CITY OF SANTA FE OUTDOOR LIGHTING ORDINANCE

14-8.9 OUTDOOR LIGHTING

(A) Purpose

The purpose of this section is to regulate outdoor lighting in order to: reduce light pollution; reduce or prevent glare; reduce or prevent light trespass; conserve energy; promote a sense of safety and security; and ensure aesthetically appropriate outdoor lighting in keeping with the character of Santa Fe.

(B) Applicability and General Provisions

(1) All outdoor lighting fixtures installed on private property and on City property after the effective date of this section shall comply. This section does not apply to interior lighting.

(2) All outdoor lighting fixtures existing and legally installed and operative before the effective date of this section are exempt from these requirements.

(3) If a nonconforming fixture is replaced, the replacement fixture shall meet the requirements of this chapter. Modifications to nonconforming fixtures in Historic Districts shall also comply with §14-5.2.

(4) Compliance for single-family residences shall be enforced on a complaint basis.

(5) In the event of a conflict with any other section of this chapter, the more stringent requirement shall apply.

(6) Agencies of the county, state, and federal governments are encouraged to comply with the provisions of this section.

(7) This section does apply to street lighting.

(C) Submittals

(1) Applications for building permits or applications for review by the Historic Design Review Board, which include the installation or replacement of outdoor lighting fixtures for new construction, additions, or remodeling, shall provide evidence of compliance with the requirements of this section. The submittal shall contain the following information:

(a) Plans indicating the location, type, and height of luminaires including both building and ground mounted fixtures;

(b) A description of the luminaires, including lamps, poles or other supports, and shielding devices, which may be provided as catalogue cuts from the manufacturer;

(d) Additional information as may be required by the Planning and Land Use Department in order to determine compliance with this section.

(2) Applications for single-family residential or other projects where no lamp exceeds 160 watts shall not be required to comply with paragraph (1) above.

(D) General Standards

(1) The following type of lamps are permitted and shall be shielded as follows:

Table 14-8.9-1

(Ord. No. 2002-37 § 97)

(2) Illumination levels and uniformity shall be in accordance with current recommended practices of the Illuminating Engineering Society as available from the planning and land use department. Recommended standards of the Illuminating Engineering Society shall not be exceeded.

(3) All outdoor lighting fixtures shall be designed, installed, located and maintained such that nuisance glare onto adjacent properties or streets shall be minimized to the greatest extent practical. Disabling glare onto adjacent properties or streets shall not be permitted. This section may be enforced on the basis of a formal complaint filed in writing with the planning and land use department.

(4) Except for certain structures in the Historic Districts or landmark structures, which are regulated by §14-8.10(H), accent lighting shall be directed onto the building or object and not toward the sky or onto adjacent properties. Direct light emissions shall not be visible above the roof line or beyond the building edge.

(E) Searchlights

Searchlights shall be permitted in the Historic Districts. In and outside Historic Districts searchlights may be approved as a special use permit by the City Manager or his or her designee and shall be operated for no more than three hours and no later than midnight.

(F) Maintenance

It shall be the responsibility of the property owner or tenant to properly maintain illumination levels and required shielding.

(G) Further Restrictions

The City reserves the right to further restrict outdoor lighting, including but not limited to restriction of pole height and level of illumination, when it is deemed to be in the best public interest in keeping with the stated purpose of this section.

(Ord. No. 2001-38 § 2)

TABLE 14-8.9-1: Lamp Types and Required Shielding

The following type of lamps are permitted and shall be shielded as follows:

Lamp type	required shielding
low pressure sodium	yes
high pressure sodium	yes
metal halide	yes
mercury vapor*	*
fluorescent, quartz-halogen, and incandescent over 160 watts (per fixture)	yes
incandescent 160 watts or less (per fixture)	no
glass tubes filled with neon**, argon, or krypton	no
any light 50 watts or less (per fixture)	no
other sources***	yes

*Mercury vapor shall be permitted only for the purpose of lighting landscaping and shall be limited to 100 watts per fixture. The lamp shall not be visible from public view. For the purposes of this section "public view" shall mean visible to the average person from any public street, way or place. [Note that state law prohibits mercury vapor.]

**Neon is further restricted in historic districts as set forth in Section 14-70.36 SFCC 1987.

***may be approved by the planning and land use director if located outside the historic districts or may be approved by the historic design review board if located inside the historic districts.

updated 2/15/07
City of Santa Fe Planning and Land Use: http://www.santafenm.gov/planning-land-use/index.asp

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