6.3 Outdoor Lighting Zones

The basic premise of the Energy Standards is to base allowable outdoor lighting power on the brightness of the surrounding conditions. The Energy Standards contain lighting power allowances for new lighting installations and specific alterations that are dependent on the lighting zone in which the project is located.

Five categories of outdoor lighting zones are defined and they are LZ0, LZ1, LZ2, LZ3 and LZ4. Lighting zones with lower numbers are darker from LZ0 which is in national parks and other areas intended to be very dark at night to LZ4 for high intensity nighttime use, such as entertainment or commercial districts or areas with special security considerations requiring very high light levels. The eyes adapt to darker surrounding conditions and less light is required to properly see; when the surrounding conditions get brighter, more light is needed to see. Providing greater power than is needed potentially leads to debilitating glare and an increasing spiral of brightness as over-bright projects populate surrounding conditions causing future projects to unnecessarily require greater power resulting in wasted energy. The least power is allowed in Lighting Zone 1 and increasingly more power is allowed in Lighting Zones 2, 3, and 4. Lighting Zone 0 is intended for undeveloped spaces in parks and wildlife preserves and is very low ambient illumination.

The following summarizes the default locations for outdoor lighting zones as specified in §10-114:

•        Lighting Zone 0 areas are undeveloped areas of government designated parks, recreation areas, and wildlife preserves;

•        Lighting Zone 1 areas are developed portions of government designated parks, recreation areas and wildlife preserves;

•        Rural areas are Lighting Zone 2;

•        Urban areas are Lighting Zone 3;

•        Lighting Zone 4 is a special use district that may be created by a local government through application to the Energy Commission.

Details of the options allowed under §10-114 are as follows:

A.   Parks, Recreation Areas and Wildlife Preserves

The default for undeveloped portions of government designated parks, recreation areas, and wildlife preserves is Lighting Zone 0.

The default for developed portions of government designated parks, recreation areas, and wildlife preserves is Lighting Zone 1.

The local jurisdiction having authority over the property will know if the property is a government designated park, recreation area, or wildlife preserve. However, a Lighting Zone 2 designation can be adopted if the area is surrounded by rural areas (as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau). Similarly, when a park, recreation area, wildlife preserve, or portions thereof, are surrounded by urban areas (as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau), such areas may be designated as Lighting Zone 3 by adoption of the local jurisdiction. All adjustments in lighting zone designation must be reviewed by the CEC for approval.

B.   Rural Areas

The default for rural areas as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau is Lighting Zone 2. However, local jurisdictions may designate certain areas as either Lighting Zone 3 or Lighting Zone 4 if it is determined that ambient lighting levels are higher than typical for a rural area. Examples of areas that might be designated Lighting Zone 3 are special commercial districts or areas with special security considerations. All adjustments in lighting zone designation must be reviewed by the CEC for approval.

Local jurisdictions also may designate default Lighting Zone 2 areas as Lighting Zone 1, which would establish lower lighting power for outdoor areas with lower surrounding brightness. An example of an area that might be changed to Lighting Zone 1 would include an underdeveloped, environmentally sensitive or predominately residential area within a default Lighting Zone 2 area.

C.   Urban Areas

Lighting Zone 3 is the default for urban areas, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Local jurisdictions may designate areas as Lighting Zone 4 for high intensity nighttime use, such as entertainment, commercial districts, or areas with special security considerations requiring very high light levels. All adjustments in lighting zone designation must be reviewed by the CEC for approval.

Local jurisdictions also may designate areas as Lighting Zone 2 or even Lighting Zone 1 if deemed appropriate.

Table 6-2: Lighting Zone Characteristics and Rules for Amendments by Local Jurisdictions

Energy Standards Table 10-114-A

6.3.1          Determining the Lighting Zone for an Outdoor Lighting Project

Permit applicants may determine the lighting zone for a particular property using the following steps:

•    Local jurisdiction – Check with the local jurisdiction having authority over permitting of the property. The local jurisdiction will know if the property is a government designated park, recreation area, or wildlife preserve, and therefore in default Lighting Zone 0 or 1. The local jurisdiction also may know if the property is contained within the physical boundaries of a lighting zone for which a locally-adopted change has been made. However, verify through the CEC website whether or not a locally-adopted change has been submitted to the Commission.

U.S. Census – The outdoor lighting zones of urban and rural areas as well as the legal boundaries of wilderness and park areas are based on the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau boundaries.

•    Look at the U.S. Census website to determine if the property is within a rural (statewide default Lighting Zone 2) or urban (statewide default Lighting Zone 3) census block. 

o According to the US Census Bureau, there are two types of urban designations, Urbanized Areas (UAs) of 50,000 or more people and Urban Clusters (UCs) of at least 2,500 and less than 50,000 people. Furthermore, “Rural” encompasses all population, housing, and territory not included within an urban area.

o There is an address search tool provided by the US Census Bureau. Enter the address to look up geography results indicating whether the entered address is urban or rural (under geography type).

(http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/searchresults.xhtml?ref=addr&refresh=t)

o A ‘Geography Results’ window will display a number of geographies within which the address is located. If you are in an urban area, one of the results will designate this; otherwise you are in a rural geography. 

•    Energy Commission website – Check CEC website to determine if the property is contained within the physical boundaries of a lighting zone that has been changed through a local jurisdiction adoption process.

Figure 6-2: Example of US Census Bureau Information

6.3.2         

The CEC sets statewide default lighting zones. However, jurisdictions (usually a city or county), may change the zones to accommodate local conditions. Local governments may designate a portion of Lighting Zones 2 or 3 as Lighting Zone 3 or 4. The local jurisdiction also may designate a portion of Lighting Zone 3 to Lighting Zone 2 or even Lighting Zone 1. When a local jurisdiction adopts changes to the lighting zone boundaries, it must follow a public process that allows for formal public notification, review, and comment about the proposed change. The local jurisdiction also must provide the CEC with detailed information about the new lighting zone boundaries, and submit a justification that the new lighting zones are consistent with the specifications in §10-114.

The CEC has the authority to disallow lighting zone changes if it finds the changes to be inconsistent with the specification of §10-114 including Table 10-114-A.

6.3.3          Lighting Zone Examples of Using Physical Boundaries

Using metes and bounds is a good method to use for defining the physical boundaries of an adopted lighting zone.

Metes and bounds is a system that uses physical features of the local geography, along with directions and distances, to define and describe the boundaries of a parcel of land. The boundaries are described in a running prose style, working around the parcel of the land in sequence, from a beginning point and returning back to the same point. The term “metes” refers to a boundary defined by the measurement of each straight run, specified by a distance between the terminal points, and an orientation or direction. The term “bounds” refers to a more general boundary description, such as along a certain watercourse or public road way.

The following examples use metes and bounds to define the physical boundaries of an adopted lighting zone:

•    Properties with frontage on Kennedy Memorial Expressway, between First Avenue and Main Street to a depth of 50 ft. from each frontage property line.

•    The area 500 ft. east of Interstate 5, from 500 ft. north of Loomis Ave to 250 ft. south of Winding Way.

•    The area of the Sunrise Bike Trail starting at Colfax Avenue and going east to Maple Park, the width of a path which is from the edge of the South Fork of the American River on one side, to 100 ft. beyond the paved bike trail, or to private property lines, whichever is shorter, on the other side.

•    The area that is bounded by the Truckee River on the West, Grizzly Lane on the south, Caddis Road on the east, and the boundary of Placer County on the north.

Note: The physical boundaries of a changed lighting zone are not required to coincide with the physical boundaries of a census tract.