting, staff has reviewed codes from a number of other cities and would suggest the following: - NeLall cities limit the heiglit of freestanding light fixtures; Plymouth limits them to 30' but not higher than the principal building, or 25' and not higher than the principal building when within 300' of a residential district. The 25' fixtures proposed are similar in height to those used along the center of the main front parking lot at the new Orono Middle School, and similar in height to those on the perimeter of the Otten Brothers site. The peak height of the proposed medical office building is approximately 32'. As a contrast, the lighting fixtures in the City Hall parking lot are 14' above grade. - Among other cities there appears to be a wide range of lighting Mimi»s' as measured in candlepower at the lot line; the typical standard for a non-residential property not abutting a residential property is Vz -1 foot candle at the lot line; the proposed plan exceeds this along the west and south boundaries, primarily because the City is requiring the developer to provide lighting for the trails. - Plymouth has established a minimum of 0.9 foot candles at any point within a commercial parking lot for purposes of personal and traffic safety and crime prevention; the proposed plan has many locations that will be darker than 0.9 foot candles. At an average of 1.2 foot candles, the site might be characterized as adequately lit without being excessively lit; however, for example, one of the more poorly lit areas is the 4 handicap parking stalls.... Orono ’s goal should be to provide for adequate lighting for safety and security while maintaining the dark night skies that residents have come to enjoy. Absent ordinances that establish strict standards for how this should be accomplished, staff believes the proposed lighting plan is reasonable but might be improved upon by judiciously adding more lightingfixtures and placing them at a lower height. Signage. Site identification signage is shown on Sheet EM and has been slightly enhanced from earlier versions with architectural features similar to the building. Both are backlit, which is allowed by code. The sign along Highway 12 will be 12' in height and that near the comer of Kelley and OCB Road will be just over 6'. Height and location of both signs meets code requirements. The sign along Highway 12 has a defined signage area of about 68 s.f. per side (2 side ?); that at the NW comer of the site is 24 s.f. per side. Per the B-1 standards which govern signage in the B-6 zone, no individual sign shall exceed 50 s.f. in area. Planning Commission should reach a recommendation regarding whether this signage is acceptable, remembering that this is a PUD review process so the sign may be allowed to be oversized without a variance. Total signage allotment for the site is approximately 300 s.f which will not be exceeded by the two signs proposed. 002-2842/2843 Professional Propertio of Orono October 14.2002 Page 3 of 7