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Determination of Outdoor Lighting Zones and Adopted Local Outdoor Lighting Ordinances
2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards

The Energy Commission first adopted Outdoor Lighting Zone requirements in the 2005 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Standards). In the updated 2008 Standards, Section 10-114 was edited to include administrative rules for Energy Commission notification when local jurisdictions adopt specific outdoor lighting levels.

Outdoor Lighting Zones - 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards

A local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) may officially adopt changes to the lighting zone designation of an area by following a public process that allows for formal public notification, review, and comment about the proposed change. For example, the local AHJ may determine areas where Lighting Zone 4 is applicable and may increase or decrease the lighting zones for areas that are in State Default Lighting Zones 1, 2 and 3, as specified in Table 10-114-A of the 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards.

Local AHJs who adopt changes to the State Default Lighting Zones shall notify the Commission by providing the following materials to the Executive Director:

  1. Documentation establishing that the party submitting the notification to the Energy Commission is the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).

  2. A detailed specification of the boundaries of the adopted Outdoor Lighting Zones, consisting of the county name, the city name if any, the zip code(s) of the redesignated areas, and a description of the physical boundaries within each zip code.

  3. A description of the public process that was conducted in adopting the Outdoor Lighting Zone changes, including the dates and publication used for the formal public notification, an explanation of the process conducted to allow review and comment, and a copy of the adopted resolution made by the AHJ.

  4. An explanation of how the adopted Outdoor Lighting Zone changes are consistent with the specifications of Section 10-114.The Commission has the authority to not allow Lighting Zone changes which the Commission finds to be inconsistent with the specifications of Section 10-114 of the Standards.

Adopted Outdoor Lighting Ordinances

Additional lighting power allowances are available when light levels higher than allowed by the Standards are required by law, through a local ordinance officially adopted by the AHJ in accordance with Section 10-114 of the Standards.

The local AHJ may officially adopt specific outdoor light levels, which shall be expressed as average or minimum footcandle levels, by following a public process that allows for formal public notification, review, and comment about the proposed adjustment.

A local AHJ that adopts specific outdoor light levels shall notify the Energy Commission by providing a description of the adopted specific light levels to the Executive Director. The description shall include all of the following details:

  1. Documentation establishing that the party submitting the notification to the Energy Commission is the local Authority Having Jurisdiction.

  2. The minimum or average light levels adopted, and the applications where these light levels apply.

  3. The county name, city name if any, and zip code(s) of all areas covered by the local ordinance.

  4. A description of the public process that was conducted in adopting the specific light levels, including the dates and publications used for the formal public notification, an explanation of the process conducted to allow review and comment, and a copy of the resolution adopted by the AHJ.

  5. An explanation of how the adopted specific outdoor lighting levels are consistent with Section 10-114.

The Standards shall recognize only those light level ordinances that have been officially adopted by a local AHJ and have been reported to the Energy Commission as described above. The Standards shall not recognize minimum light level requirements which have not been properly adopted by the AHJ, even if reported to the Energy Commission, or minimum light level specifications established by other parties, such as retailers or other business.

Outdoor lighting ordinances, which were officially adopted by the AHJ prior to the effective date of the 2008 Standards of January 1, 2010, but were not adopted in compliance with the public process requirements of Section 10-114, have been superseded, and must be re-adopted by the AHJ pursuant to the above requirements in order to be recognized by the Standards. Prior outdoor lighting ordinances that were adopted in accordance with the public process requirements shall be recognized by the Standards only upon submission of the above information to the Energy Commission by the AHJ.



If you have questions about Title 24:

California Energy Commission
Energy Standards Hotline
phone: (916) 654-5106
phone: (800) 772-3300
E-mail: title24@energy.state.ca.us
1516 Ninth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814