Special Uses

El Paso City Code tit. 18, ch. 18.18, art. V

in effect

El Paso City Code § 18.18.150 Recreational facilities.

18.18.150 - Recreational facilities. A. Lighting for outdoor recreation facilities to include city parks as defined in City Code Sections 13.24.010 in lighting zones E1, E2, E3, and E4, shall be considered class 1 (color rendition), as defined in the Lighting Handbook, and shall be exempt from the lumens per acre limits of Section 18.18.080. B. Shielding. In lighting zones E1, E2, E3 and E4, full cutoff is required for outdoor recreation facilities. Football fields, soccer fields, golf courses and baseball diamonds designed for class III or IV levels of play (typically amateur or municipal league, elementary to high school, training, recreational or social levels; cf. Lighting Handbook and Illuminating Engineering Society, NA RP-6 Sports and Recreational Area Lighting publication) or designed for class I and II levels of play (typically college, semi-professional, professional or national levels) shall utilize luminaires with minimal uplight consistent with the illumination constraints of the design. Where full cutoff light fixtures are not required and not utilized, acceptable luminaires shall include those which: 1. Are provided with internal and/or external glare control louvers and installed so as to minimize uplight and offsite light trespass, and 2. Are installed and maintained with aiming angles that permit no greater than five percent of the light emitted by each light fixture to project above the horizontal. C. Illuminance. All lighting installations shall be designed to achieve no greater than the minimal illuminance levels for the activity as recommended by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA). D. Off-site light trespass. The installation shall also limit off-site trespass (outside the parcel containing the recreational facility) to the maximum extent possible consistent with the illumination constraints of the design. For class III and IV levels of play, a design standard of one lux (0.1 fc) at the property line of any residential property at a vertical point five feet above grade, as measurable from any orientation of the measuring device, shall be required. For Class I and II levels of play, a design goal of one and one-half lux (0.15 fc) at the property line of any residential property at a vertical point five feet above grade, as measurable from any orientation of the measuring device, shall be required. E. Engineering design. Every such lighting system shall be designed by a professional engineer currently registered in the State. F. Curfew. All events shall be scheduled so as to complete all activity before the curfew listed in Table 18.18.150. Illumination of the playing field, court or track shall be permitted after the curfew only to conclude a scheduled event that began prior to the curfew that was unable to conclude before the curfew. Table 18.18.150 SPORTS FACILITY AND DISPLAY LOT LIGHTING CURFEWS Lighting Zone E4 | E3 | E2 | E1 11 P.M. | 10 P.M. | 9 P.M. City Parks: 10 PM (1 Oct - 30 April) 11 PM (1 May—30 Sept) | 8 P.M. (Ord. 15996 § A (part), 2005) (Ord. 17171, § 12, 8-18-2009; Ord. No. 17921, § 2, 12-18-2012)

El Paso City Code § 18.18.160 Outdoor display lots.

18.18.160 - Outdoor display lots. A. Lighting for display lots shall be considered class 1 (Color Rendition), and shall be allowed a lumens per acre cap of two million. B. Shielding. All display lot lighting shall utilize a full cutoff system that are installed in a fashion that maintains the full cutoff characteristics. C. Illuminance. Lighting for display lots shall be considered class 1 (color rendition). D. Off-site trespass. The display lot shall limit off-site light trespass (outside the parcel containing the display lot) to a maximum of 0.5 lux (0.05 fc) at the property line of any residential property at a vertical point five feet above grade, as measurable from any orientation of the measuring device, shall be required. E. Engineering design. Every display lot lighting system shall be designed by a professional engineer currently registered in the state. F. Curfew. Display lot lighting exceeding the lumens per acre cap of Section 18.18.080 shall be turned off at the curfew listed in Section 18.18.150 or within thirty minutes after closing of the business, whichever is later. Lighting in the display lot after this time shall be considered class 2 lighting, and shall conform to all restrictions of this Code applicable for class 2 lighting, including the lumens per acre caps in Section 18.18.080. (Ord. 15996 § A (part), 2005) (Ord. 17171, § 13, 8-18-2009)

El Paso City Code § 18.18.170 Service station canopies.

18.18.170 - Service station canopies. A. Lighting class. Lighting for service station canopies shall be considered class 2 lighting (general illumination). B. Shielding. All luminaires mounted on or recessed into the lower surface of service station canopies shall be full cutoff light fixtures and utilize flat lenses. C. Total under-canopy output. The total light output used for illuminating service station canopies, defined as the sum of all under-canopy initial bare-lamp outputs in lumens, shall not exceed forty lumens per square foot of canopy in lighting zone E4, and shall not exceed twenty lumens per square foot in lighting zone E3. All lighting mounted under the canopy, including but not limited to luminaires mounted on the lower surface or recessed into the lower surface of the canopy and any lighting within signage or illuminated panels over the pumps, is to be included toward the total at full initial lumen output. D. Lumen output. The lumen output of lamps mounted on or within the lower surface of a canopy is included toward the lumen caps in Section 18.18.080 and is subject to the provisions contained in the definition of "outdoor light output, total" in Section 18.18.060. Other lighting located under a canopy but not mounted on or within the lower surface is included toward the lumen caps in Section 18.18.080 at full initial output. E. Off-site light trespass. The service station canopy lot shall limit off-site light trespass (outside the parcel containing the service station lot) to a maximum of 0.5 lux (0.05 fc) at the property line of any residential property at a vertical point five feet above grade, as measurable from any orientation of the measuring device, shall be required. (Ord. 15996 § A (part), 2005) (Ord. 17171, § 14, 8-18-2009)

El Paso City Code § 18.18.180 Other lighting on parcels with special uses.

18.18.180 - Other lighting on parcels with special uses. On a property with special uses as listed above, all lighting not directly associated with the special use areas above shall conform to the lighting standards described in this Code, including but not limited to the lamp type and shielding requirements of Section 18.18.070 and the lumens per acre limits of Section 18.18.080. The net acreage for the determination of compliance with Section 18.18.080 shall not include the area of the athletic field or outdoor display lot, as regulated in Section 18.18.160; the area of any service station canopy shall be included in the net acreage. (Ord. 15996 § A (part), 2005) (Ord. 17171, § 15, 8-18-2009)

Source: City of El Paso, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/el_paso/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT18BUCO_CH18.18OULICO_ARTVSPUSFetched: 10/28/2026