Summary:
This proposed ordinance consolidates the City's outdoor lighting regulations in one place and amends these rules to apply to most non-residential development. The proposal takes the current Orange County lighting ordinance, modernizes the lighting regulations, and applies those regulations citywide. To date, most commercial development must follow the Orange County lighting ordinance as a condition of development for master plans and other discretionary land use permits.
Some of the key features of the new lighting ordinance are:
- Submittal Requirements. Creates standards for photometric plans submitted during the planning and permitting processes.
- Heights. Sets a maximum height for parking lot light poles at 30-ft, yet allows for taller ones (maximum 50-ft) in industrial zoning districts for truck movements.
- Exceptions. Creates exception to minimum illumination levels for lighting within natural areas and bufferyards. Also, exempts single family and duplex development from being regulated under this ordinance.
- Auto Dealerships. Allows up to 40 footcandles for sales lots at auto dealerships, twice that of the more suburban dealerships regulated under Orange County's code due to Orlando's more central location.
- Parking Garages. Requires shielding for fixtures located inside of garages and limits the heights of light poles on the top levels of parking garages.
- Time Controls. Requires a reduction of outdoor lighting levels to 50% after the close of business to reduce light pollution.
- Cutoff Fixtures. Requires cut off and shielded fixtures to be utilized throughout Orlando to reduce glare and light pollution.
- Alternative Standards. Allows for applicants to submit plans that meet the IDA-IES Model Lighting Ordinance, approved through a Planning Official determination, for unique installations and new technologies (this is a new international standard for reviewing lighting plans).
- Definitions. Updates the definitions to include LED fixtures and new technologies.
These new regulations were developed following several focus groups with industry professionals and the development community.
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