CC SR 20221101 D - Lighting Code Amendment ZoningCITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 11/01/2022
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to adopt Ordinance No. 667 amending
Sections 17.56.030 (Outdoor lighting for residential uses) and 17.56.040 (Outdoor
lighting for nonresidential uses) of Chapter 17.56 (Environmental protection) of Article
IV (Use and development standards), and Chapter 17.96 (Definitions) of Article VIII
(Administration) of Title 17 (Zoning) of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal
Code related to the measurement of light sources and light standard/pole height
(Case No. PLCA2022-0002).
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1)Adopt Ordinance No. 667, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS
VERDES AMENDING SECTIONS 17.56.030 (OUTDOOR LIGHTING FOR
RESIDENTIAL USES) AND 17.56.040 (OUTDOOR LIGHTING FOR
NONRESIDENTIAL USES) OF CHAPTER 17.56 (ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION) OF ARTICLE IV (USE AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS),
AND CHAPTER 17.96 (DEFINITIONS) OF ARTICLE VIII (ADMINISTRATION),
OF TITLE 17 (ZONING) OF THE RANCHO PALOS VERDES MUNICIPAL CODE
RELATED TO THE MEASUREMENT OF LIGHT SOURCES AND LIGHT
STANDARD/POLE HEIGHT (CASE NO. PLCA2022-0002).
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Steven Giang, Associate Planner
Octavio Silva, Deputy Director of Community Development
REVIEWED BY: Ken Rukavina, Director of Community Development
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A.Ordinance No. 667 (page A-1)
To view the October 18, 2022, City Council staff report, click on the following link:
https://rpv.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=5&clip_id=4243&meta_id=107615
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RANCHO PALOS VERDES
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
On October 18, 2022, Ordinance No. 667 (Attachment A) was presented to the City
Council and introduced for first reading. Ordinance No. 667 amends development
standards and implementation measures in Chapters 17.56 (Environmental Protection)
and 17.96 (Definitions) of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code (RPVMC). More
specifically, the amendments update the City’s measure of lighting standards from watts
to lumens in residential areas, increase the light standard/pole height from 10 to 16 feet
in non-residential zones, and adds the definition of “lumen” to the RPVMC.
This evening, Ordinance No. 667 is presented for its second reading and adoption. If
adopted, the ordinance will go into effect after 30 days from the date of adoption.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Direct Staff to revise Ordinance No. 667 for re-introduction and/or second reading
at a future City Council meeting.
2. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
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Ordinance No. 667
Page 1 of 6
ORDINANCE NO. 667
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
AMENDING SECTIONS 17.56.030 (OUTDOOR LIGHTING FOR
RESIDENTIAL USES) AND 17.56.040 (OUTDOOR LIGHTING FOR
NONRESIDENTIAL USES) OF CHAPTER 17.56 (ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION) OF ARTICLE IV (USE AND DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS), AND ADDING SECTION 17.96.1154 (LUMEN) TO
CHAPTER 17.96 (DEFINITIONS) OF ARTICLE VIII
(ADMINISTRATION), OF TITLE 17 (ZONING) OF THE RANCHO
PALOS VERDES MUNICIPAL CODE RELATED TO THE
MEASUREMENT OF LIGHT SOURCES AND LIGHT
STANDARD/POLE HEIGHT (CASE NO. PLCA2022-0002)
WHEREAS, Chapter 17.56 (Environmental Protection) of the Rancho Palos
Verdes Municipal Code (RPVMC) is intended to establish policies, regulations, and
standards necessary to ensure the protection of properties and person s from
environmental nuisances and hazards, and sets tolerance levels for adverse
environmental effects created by any use or development of land , including the
establishment of the lighting regulations; and
WHEREAS, on March 1, 2022, the City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes
initiated code amendment proceedings to amend Chapter 17.56 (Environmental
Protection) to provide updates to the City’s lighting development standards ; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that measuring the brightness of lights in terms
of wattage no longer provides an accurate measurement, as wattage is a measurement
of energy consumption rather than brightness, and modern lights are more energy
efficient and can be therefore much brighter than traditional incandescent lightbulbs while
using the same or less wattage; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that increasing the maximum height of light
standards/poles will allow property owners of nonresidential properties to better
coordinate and collocate on-site security systems and cameras; and the increase in the
height of light standards/poles will reduce the proliferation of such fixtures, as fewer
fixtures will be required to illuminate the same area; and
WHEREAS, on July 26, 2022, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed public
hearing, and adopted P.C. Resolution No. 2022-10, recommending that the City Council
adopt this ordinance, and finding the code amendment exempt from CEQA pursuant to
Section 15061(b)(3) because it consists only of minor revisions and clarifications to an
existing zoning code and will not have the effect of deleting or substantially changing any
regulatory standards or findings. The proposed ordinance is an action that does not have
the potential to cause significant effects on the environment, but rather will clarify existing
lighting regulations throughout the City; and
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Ordinance No. 667
Page 2 of 6
WHEREAS, on October 1, 2022, a public notice was published in the Daily Breeze
and sent out to interested parties, announcing code amendment proceedings to be
considered by the City Council on October 18, 2022, pursuant to the requirements of the
RPVMC; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has duly considered all information presented to it,
including the Planning Commission findings, P.C. Resolution No. 2022-10, written staff
reports, and any testimony provided at the public hearing.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS
VERDES DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The facts set forth in the Recitals are true and correct, and are
incorporated herein by reference.
Section 2. Section 17.56.040 (Outdoor lighting for nonresidential uses) of Chapter
17.56 (Environmental Protection) of Article IV (Use and Development Standards) of Title
17 (Zoning) is amended to read:
17.56.030 - Outdoor lighting for residential uses.
No outdoor lighting shall hereafter be installed or used in the single -family
residential (RS) or multiple-family residential (RM) zones, except in accordance with the
provisions of this section.
A. Except as hereinafter provided, no outdoor lighting shall be permitted where
the light source is directed toward or results in direct illumination of a parcel
of property or properties other than that upon which such light source is
physically located.
Individual, nonreflector, light bulbs, not exceeding 2,200 lumens each, or an
aggregate of 16,000 lumens for each lot or parcel shall be permitted. On
lots exceeding 15,000 square feet, an additional 1,600 lumens in the
aggregate shall be permitted for each 1,500 square feet of area or major
fraction thereof, by which the lot or parcel exceeds 15,000 square feet;
provided, that in no event shall the aggregate exceed 32,000 lumens. As
used herein, the term "lumen" is irrespective of the voltage.
B. No outdoor lighting shall be permitted where the light source or fixture, if
located on a building, above the line of the eaves, or if located on a standard
or pole, more than ten feet above grade.
C. Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, outdoor lighting may be
installed and used in a manner not permitted by this section upon the
issuance of a conditional use permit pursuant to Chapter 17.60 (Conditional
Use Permits).
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Ordinance No. 667
Page 3 of 6
Section 3: Section 17.56.040 (Outdoor lighting for nonresidential uses) of
Chapter 17.56 (Environmental Protection) of Article IV (Use and Development Standards)
of Title 17 (Zoning) is amended to read:
17.56.040 - Outdoor lighting for nonresidential uses.
A. In order to protect the semi-rural character of the city and reduce excessive
glare, light trespass, or over-lighting, no outdoor lighting shall be installed in
any nonresidential district, including city parks and city facilities, except in
accordance with the provisions of this section.
B. Prior to installation of any new lighting, a lighting plan shall be reviewed and
approved by the director. Said lighting plan shall include a photometric plan
identifying the areas designed and intended for lighting, and indicating the
maximum illumination levels of less than a 0.01 foot candles at all property
lines. Additionally, the lighting plan shall provide lighting descriptions,
including manufacturers catalog specifications, for all proposed light
fixtures, lamps and poles. The lighting plan shall be prepared by a lighting
contractor, and shall include the location, height, number of lights on the
entire property, lumens of each light bulb, and shall be in conformance with
the following standards and criteria:
1. Fixture Orientation. No outdoor lighting shall be permitted where the
light source is directed toward or results in direct illumination of a
parcel of property or properties, other than that upon which such light
source is physically located. Accent lighting of buildings, trees or
other landscape features may be permitted, provided the lighting
only accentuates those individual features, and not an entire
structure or landscaped area. Said accent lighting shall be directed
onto the building façade or tree, with no spillover beyond the façade
of the building or tree, and all lighting fixtures shall be fully shielded
and mounted as close as possible to the architectural feature of the
building or tree being illuminated.
2. Illumination Limits. No one fixture or luminaire shall exceed 1,600
lumens. Accent lighting described in subsection (B)(1) above shall
not exceed 800 lumens.
3. Correlated Color Temperature (CCT). All outdoor lighting shall be of
a low color temperature, commonly referred to as neutral or warm
color temperature. The maximum CCT for each luminaire shall not
exceed 4,000 Kelvin (K). Outdoor lights that exceed 4,000 K.,
commonly referred to as cool color temperatures, are strictly
prohibited.
4. Fixture Height. No outdoor lighting shall be permitted where the light
source or fixture, if located on a building, is above the line of the
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Ordinance No. 667
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eaves. If the light source or fixture is located on a building with no
eaves, or if located on a standard or pole, the light source or fixture
shall not be more than sixteen feet above existing grade, adjacent to
the building or pole.
5. Light Trespass. The maximum illumination level at any property line
shall be less than a 0.01 foot candle, as measured at grade. Light
trespass that results in glare to neighboring properties or
public/private streets is prohibited unless the director determines that
there is no other alternative to provide security lighting required by
the California Building Code, or approves the use of alarm or motion -
activated security lighting. For the purposes of this section, "glare"
means stray, unshielded light striking the eye that results in
discomfort glare, such as bright light causing squinting of the eyes;
and/or disabling glare, such as bright light that reduces the ability to
drive or see into shadows in certain instances where the glare from
a light fixture will create an impact to neighboring properties or
public/private streets, the applicant shall be required to comply with
these standards to the fullest extent possible. All estimates or testing
shall be done with the entire facility illuminated.
6. Fixture Types. All light fixtures, including pole-mounted and wall-
mounted light fixtures, shall be fully shielded so that the light bulb is
not visible from the adjacent neighbors or streets. Said light fixtures
shall be "cut-off" where lenses, refractors or lamp sources do not
extend below the surface of the fixture housing, and no light shall be
directed at or above the lowest horizontal plane of the light fixture, as
depicted in the examples established by this section, or as approved
by the director. Louvered light fixtures shall not qualify as fully
shielded fixtures.
7. Extinguishment of Lights. With the exception of approved security
lighting, or operational lighting conditions approved through a
conditional use permit, all exterior lighting and parking lot lighting
shall be extinguished by 10:00 p.m.
C. Exemptions. The following outdoor lights shall be exempted from the
requirements of this section:
1. Temporary construction or emergency lighting.
2. Holiday lighting.
3. Exterior lighting for a temporary activity that is permitted through a
special use permit, pursuant to Chapter 17.62 (Special Use Permits).
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Ordinance No. 667
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4. Low voltage, landscape lighting that does not require a permit from
building and safety.
D. The planning commission may approve deviations which exceed the
standards set forth in subsections 17.56.040(A)(1) through (A)(4) of this
chapter when the planning commission finds that such deviations are
required for public safety, pursuant to the California Building Code. Said
lighting shall be depicted on a "security lighting plan" that is reviewed and
approved by the planning commission through a site plan review
application, prior to installation of said security lighting.
Section 4. Section 17.96.1154 (Lumen) of Chapter 17.96 (Definitions) of Article
VIII (Administration) of Title 17 (Zoning) is added to read:
17.96.1154 – Lumen.
“Lumen” means the unit of measure used to quantify the amount of visible light
produced by a lamp or emitted from a luminaire (as distinct from “watt,” a measure of
power consumption). By way of example, a standard 100-watt incandescent lightbulb
provides 1,600 lumens of brightness.
Section 5. The City Council finds that this Ordinance is exempt from the
requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because: (1) it does not
constitute a “project” under CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(2), in that it constitutes
general policy and procedure making; (2) it does not constitute a “project” under CEQA
Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5) in that it has no potential for resulting in physical change
to the environment, either directly or indirectly; and (3) in the alternative, it is exempt from
CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(2), since the activity will not result
in direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and
Section 15061(b)(3), since it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this
Ordinance will have a significant effect on the environment .
Section 6. Severability. If any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph,
sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance or its application to any person or
circumstance, is for any reason held to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of
competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or
enforceability of the remaining sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs,
sentences, clauses or phrases of this Ordinance, or its application to any other person or
circumstance. The City Council declares that it would have adopted each section,
subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause, phrase hereof, irrespective of the
fact that any one or more sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences,
clauses or phrases hereof be declared invalid or unenforceable.
Section 7. Certification and Posting. The City Clerk shall cause this Ordinance to
be posted in three (3) public places in the City within fifteen (15) days after its passage,
in accordance with the provisions of Section 36933 of the Government Code. The City
Clerk shall further certify to the adoption and posting of this Ordinance, and shall cause
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Ordinance No. 667
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this Ordinance and its certification, together with proof of posting, to be entered in the
Book of Ordinances of the Council of this City.
Section 8. This Ordinance shall take effect 30 days after its adoption.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 1st day of November, 2022.
______________________________
David L. Bradley, Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________
Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
I, Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, do hereby certify that
the whole number of members of the City Council of said City is five; that the foregoing
Ordinance No. 667 passed first reading on October 18, 2022, was duly adopted by the
City Council of said City at a regular meeting thereof held on November 1, 2022, and that
the same was passed and adopted by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
_______________________
City Clerk
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