National City Municipal Code Ch. 18.46 Outdoor Lighting

A. Intent and Purpose of this Chapter.

1. To provide reasonable restrictions and limitations upon the use of lighting in or near the residential zones of the city so as to prevent lighting from creating a nuisance to residents within said residential zones. It is recognized that lighting is widely used in commercial or industrial zones for the purpose of advertising and security and that such lighting is essential to the conduct of many commercial or industrial enterprises.

2. The city acknowledges that protective security lighting in residential zones constitutes a deterrent to crime and an aid in law enforcement and contributes generally to the safety of those persons residing in such residential zones. It is further accepted that properly controlled lighting in residential areas used for landscaping and highlighting of architectural features of buildings and structures enhances and promotes the aesthetic condition of the property and the general welfare of the area.

3. It is equally recognized that lighting, by virtue of its intensity, brightness, direction, duration and hours of operation, can constitute a nuisance to adjacent residential dwellers. The purpose and intent of this section is to establish outdoor lighting standards that reduce the impacts of glare, light trespass, overlighting, skyglow, and poorly shielded or inappropriately directed lighting fixtures and that promote safety and energy conservation.

4. It is the intent of the city to adopt this section to encourage the continued and appropriate use of lighting for the purposes set forth in this section, but to require that said lighting be regulated and controlled in a manner so as to avoid the creation of a public nuisance in residential areas. All outdoor lighting in National City shall be regulated by this Land Use Code and by the State of California Title 24 Energy Efficiency Standards for outdoor lighting requirements.

(Ord. No. 2024-2529, 4-2-2024)

A. New Uses, Buildings, and Additions. Unless specifically exempted elsewhere in this chapter, the provisions of this chapter shall apply to all outdoor lighting for proposed new land uses, developments, buildings, structures, or building additions that require a permit.

B. Nonconforming Uses, Structures, or Lots. Whenever a nonconforming use, structure or lot is abandoned for a period of one year and then recommenced or changed to a new use, then any existing outdoor lighting shall be reviewed and brought into compliance with the provisions of this chapter as necessary for the entire building, structure or premises, to the maximum extent possible as determined by the planning division.

(Ord. No. 2024-2529, 4-2-2024)

A. Outdoor Lighting Fixtures. All outdoor lighting fixtures shall be designed, shielded, aimed, located, and maintained to shield adjacent properties and to not produce glare onto adjacent properties or roadways. Parking lot light fixtures and light fixtures on buildings shall be full cut-off fixtures.

B. Street Lighting. Street lighting shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of the National City Standards Manual.

C. Prohibited Lighting. Flashing, revolving, intermittent exterior lighting or internally illuminated signs are prohibited. High intensity light beams, such as, but not limited to, outdoor searchlights, lasers, or strobe lights shall be prohibited.

D. Lighting for Safety. In all multiple family residential, commercial, or industrial developments, all sites shall be well lit so as to provide safe pedestrian and vehicular access and to eliminate dark areas.

(Ord. No. 2024-2529, 4-2-2024)

A. Exterior Lighting Plan. The applicant shall submit to the planning division sufficient information, in the form of an overall exterior lighting plan, to enable the director to determine that the applicable provisions will be satisfied. The exterior lighting plan shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

1. Manufacturer specification sheets, cut sheets or other manufacturer provided information for all proposed lighting fixtures.

2. The proposed location, mounting height, and aiming point of all exterior lighting fixtures.

3. If building elevations are proposed for illumination, drawings shall be provided for all relevant building elevations showing the fixtures, the portions of the elevations to be illuminated, the luminance levels of the elevations, and the aiming point for any remote light fixture. If only architectural lighting below five foot-candles is proposed, this section or any portion of it may be waived by the director.

4. A brief written narrative which describes the objectives of the lighting.

5. Photometric data, Color Rendering Index (CRI) of all lamps (bulbs), and other descriptive information of the fixtures, and, if applicable or required, designation as Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) "cut-off" fixtures.

6. A computer generated photometric grid showing foot-candle readings every ten feet within the property or site, and ten feet beyond the property lines at a scale specified by the director. Iso foot-candle contour line style plans may be substituted for the photometric grid.

7. For exterior lighting installations within fifty feet of upper level living units, horizontal and vertical projection of photometric data is required.

8. If needed to review proposed exterior lighting installations, the director may require additional information following the initial lighting plan submittal, including but not limited to:

a. Landscaping information that indicates mature tree size;

b. Shrubbery and other vegetation in order to evaluate the long-term and seasonal effectiveness of lighting or screening of lighting.

(Ord. No. 2024-2529, 4-2-2024)

A. Defined. For the purposes of this section, security lighting is defined to include the following: lighting intended to reduce the risk (real or perceived) of personal attack and lighting intended to discourage intruders, vandals, or burglars, and to protect property.

B. Shielded and Aimed. All security lighting fixtures shall be shielded and aimed so that illumination is directed only within the owner's property boundaries and not cast on other areas. In no case shall lighting be directed above a horizontal plane through the top of the lighting fixture, and the fixture shall include shields that prevent the light source or lens from being visible from adjacent properties and roadways. The use of general floodlighting fixtures shall be prohibited unless it meets the shielding requirements of this section.

C. Vertical Surfaces. Security lighting may illuminate vertical surfaces (e.g. building facades and walls) up to a level eight feet above grade or eight feet above the bottoms of doorways or entries, whichever is greater.

D. Pole-Mounted. Security lighting fixtures may be mounted on poles located no less than ten feet from the perimeter of the property boundary.

E. Site Perimeters. Security lights intended to illuminate a perimeter (such as a fence line) shall include motion sensors and be designed to be off unless triggered by an intruder located within five feet of the perimeter. The zone of activation sensors must be within the property boundaries of the property wishing to be illuminated.

F. Timers and Photocells. Security lights shall combine timers with dusk-to-dawn photocells to ensure lights are on only when it is dark.

G. Requirements. In addition to the application materials set forth in the general provisions of this section, applications for security lighting installations shall include a written description of the need for and purposes of the security lighting, a site plan showing the area to be secured and the location of all security lighting fixtures, specifications of all fixtures, the horizontal and vertical angles in which light will be directed, and adequate cross-sections showing how light will be directed only onto the area to be secured.

(Ord. No. 2024-2529, 4-2-2024)

Architectural features may be illuminated by uplighting, provided that the light is effectively contained by the structure, the lamps are low intensity to produce a subtle lighting effect, and no glare or light trespass is produced. For national flags, statues, public art, or other objects that cannot be illuminated with down lighting, upward lighting may only be used in the form of two narrow-cone spotlights that confine the illumination to the object of interest.

(Ord. No. 2024-2529, 4-2-2024)

A. For Uses Within Fifty Feet of Residential Zones.

1. Lighting poles shall be no taller than twenty feet.

2. Lighting fixtures shall be aimed and shielded in a manner that shall not direct illumination on adjacent residential zones. Fixtures shall be of a type or adequately shielded to prevent glare from normal viewing angles.

3. At the discretion of the review authority and, where feasible, additional landscaping may be used to provide light screening between commercial zones and residential zones to help prevent light trespass. Where landscaping is used for light screening, the director shall take into consideration the applicable landscaping standards, the design standards, the creation of excessive shadows or dark spaces, and views into and out of a site.

(Ord. No. 2024-2529, 4-2-2024)

A. Standards.

1. Parking lots shall comply with the standards of this chapter in addition to the other requirements of this title.

2. Parking lot lighting shall be designed to provide for uniform lighting throughout the facility with no dark patches or pockets.

3. Parking lot lighting shall be designed to provide sufficient lighting to identify parking features and provide pedestrian safety.

4. In order to direct light downward and minimize the amount of light spilled into the dark night sky, all lighting fixtures serving parking lots, shall be full cut-off fixtures as defined by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA).

5. The maximum permissible mounting height of all parking lot lighting shall be thirty feet unless otherwise specified in this chapter.

(Ord. No. 2024-2529, 4-2-2024)

A. Events and Special Activities.

1. Lighting levels and pole heights for outdoor performance, sports, and recreation facilities shall not exceed by more than five percent of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America published standards for the proposed activity.

2. Where playing fields or other special activity areas are to be illuminated, lighting fixtures shall be specified, mounted, aimed and shielded so that their beams fall within the primary playing area and immediate surroundings, and so that no direct illumination is directed off the site.

3. The main lighting shall be turned off as soon as possible following the end of the event. The main lighting shall not remain on longer than thirty minutes following the end of the event. Where feasible, a low level lighting system shall be used to facilitate patrons leaving the facility, cleanup, nighttime maintenance and other closing activities. The low level lighting system shall provide a horizontal illumination level at grade of no more than four foot-candles.

(Ord. No. 2024-2529, 4-2-2024)

In all multi-unit attached residential developments, light fixtures for walks, steps, parking areas, driveways, on-site streets, and other facilities shall be provided in keeping with the type of development and at locations to assure safe and convenient nighttime use. Fixtures shall be designed in keeping with the project and shall be properly shaded to screen the windows of habitable rooms from the direct rays of light. All outdoor lighting shall be so shielded and adjusted that the light is directed to fall only on the same premises upon which the light source is located. All outdoor security and safety lighting shall be installed in accordance with the standards in this chapter.

(Ord. No. 2024-2529, 4-2-2024)

A. Standards.

1. Protective security lighting, landscape lighting or architectural highlighting, properly directed and shielded, may be operated at all hours of the night.

2. Luminaires providing outdoor lighting and permanently mounted to a residential building or to other buildings on the same lot are allowed.

3. Motion sensors with integral photo-control area and high-efficacy dust-to-dawn lighting are encouraged.

4. Permanently installed luminaires in or around swimming pools, water features, or other locations subject to Article 680 of the California Electrical Code need not be high-efficacy luminaires.

5. Lighting for single-family residential uses shall be directed to fall only on the same premises upon which the light source is located.

6. Floodlighting is discouraged, and if used, must be shielded to prevent:

a. Disability glare for drivers or pedestrians;

b. Light trespass beyond the property line; and

c. Light above a horizontal plane. "Wallpack" type fixtures are not permitted.

(Ord. No. 2024-2529, 4-2-2024)