EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

Omaha Municipal Code ch. 44, art. V, div. 5

in effect

Omaha Municipal Code § 44-234 Definitions.

Sec. 44-234. - Definitions. Adjacent means any property contiguous with the property line of the subject property excluding City of Omaha public rights-of-way. Cutoff (of a luminaire) means the angle, measured up from nadir, between the vertical axis and the first line of sight at which the bare source is not visible. Footcandle (fc) means a measure of illuminance or a measure of how bright a light appears to the eye. 1 footcandle is equal to 1 lumin/ft 2 or 10.76 lx. For example, a typical 60-watt incandescent lamp (840 lumens) produces an illuminance of 0.1 footcandles at a distance of about 25 feet. Glare means the function of directly viewing a lamp (light source) within a luminaire and a high contrast with the immediate surroundings that exceeds 100 footcandles. The sensation produced by luminances within the visual field that are sufficiently greater than the luminances to which the eyes are adapted. Luminaire means a complete lighting unit including the lamps, together with the parts required to distribute the light, to position and protect the lamps, and to connect the lamps to the power supply. Nadir means the point directly below the luminaire when the luminaire is pointed down (0-deg. angle). Example: [image omitted; see the official code] Nadir Photometric calculation means maximum horizontal footcandles, minimum horizontal footcandles, average maintained footcandles, average/minimum ratio and point by point footcandles across the site and 20 feet beyond the property line showing ½ footcandle contour line for adjacent residential properties or one footcandle contour line for public ways and all other adjacent properties. Residential zoning district means Zone R-1 through R-8 and MH as defined in Chapter 55 of the Omaha Municipal Code and any amendatory provisions impacting upon such current zoning designations. (Ord. No. 36203, § 2, 3-25-03)

Omaha Municipal Code § 44-235 General.

Sec. 44-235. - General. It shall be unlawful to erect or maintain any exterior lighting within the zoning jurisdiction of the City of Omaha in violation of this division. The intent of this division is to provide rules for all exterior lighting, and to ensure adequate and safe lighting without creating an adverse impact upon adjacent properties and public ways. (Ord. No. 36203, § 2, 3-25-03)

Omaha Municipal Code § 44-236 References.

Sec. 44-236. - References. All references to IES shall be in accordance with the Ninth Edition of the Illumination Engineering Society of North America (IES) "Lighting Handbook." (Ord. No. 36203, § 2, 3-25-03)

Omaha Municipal Code § 44-237 Exceptions.

Sec. 44-237. - Exceptions. This division shall not apply to the following: (a) All lighting around and on airport property shall be exempt from these standards. Airport lighting requires special considerations and shall be controlled by the airport authority. (b) Public street lighting. (c) Any lighting or traffic lighting used expressly for public safety. (d) Electric utility lighting installed for the purpose of communications, metering, generation, control, transformation, transmission or distribution of electric energy. (e) Temporary lighting used for seasonal/holiday or special events. (f) Construction lighting (g) Sports and athletic field lighting, if such lighting complies with the provisions of this subsection (g) as follows: The electrical official may approve deviations from the standards in this division for sports and athletic fields: provided, that the lighting for such fields shall meet the following minimum standards. 1. Light fixtures shall not exceed 80 feet in mounting height, including bases and other mounting fixtures, without the written permission of the electrical official; 2. Lighting fixtures shall be designed and aimed so that their beams fall within the primary playing area and immediate surroundings; 3. Light fixtures shall be extinguished no later than one hour after the event ends. (h) Flag pole lighting. (i) Non-conforming luminaires as described in section 44-244. (Ord. No. 36203, § 2, 3-25-03; Ord. No. 37243, § 1, 12-13-05)

Omaha Municipal Code § 44-238 Lighting.

Sec. 44-238. - Lighting. Exterior lighting systems shall conform to these standards and lighting fixtures shall be so positioned so as to direct lighting away from the immediately abutting residential properties and public ways. All light fixtures must be properly maintained so as to prevent flickering of any light source. (Ord. No. 36203, § 2, 3-25-03)

Omaha Municipal Code § 44-239 Building facades or roofs.

Sec. 44-239. - Building facades or roofs. Lighting of building facades or roofs shall be located, aimed and/or shielded so that light is directed only onto the facade, the sidewalk immediately below the facade or the roof. (Ord. No. 36203, § 2, 3-25-03)

Omaha Municipal Code § 44-240 Lighting intensity level.

Sec. 44-240. - Lighting intensity level. Illumination levels attributable to the lighting system shall not exceed 0.5 maintained horizontal footcandle nor 2.0 initial vertical footcandles, measured at the closest property line of any permitted or conditional residential use. Illumination levels attributable to the lighting system shall not exceed 1.0 maintained horizontal footcandle nor 4.0 initial vertical footcandles, measured at the closest property line on all other properties except public ways. Vertical footcandles shall be the initial footcandle levels measured at 36 inches above the ground with a meter aimed toward the brightest light bank. (Ord. No. 36203, § 2, 3-25-03)

Omaha Municipal Code § 44-241 Glare control.

Sec. 44-241. - Glare control. All luminaires shall be of the IES "full cutoff" type where zero candela intensity occurs at an angle of 90 degrees above nadir, and all greater angles from nadir. Additionally, the candela per 1,000 lamp lumens shall not numerically exceed 100 or ten percent at an angle of 80 degrees above nadir. This applies to all lateral angles around the luminaire. Notwithstanding this section, noncutoff type luminaires contained in or under canopies over gasoline dispensing units located at convenient stores, service stations or other commercial establishments dispensing gasoline and other commercial fuels shall be allowed. Such noncutoff type luminaires shall however, be subject to all other provisions of this division. Shields may be installed on any non-conforming luminaire to comply with this division. Luminaires that do not exceed 100 watts shall be permitted as non- cutoff fixtures. (Ord. No. 36203, § 2, 3-25-03; Ord. No. 37243, § 2, 12-13-05)

Omaha Municipal Code § 44-242 Severability.

Sec. 44-242. - Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of this division or the application thereof to any person or circumstance shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such order or judgment shall be confined in its operation to the controversy in which it was rendered and shall not effect or invalidate this division as applied to any other person or circumstance. (Ord. No. 36203, § 2, 3-25-03)

Omaha Municipal Code § 44-243 Submittals.

Sec. 44-243. - Submittals. Building permit applications including the installation of outdoor lighting fixtures shall provide appropriate lighting placement plans, photometric calculations, and fixture specifications within the permit application. A lighting plan shall not be required when three or fewer fixtures are installed that do not increase adjacent lighting levels. (Ord. No. 36203, § 2, 3-25-03)

Omaha Municipal Code § 44-244 Non-conforming luminaires.

Sec. 44-244. - Non-conforming luminaires. (a) Lawful luminaires in existence immediately prior to the effective date of this division shall be exempt from the standards of this division for a period of 17 years. Such fixtures may be repaired, maintained or replaced without being subject to this division. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, lawful luminaires in existence on the effective date of this division shall be subject to the provisions of section 44-244(b) below. (b) Lawful luminaires existing immediately prior to the effective date of this division which are located on single family residential property adjacent to single family residential property and commercially zoned property adjacent to residential property or public ways shall be unlawful and may be declared a public nuisance after a complaint filed by an adjacent residential property owner or the City of Omaha and if they meet any one of the following criteria: (1) Exceed one horizontal footcandle at the property line, exclusive of streetlights and other exterior lighting sources at the residential property line; or (2) Direct a concentrated beam of light to a point beyond the property line; or (3) Create glare because the fixture is not a cut-off style luminaire. If it is determined that such non conforming luminaires are unlawful or a nuisance, they shall be altered by either replacement with conforming luminaires, shielding, landscaping, berms or directional modifications or controls in order to no longer violate the criteria set forth in this section within six months of receiving a written notice of violation from the City of Omaha. The six month cure period shall commence upon receipt of official notice by the property owner of violation of this division. Any complaint to the City of Omaha involving a commercial property which is adjacent to a residential property or public way must be accompanied by a certification by the Electrical Official of the City of Omaha and from a licensed electrical engineer that the lighting does not comply with the provisions of this division. If the citation of violation is accompanied by certifications by the Electrical Official of the City of Omaha and from a licensed electrical engineer, then the property owner receiving the citation and certifications shall be responsible for the reasonable cost of the electrical engineers certification. (Ord. No. 36203, § 2, 3-25-03)

Omaha Municipal Code § 44-245 Interpretation.

Sec. 44-245. - Interpretation. When enforcing the provisions of this division, the City of Omaha shall enforce such provisions in a non-arbitrary and non-discriminatory manner and such enforcement shall be interpreted by the City of Omaha such that ordinary people can understand which acts are prohibited and which acts are allowed by this division. (Ord. No. 36203, § 2, 3-25-03)

Omaha Municipal Code § 44-246 Authorizing provisions.

Sec. 44-246. - Authorizing provisions. This division shall be adopted pursuant to the provisions of section 14-102, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, 1997, 2001. Notwithstanding the fact that this division shall be found within the provisions of Chapter 44, Electricity, appeals from decisions or determinations made by the Electrical Official shall be governed pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 43 of the Omaha Municipal Code. (Ord. No. 36203, § 2, 3-25-03)

Source: City of Omaha, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ne/omaha/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=OMMUCOCHGEORVOII_CH44EL_ARTVELCO_DIV5EXLIFetched: 10/28/2026