South Waikato District Plan

12 General District Wide Matters

12.6-Light LIGHT

Issues

Poorly designed and directed lighting can cause a nuisance for neighbours, including sleep disturbance, and affect traffic safety. Glare sources such as security lighting and illuminated signs in all zones will therefore be required to meet specified glare standards.

Objectives

LIGHT-O1

To allow adequate opportunities for businesses and industries to provide a range of employment opportunities for the District’s residents, in a manner consistent with the towns’ existing amenity values without any unnecessary barriers to economic advancement.

LIGHT-O2

To provide developments that avoid, remedy or mitigate adverse effects on existing neighbouring land uses and amenity values, while recognising that the location of some activities is often fixed and dependent upon the location of the resources.

Policies

LIGHT-P1

Enable home businesses and a range of non-residential activities in residential areas where the effects of these businesses are consistent with maintaining the character and amenity values of the residential neighbourhoods.

LIGHT-P2

Enable infrastructure development where the associated effects are avoided, remedied or mitigated and the functional requirements of the developer and operator of the network utilities and infrastructure are considered.

LIGHT-P3

Enable the efficient operation and development of the District’s key industrial sites in a manner that will avoid, remedy or mitigate adverse effects on the environment from activities associated with the operation, maintenance, and upgrading of these key industrial sites.

LIGHT-P4

Protect the safety and efficiency of the land transport network from the adverse effects of inappropriate activities located close to State Highways and designated rail corridors.

LIGHT- Rules

LIGHT-R1 PER Activities

Subject to

(1) Any light received at a GRZ, GLZ or GRUZ, where a comparison of the light generated at the source and the component having an effect on the receiver with a threshold increment (TI) of less than 20%

 Effects of lighting are calculated using the procedure in NZS 6701:1983 Sections 6 and 7.

(a) LIGHT-R3(a)-(i)

(b) LIGHT-R4 where relevant

 

LIGHT-R2 RDIS activities

Subject to

(a) Any light received at a GRZ, GLZ or GRUZ, where a comparison of the light generated at the source and the component having an effect on the receiver with a threshold increment (TI) of 20% or greater.

Effects of lighting are calculated using the procedure in NZS 6701:1983 Sections 6 and 7.  

 

Matters of discretion

(a) LIGHT-R3(a)-(i)

(b) LIGHT-R4 where relevant

(c) In assessing applications that have become RDIS activities due to non-compliance with the plan’s standards, but which otherwise would have been PER activities, Council has restricted its discretion over matters related to the effect of allowing non-compliance with the particular standard (or standards) which the proposal has failed to meet. Conditions may be imposed to avoid, remedy or mitigate the effects of non-compliance.

 

LIGHT-R3 Standards

In addition, the effect from the source shall not exceed an absolute increment on the ambient level of light specified in the following clauses:

(a) At no time between the hours of 7.00am and 10.00pm shall any outdoor lighting be used in a manner that causes an added illuminance in excess of 125 lux, measured horizontally or vertically at the boundary of any GRZ, RLZ or GRUZ site adjoining

(b) At no time between the hours of 10.00pm and 7.00am shall any lighting be used in a manner that causes:

(i) An added illuminance in excess of 10 lux measured either horizontally or vertically at the glazing of a habitable room of an adjoining residential unit within a Residential, Rural Lifestyle or Rural Zone

(ii) An added illuminance in excess of 20 lux measured either horizontally or vertically at any point along the boundary of a property zoned GRZ, RLZ or GRUZ.

(iii) Where measurement of any added illuminance cannot be made because any person refuses to turn off lighting, measurements may be made in locations of a similar nature that are not affected by such lighting.

(c) Rules a) and b)ii  above shall not apply to any lighting from sites in the GIZ, or from normal intermittent agricultural practices such as harvesting, measured at sites that are not zoned GRZ.

(d) All lighting on any site adjoining a GRZ, RLZ, or GRUZ zonedsite shall be selected, located, aimed, adjusted and screened to ensure that glare resulting from the lighting does not exceed a TI of 20%.

(e) Lighting of traffic access and parking areas shall be selected, located, aimed, adjusted and screened to ensure that stray light effects resulting from vehicles are mitigated.

(f) No building shall be constructed and/or left unfinished and/or clad in any protective material or cover which could reflect sufficient light to detract from the amenity values of the neighbourhood or cause discomfort to any person resident in the locality.  Material used in the construction or cladding or protection of a building from which discomfort glare is likely to occur should have a reflective value not greater than 20%

(g) Development on all properties adjacent to State Highways should be undertaken in such a way that the emission of light from these properties does not adversely affect the safety of drivers on State Highways in accordance with NZTA policy

Where lighting and glare may affect the safe and efficient operation of any road, including a State Highway, consideration shall be given to Australian Standard 4287–1997 Control of Obtrusive Effects of Outdoor Lighting

(h) Signs shall be constructed to comply with the following levels of luminance:

  • Daytime – 25 lux 
  • Night-time – 10 lux

Luminance levels shall be measured vertically or horizontally anywhere along the affected site boundary in accordance with professional illumination engineering practice or any relevant NZ Standard.

(i) No light source used for illuminating a sign, except for neon and side-emitting fibre optics, shall be visible to motorists on any road or road reserve.

Rules (a) to (h) above specifically exclude the lighting and glare effects generated from street lighting, and from Christmas lights and similar temporary festive illuminations.

LIGHT-R4 Other Plan Matters

The following may also be relevant:

(1) Section 7.1 Energy, 7.2 Infrastructure, 7.3 Transportation

(2) Section 8.1 Contaminated Land, 8.2 Hazardous Substances, 8.3 Natural Hazards

(3) Section 9.1 Historic Heritage, 9.2 Sites and Areas of Significance to Māori

(4) Section 10.1 Ecosystems and Indigenous Biodiversity, 10.2 Natural Character, 10.3 Natural Features and Landscapes, 10.4 Public Access

(5) Chapter 11 Subdivision       

(6) Section 12.1 All Activities

(7) Section 12.2 Activities on the Surface of Water, 12.3 Air Emissions, 12.4 Earthworks, 12.7 Noise, 12.8 Signs, 12.9 Temporary Activities

(8) Part 3- Any relevant zone or overlay

LIGHT- Principal Reasons

LIGHT-PR1

For any light received at GRZ, RLZ or GRUZ properties where a comparison of the light generated at the source and the component having an effect on the receiver with a threshold increment (TI) of 20% or greater is deemed to be glare.

LIGHT- Anticipated Environmental Results

LIGHT-AER1

Safeguarding the amenity levels of GRZ, RLZ and GRUZ from intrusive light and glare, particularly at night.

LIGHT-AER2

Development on all properties is undertaken in such a way that the emission of light from these properties does not adversely affect the safety of drivers on State Highways.