Lighting Regulations in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania: Preserving Historical Character While Meeting Modern Needs

Introduction

Ellwood City, with its rich industrial heritage dating back to its founding in 1892, maintains a careful balance between preserving its historical character and meeting modern needs. Named after Isaac Ellwood, a prominent figure in the barbed wire industry, this small but vibrant Pennsylvania borough was once a hub for heavy industries including steel tube mills and foundries.

The lighting regulations in Ellwood City reflect this balance, aiming to provide safety and functionality while respecting the community's unique architectural identity and historical significance. These regulations help maintain Ellwood City's distinctive character while ensuring adequate illumination for residents and businesses.

Quick Reference Guide

• Glare Prevention: Lighting must not cause annoyance to residents or interfere with normal use of adjacent properties
• Sign Illumination: Varies by sign type and zoning district; many signs are limited to external illumination or prohibited from illumination entirely
• Illumination Hours: Signs within 150 feet of a residential zone cannot be illuminated between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.
• Street Lighting: Application required to the Borough for installation with specific rental charge structures
• Development Requirements: Adequate lighting required for streets, driveways, walkways, and parking lots
• Technical Standards: Lighting must conform to Illuminating Engineering Society of America standards

General Lighting Requirements

Preventing Light Nuisances

Ellwood City's regulations specifically prohibit lighting that causes "glare...as to cause annoyance to residents or interference with the normal use of adjacent properties." This provision helps maintain quality of life while ensuring adequate illumination.

Sign Illumination Restrictions

Section 1486.11 outlines several important general requirements for sign illumination:

• Approved Lighting Types: External lighting for signs is limited to:
• Gooseneck lighting
• Panel lighting
• Flood lighting
• Additional options require Borough Council approval
• Internal Illumination Guidelines:
• Internal illumination is restricted to numbers, letters, and associated symbols
• Background illumination is prohibited
• Background/base material must be opaque
• Transparent materials cannot exceed 50% of total sign area
• Time Restrictions: No sign within 150 feet of a residential zone may be illuminated between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.
• Prohibited Features:
• Flashing lights
• Intermittent lights
• Lights of changing intensity
• Placement Consideration: If a sign is located beneath a residential dwelling on the second story, lights must be situated above the sign facing downwards, not beneath the sign facing upwards.

Off-Street Parking and Loading Areas

Any lighting used to illuminate off-street parking or loading areas must be arranged to reflect light away from adjoining premises in any Residential District and away from roads or highways.

Street Lighting Regulations

Application and Installation

Property owners seeking to install street lights or luminaries must apply to the Borough. The regulations specify:

• Rental Structure:
• Initial 5-year contract: Installation, fixture, and maintenance: $15.00 per month Energy charge: $7.00 per month Total approximate charges: $20.00 per month
• Renewal 5-year contract: Maintenance charge: $7.50 per month Energy charge: $5.00 per month Total approximate charges: $12.50 per month
• All property owners must sign the contract during installation
• Failure to pay monthly charges will result in a lien being filed and the street light being removed

• Installation, fixture, and maintenance: $15.00 per month
• Energy charge: $7.00 per month
• Total approximate charges: $20.00 per month

• Maintenance charge: $7.50 per month
• Energy charge: $5.00 per month
• Total approximate charges: $12.50 per month

Protection of Public Property

The regulations strictly prohibit tampering with or defacing street lights or light poles on public grounds. This includes a specific prohibition against attaching newspaper vending machines to light poles without written consent from the Council.

Development and Commercial Lighting Requirements

Site Development Standards

For new developments, Ellwood City requires:

• Adequate lighting for streets, driveways, walkways, and parking lots to ensure safe movement of vehicles and pedestrians at night
• Exterior lighting must be of a design and size compatible with adjacent areas
• Lighting design must comply with the standards of the Illuminating Engineering Society of America
• Street lights must be located at:
• All intersections
• All horizontal curves of 145 degrees or less
• All vertical curves exceeding twelve percent
• Locations necessary for safe pedestrian travel
• Other