Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Outdoor Lighting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council advances update to outdoor lighting code to reflect modern fixtures
Summary
Council approved first reading of an ordinance updating outdoor‑lighting rules: require LED street lamps, measure shielding by lumens, and narrow a ban on laser/entertainment lights so projection beyond a property line is prohibited rather than banning all upward projection.
Veneta staff presented an update to chapter 15 (outdoor lighting) intended to bring municipal code into alignment with modern lighting technology and common practice. The amendments would require LED lamps for public street lighting, replace wattage‑based shielding measures with lumen‑based measurements, and clarify rules governing laser or high‑intensity entertainment lights so that such sources are prohibited only when they project beyond the property boundary and cause nuisance to neighbors.
Staff explained the existing code's prohibition on laser‑source lighting could unintentionally ban modern low‑impact projection ornaments (for example, seasonal house projectors) and proposed language that protects neighboring properties while allowing responsible private use. A council member moved and the council approved the first reading by title only of Ordinance No. 599; the measure will return for subsequent readings and final adoption according to the city's ordinance schedule.
