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Council adopts 2,700K cap for new commercial exterior lighting in first reading
Summary
Council members voted to amend Bill 11066 to require new commercial exterior lighting fixtures to not exceed a correlated color temperature (CCT) of 2,700 Kelvin; the bill passed first reading as amended.
The Kirkwood City Council amended and approved first reading of Bill 11066, an ordinance updating outdoor lighting requirements in Chapter 25 (section 25-52), to limit the correlated color temperature (CCT) of new commercial exterior lighting fixtures to a maximum of 2,700 Kelvin.
A council member moved to add the amendment: "All lighting fixtures shall not exceed a correlated color temperature, CCT, of 2,700 Kelvin." Council discussion clarified the change applies to commercial fixtures where new fixtures are installed (including retrofit projects that replace fixtures), not to streetlights or single-family residences and not to simple bulb replacements when the fixture is unchanged.
Supporters of the 2,700K limit cited glare, light trespass controls and public-health concerns tied to higher color-temperature lighting. Opponents and several council members said higher (e.g., 4,000K or 5,000K) fixtures can offer improved visibility in parking lots, downtown corridors and intersections and can improve color rendering and perceived safety. One council member said lumens (brightness) and fixture shielding are the principal determinants of visibility and safety, not Kelvin alone.
After discussion the amendment passed and the council approved first reading of the bill as amended. Staff noted the code applies to new fixtures in commercial situations and requires a lighting plan for compliance; existing fixtures may remain until replaced.
