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7.9.3  Standards

All outdoor lighting shall conform to the standards and provisions found in the Community Appearance Manual and the Design Guidelines Manual, as well as the standards listed below:

(A)     Maximum Lighting Height

Outdoor lighting shall be designed, located and mounted at heights no greater than:

(1)      Eighteen feet above grade for non-cut-off lights;

(2)      Thirty-five feet above grade for cut-off lights, unless a raised foundation is required to protect the poles, in which case the maximum height shall not exceed thirty-seven feet above grade.

(B)     Maximum Light Levels at the Property Line

All outdoor lighting and/or indoor lighting visible from outside shall be designed and located such that the maximum illumination measured in foot-candles at a property line shall not exceed the standards in the following table.  Cut-off lighting shall be designed to direct light downward (e.g., shoe box style).

(C)     Parking Lot Lighting Standards

For parking lots the minimum light level shall be no less than 0.2 foot-candles. The average foot-candle maintained to the minimum foot-candles ratio shall be no greater than 4:1 (upper to lower limits). All foot-candles are to be measured at ground level.

(D)     Distance from Property Line

All outdoor lighting fixtures shall be located a minimum of ten feet from a property or five feet from a right-of-way line and should not be located within a required perimeter buffer or streetscape unless it is located at the interior edge.

(E)      Lighting for Canopies

(1)      Lighting for canopies shall be restricted to lighting fixtures (including lenses) that do not project below the bottom of the canopy.   Lighting for canopies for service stations and other similar uses shall not exceed an average of 12 foot-candles as measured at ground level at the inside of the outside edge of the canopy.

(2)      Canopies used for building accents over doors, windows, etc. shall not be internally lit (i.e., from underneath or behind the canopy).

(F)      Floodlights and Spotlights

Lighting fixtures shall be selected, located, aimed, and shielded so that direct illumination is focused exclusively on a portion of the building façade or other intended site feature and away from adjoining properties or the right-of-way.  On-site lighting may be used to accent architectural elements but shall not be used to illuminate entire portions of building(s). Such lighting shall be installed in a fixture that is shielded such that no portion of the light bulb extends below the bottom edge of the shield, and that the main beam from the light source is not visible from adjacent properties of the adjacent right-of-way.  Floodlights or other type of lighting attached to light poles that illuminate the site and/or building(s) are prohibited.

(G)     Wall Pack Lights

Wall packs on buildings may be used at entrances to a building to light unsafe areas. They are not intended to draw attention to the building or provide general building or site lighting. "Wall Packs" on the exterior of the building shall be fully shielded (true cut-off type--bulb or light source not visible from off-site) to direct the light vertically downward and be of low wattage (preferably 100 watts or lower).

(H)     Illumination of Outdoor Sports Fields and Performance Areas

Lighting of outdoor sports fields and performance areas shall be installed in accordance with the Town's Community Appearance Manual and the following requirements:

(1)      All such lighting fixtures shall be equipped with a glare control package (e.g., louvers, shields, or similar devices), and the fixtures shall be aimed so that their beams are directed and fall within the primary playing or performance area; and

(2)      The hours of operation for the lighting system for any game or event shall not exceed one hour after the end of the game or event. 

(I)       Sign Lighting

Lighting fixtures illuminating signs shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 9 of this Ordinance, and such fixtures shall be aimed and shielded so that direct illumination is focused exclusively on the sign face.

Cary, NC Land Development Ordinance On-line VIC Version - This site last updated 3/4/2008

Note: This is not the official version of the Cary Land Development Ordinance