Councilmember
Michael A. Brown
Councilmember Mary M. Cheh
A BILL IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Councilmembers Mary M. Cheh and Michael A. Brown introduced the
following bill, which was referred to the Committee on ______.
To require a report regarding standards for outdoor light fixtures in
the District, which standards, will minimize light pollution, energy
waste, and improve public safety.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act
may be cited as the "Smart Lighting Act of 2009".
Sec. 2. Findings and purposes.
The Council finds that:
(1) The use of unshielded light fixtures and excessive lighting
intensity:
(A) Jeopardizes human life and property because it produces glare,
reducing visual acuity and distracting drivers, bicyclists, and
pedestrians;
(B) Causes excessive consumption of electricity, resulting in greater
amounts of spending and air pollution than necessary;
(C) Increases safety risks by keeping human eyes from properly
adjusting for night vision;
(D) Causes other human health impact, including contributing to
insomnia and, by interrupting the human body's production of melatonin,
possibly increasing the risk of certain cancers;
(E) Affects worker productivity by causing discomfort and
distraction;
(F) Interrupts animals' breeding cycles and migration patterns by
disorienting their sense of direction; and
(G) Detracts from the aesthetic beauty of not only the night sky, but
the District's local environment.
(2) The deliberate regulation of lighting systems is desirable for
purposes of:
(A) Reducing long-term expenditures for lighting systems;
(B) Increasing the popularity and aesthetic beauty of the District's
tourist destinations, residential neighborhoods, and nightlife areas;
and
(C) Restoring the view of the cosmic natural beauty of the night sky.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
(a) "Most Subtle Fixture" or "MSF" means a light
fixture that is fully shielded and emits no more lumens than necessary and
practical to serve its purpose.
(b) "Cost-efficiency" means savings of 15%, measured in U.S.
dollars, in the price, over the normal operating life of a light
fixture, accounting for equipment, electricity, and maintenance costs and
the particular purpose and application of the fixture.
(c) "Energy-efficiency" means a savings of at least 15%,
measured in kilowatt hours, in energy consumption over the normal
operating life of a light fixture.
(d) "Fully shielded" means that no bulb in a fixture emits
light above the horizon.
Sec. 4. Smart Lighting Program.
(a) Within 180 days after the effective date of this act, the District
of Columbia Department of the Environment ("DDOE") shall submit
a report to the Council recommending strategies and methods to reduce the
production of luminescence to the lowest amount necessary. The report
shall address:
(1) Amending signage and building code regulations to require the use
of Most Subtle Fixtures;
(2) Requiring the use of Most Subtle Fixtures in connection with all
roads, real estate, and buildings the District of Columbia owns, leases,
operates, maintains, or to which it grants, appropriates, or allocates
public money;
(3) Voluntary programs and practices creating incentives for
residents and property owners in the District to exceed minimum
efficiency standards; and
(4) Specific rules about:
(A) Techniques and standards for measuring illumination, cost efficiency,
and energy-efficiency;
(B) Monitoring compliance with and efficacy of the Act;
(C) Treatment of nonconforming fixtures;
(D) Identification and dissemination of creative and innovative practices,
and technologies consistent with the purpose of this act;
(E) Modified standards that might apply in particular commercial,
historic, or residential areas;
(F) Requiring time-control lighting systems for new midsize
commercial buildings;
(G) Requiring motion-controlled lighting systems for new large
commercial buildings; and
(H) Maximizing the use of natural sunlight in preference to a MSF
in buildings described in paragraph (2) of this subsection.
(b) In producing the report required by subsection (a), DDOE shall:
(1) Consult with civil servants who have technical expertise and work
for the Office of Planning, the Office of Property Management, the
Department of Housing and Community Development, the District Department
of Transportation, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Fire and
Emergency Medical Services Department, and appropriate federal
authorities, including the General Services Administration, the
Architect of the Capitol, and the National Capital Planning Commission;
(2) Evaluate recognized lighting standards including standards
promulgated by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America and
the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design initiative;
(3) Identify specific purposes, locations, and conditions in which
the Most Subtle Fixture should not be mandatory, including:
(A) Temporary nighttime work;
(B) Police and emergency medical services;
(C) A threshold of wattage or luminescence below which it would not
be advisable for the District to regulate;
(D) Antiquated electrical systems;
(E) Where public safety interests cannot be practically satisfied;
(F) Rules and procedures for permitting the use of nonconforming fixtures
at special events;
(G) Highlighting the aesthetic aspects of a single object,
monument, or distinctive building; and
(H) Places regarded by people in danger as safe havens, such as
police and fire stations, health clinics, homeless shelters, and
shelters for battered women.
Sec. 5. Fiscal impact statement.
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report
as the fiscal impact statement required by section 602(c)(3) of the
District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat.
813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(3)).
Sec. 6. Effective date.
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the
event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the
veto), a 30-day period of Congressional review as provided in section
602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved
December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)),
and publication in the District of Columbia Register. |