17.28.100 - Lighting.
A. Definitions Specific to this Section. When used in this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section. In the event of a conflict between a definition in this section and Section 17.04.060, the definition in this section will control.
"Ambient lighting" means the general overall level of lighting in an area.
"Architectural lighting means outdoor lighting directed at buildings, facades, structures, monuments, and other architectural features.
"Canopy" means a roofed structure with at least one side open for pedestrian and/or vehicle access that typically provides protection from the sun or weather and is associated with providing goods or services.
"Commercial" means any lot, however zoned, in any zoning district that does not have as its primary use a single-family or two-family residential dwelling or land used for agricultural purposes or a townhouse, house court, townhouse court, plex house, or manor house.
"Correlated color temperature (CCT)" means measured in degrees Kelvin (K), the absolute temperature of a blackbody whose chromaticity most nearly resembles that of the light source. For the purpose of this section, "CCT" is used as a simplified way to characterize the spectral properties of a light source and estimate the overall appearance of the light to the human eye.
"Floodlight" means a light designed for lighting a scene or object to a luminance greater than its surroundings.
"Foot-candle" means a unit of measure of illuminance equal to one lumen of light spread over an area of one square foot.
"Full cutoff luminaire" means a luminaire having zero intensity at or above horizontal (90°) and limited to a value not exceeding ten percent of lamp lumens at or above eighty degrees. Such luminaire is determined by a photometric test and certified by the manufacturer. See diagram below:
[image omitted; see the official code]
"Glare" means lighting entering the eye directly from luminaires or indirectly from reflective surfaces that causes visual discomfort or reduced visibility.
"IES" means Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.
"Illuminance" means the total luminous flux incident on a surface, per unit area.
"Illuminance grid plot" means a photometric report indicating the average horizontal illumination delivered to each of the squares of a gridded area illuminated by one or more luminaires.
"Initial lumen" means the measurement of a lamp's lumen output at the time the lamp is burned for the first time. As a light ages, the amount of light produced is reduced.
"Installed height" means the height above grade of the lowest light emitting point of an installed luminaire.
"ISO foot-candle plots" means a plot that graphically represents a particular luminaire's lighting pattern, in illuminance, as the light strikes a horizontal surface. It includes foot-candle calculations shown with the luminaire at various mounting heights. Contour lines are drawn through illuminance values.
"Kelvin" means a unit increment of temperature used as a color temperature scale of a light bulb (see definition of "correlated color temperature (CCT)" in this section).
"LED (light emitting diode)" means an electronic semiconductor device that emits light when an electrical current is passed through it.
"Lamp" means the source of light being emitted from a luminaire, such as a bulb, LED, and/or a refractive pane.
"Light" means electromagnetic radiation within a range of wavelengths sufficient for visual perception by the normal unaided human eye.
"Light level" has the same meaning as Illuminance.
"Light output" means luminous flux (see definition of "luminous flux" in this section). The amount of light which is emitted by a lamp or luminaire.
"Light pole" means a pole on which a luminaire is mounted.
"Light spill" means unwanted transmission of light onto adjacent areas that may affect sensitive receptors such as residential properties or ecological sites.
"Light trespass" means light that falls on property other than that of the owner of the light source.
"Lighting installation" means an arrangement of one or more luminaires including any mounting hardware, brackets, and supporting structures.
"Lighting plan" means an overall plan that describes the outdoor lighting.
"Lumen" means a unit of measure of luminous flux.
"Luminaire, light luminaire" means the complete lighting assembly (including the lamp(s), housing, ballasts, photocells, globes, reflectors or refractors, lenses, sensors and shield(s) and excluding the support assembly or pole, mounting bracket and base) consisting of one or more lamps, together with the attachment parts designed to distribute light, position and connect the lamp to the power supply.
"Luminous flux" means the power emitted from a source of electromagnetic radiation, such as a light bulb, in the form of visible light. Luminous flux is measured in lumens and is typically specified by the manufacturer for a given lamp or luminaire.
"Municipal stadium" means a structure:
1. With seats for not less than thirty thousand spectators;
2. Constructed after July 7, 1977;
3. Used primarily for sporting events and other related activities; and
4. Currently financed or was financed by general obligation bonds, revenue bonds or other indebtedness issued by the metropolitan government or the sports authority.
"Nadir" means the direction pointing directly downward from the light source of the luminaire that originates from a horizontal plane at the lowest point on the luminaire. See diagram above.
"Neon light" means colored fluorescent or gas discharge tubular which can be bent into various forms for use decoratively or as signs.
"New construction," subject to the exemption described in subsection 4 of this definition, means:
1. Site preparation for, and construction of, entirely new structures (including new poles) and subsequent replacement of such new structures or any part thereof.
2. Enlargement of any existing structure by the more restrictive of fifty percent of the area of the footprint of the building or fifty percent of the gross square footage of such existing structure (regardless of the number of other structures on the same site).
3. Adding new exterior lighting fixture(s), pole(s) or other amenity(ies) to existing structure(s) or pole(s) to which such fixture(s) were or are to be attached.
4. New construction does not mean the replacement of lamps in lighting fixtures, poles, or other amenities that existed prior to the passage of this ordinance.
"Open space and open space lot" means a parcel of land in a predominately undeveloped condition that is protected from development.
"Organized sporting event" means a prearranged sports or recreational event involving at least one group or team with a roster and schedule.
"Outdoor lighting" means light generated from an indoor or outdoor source that provides illumination to any exterior surface, building, sign, structure, device, or other outdoor feature (including land) which is visible to an observer located outdoors. For the purposes of this section, the light source inside an internally illuminated sign is not considered outdoor lighting.
"Photometric plan" means a technical plan that will indicate light distribution and the performance of lighting fixtures. It will explain the distribution of the proposed lighting and its effects on the area surrounding the site.
"Playing field" means an open outdoor field or court used for, but not limited to, playing sports such as baseball, soccer, football, tennis, volleyball, and basketball.
"Residential" means any zoning lot in a residential or agricultural zoning district that has as its primary use a single-family home or duplex or a townhouse, house court, townhouse court, plex house, or manor house.
"Street lighting" means one or more luminaires or light installations designed to illuminate a private roadway or intersection.
"Sidewalk lighting" means free-standing lighting for the illumination of sidewalks and walkways.
"Uplighting" means lighting applications which direct light above a horizontal plane.
B. Application of Provisions. This section shall be applicable to the following lighting applications:
1. Residential and Agricultural: All exterior lighting, excluding freestanding floodlights, is subject to subsection E.4 only. Freestanding floodlights shall be subject to subsections E.1.d, E.2, and E.4.
2. Commercial: For new construction only and the subsequent maintenance of all new construction: any outdoor lighting luminaire.
3. Public Utility Rental Lighting: Security lighting installed by the local public utility through a rental program is subject to Sections D, E1,E2, and F.
C. Exempt Outdoor Lighting. The following lighting is exempt from the provisions of these outdoor lighting regulations for new construction in any zoning district as of the effective date hereof, provided such activities are permitted by this title:
1. Temporary lighting for theatrical, television, performance areas and construction sites, specifically excluding upward-facing searchlights used to advertise the location of an event.
2. Lighting that is otherwise required for a life-safety purpose within the Metropolitan Code.
3. Lighting that is only erected or used under emergency conditions.
4. Lighting located within the following Downtown Code Subdistricts: Core Historic, Core, Upper Broadway, 2nd and Broadway, SoBro, except that such lighting shall be subject to the provisions of subsections D.3., D.4., and D.5. of this section.
5. Lighting located at a Municipal Stadium, except that such lighting shall be subject to the provisions of subsections D.3. and D.5. of this section. However, the provisions of D.5. shall not be applicable during an event, game, performance or other organized function at the municipal stadium.
6. Lighting on property owned by the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority and lighting otherwise required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
D. Prohibited Outdoor Lighting. The following lighting shall not be permitted for new construction in any zoning district as of the effective date hereof:
1. Strobe lights and laser lights, including laser light shows and aerial laser lights.
2. Flashing lights unless temporarily triggered by a security system and extinguished within thirty minutes or at a time of security response.
3. Any lighting luminaire that is construed as or confused with a traffic signal or traffic control device.
4. Lighting that contributes to or causes disabling or distracting glare onto a public roadway.
5. The use of uplighting, except when lighting a flag or other government endorsed symbol.
E. Illumination Standards:
1. Light Intensity and Uniformity:
a. The maximum illuminated surface light level at any point outdoor parking lots, automobile convenience stations and drive-in/drive-through canopies is ten foot-candles, measured horizontally at ground level.
b. The total installed initial luminaire lumens of all exterior lighting systems on the site shall not exceed the allowed total initial site lumens. The allowed total initial site lumens shall be the sum of 7,000 base lumens for all entrances and facades plus 2.5 lumens per square foot of hardscape.
c. As an alternative to compliance with the foregoing provisions of this section, an applicant may choose to comply with The International Dark Sky Association (IDA) model legislation of June 2011 (located at https://www.darksky.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/16_MLO_FINAL_JUNE2011.PDF.) except no special permit referenced in section VI.B of the model legislation shall be required. For special uses outlined in section VI.B of the model legislation that cannot comply with the technical requirements, a letter from an engineer licensed with the State of Tennessee shall be submitted to the department of codes administration confirming that the project has sustained reasonable effort to mitigate the effects of light on the environment and surrounding properties, supported by a signed statement describing the mitigation measures. Lighting zones in the model legislation shall correlate to the Transect Category for the site as designated in the Community Plans of NashvilleNext as follows:
T1 Natural | LZ-0
T2 Rural | LZ-1
T3 Suburban | LZ-2
T4 Urban | LZ-2
T5 Center D District | LZ-3
T6 Downtown | LZ-4
d. Light Direction and Control. Lighting applications shall meet the following requirements:
Lighting Application | Maximum Inclination Above Nadir
Architectural lighting | 90 degrees
Floodlighting | 90 degrees
Sidewalk lighting | 90 degrees
2. Correlated Color Temperature (CCT): All lighting sources, except for public playing fields and lighting on public property necessary for the proper functioning of security cameras, must have a correlated color temperature (CCT) at or below three thousand degrees Kelvin (3000° K).
3. Permitted Hours of Outdoor Lighting:
a. Commercial: No more than fifty percent of exterior lighting shall be permitted to be illuminated, or lighting shall be dimmed by thirty percent illuminance except for one hour before start of business, during regular business hours as determined by said business, and one hour following close of business unless exempt for safety or security concerns. Motion detectors may be used to restore lighting to one hundred percent for safety. All outdoor lighting shall be turned off during daylight hours.
b. Property Used for Governmental and Public Purposes: Any zoning lot in any zoning district used for governmental or public purposes, except for street lighting, shall comply with the permitted hours and security lighting limitations for commercial lighting zones. Outdoor lighting of the playing field of an organized sporting event on public property may remain illuminated until one hour after the conclusion of an event.
4. Light Trespass:
a. All site lighting shall be shielded so that substantially all directly emitted light falls within the property line. No illumination in excess of one-half foot-candle shall be permitted across the boundary of any adjacent residential property or the mid-line of a public street.
b. No illumination shall produce direct, incident or reflected light that interferes with the safe movement of motor vehicles on public streets. Lighting prohibited by this provision shall include, but not be limited to any light that may be confused with or construed as a traffic-control device.
c. Rope lighting shall not be used on a building, sign, or any property with non-residential zoning located adjacent to an arterial or collector street as identified on the Major and Collector Street Plan. This provision shall not apply to properties zoned as DTC.
F. Luminaire Standards:
1. Full Cutoff Requirement: All lighting regulated by this chapter shall be full cutoff.
2. Photocell/Timer Requirement for Parking Lot Lights: Parking lot lighting shall include photocells or timers as needed to regulate the hours of operation as required by this chapter and to prevent operation during daylight hours.
3. Canopy Requirement: All canopies must be skirted with a skirt depth of eight inches or greater or use other means to limit light spill to within ten feet of the area covered by the canopy.
G. Procedural Requirements:
1. Plan Submission: For land development, redevelopment and new zoning applications where outdoor lighting is proposed, prior to final approval by Metro Plans Inspection a letter from an engineer licensed with the State of Tennessee shall be submitted to the department of codes administration confirming that the plan complies with the requirements of this section. Engineer review shall be based on the following information:
a. A site plan complete with all structures, parking spaces, building entrances, traffic areas (both vehicular and pedestrian), vegetation that might interfere with lighting, and all adjacent uses. The site plan shall show and identify the location of each existing and proposed luminaire and shall specify its installed height, pole foundations, and method of mounting.
b. Iso-foot-candle plots for individual lighting installations, or ten feet by ten feet illuminance grid plots for multi-luminaire lighting installations which shall demonstrate compliance with all applicable requirements set forth in this chapter. The plots shall indicate the location of each existing and proposed luminaire, the installed height of said luminaires, and the overall light levels in foot-candles and initial lumens on the entire zoning lot and at the property lines.
c. A summary table identifying the maximum and minimum light levels in foot-candles and initial lumens for all, but not limited to, parking areas, street or building entryways, signs, street lighting, canopies, architectural lighting and walkways.
d. A description of each luminaire identified in the site plan including, but not limited to:
i. Manufacturer with website.
ii. Lamp type.
iii. Bulb type including CCT (Kelvin).
iv. Model number.
v. Photograph or catalog cut.
vi. Photometric plan.
vii. Light output in initial lumens.
viii. Shielding or glare reduction devices.
ix. Energy reduction and on/off control devices.
2. Post Approval Alterations: Post approval alterations to lighting plans or intended substitutions for approved lighting equipment shall be submitted to the zoning inspector after review by a qualified engineer at the expense of the applicant and approval prior to issuance of an use and occupancy permit, with all plan submission requirements set forth in this chapter, prior to installation.
3. Inspections: The department of codes administration shall have the right to conduct a post installation inspection to verify compliance with the requirements of this chapter and, if appropriate, to require remedial action within thirty days at the expense of the applicant.
4. Violations of this chapter shall be punishable as provided by Chapter 17.40, Article XIII of the Metropolitan Code.
5. Variances: Variances to the requirements of this chapter may be granted by the board of fire and building code appeals as provided in Chapter 2.80 of the Metropolitan Code.
(Ord. BL2025-1005 § 1(Exh. A), 2025; Ord. BL2022-1088 §§ 2, 3, 2022; Ord. BL2021-974 § 1, 2021; Amdt. 2 to Ord. BL2020-535 § 2, 2021; Ord. BL2020-535 § 2, 2021; Ord. BL2017-903 § 2, 2017; Ord. BL2013-403 § 1, 2013; Ord. 96-555 § 7.2(D), 1997)
