Lighting Regulations in Lordstown, Ohio: A Practical Guide to Municipal Requirements

Introduction

Lordstown, Ohio, with its rich industrial heritage and deep connections to the automotive industry, stands as a testament to the balance between industrial development and community living. Established in the early 19th century and gaining prominence with the General Motors Lordstown Assembly plant in 1966, this village of approximately 3,300 residents has developed regulatory frameworks that reflect its practical, industrial character while maintaining quality of life for residents.

Lighting regulations in Lordstown are designed to support both the village's industrial needs and residential comfort. These regulations, while not extensive, focus on safety, practical functionality, and minimizing disruption - values that align with Lordstown's pragmatic approach to community development.

Quick Reference Guide

• Street Lighting: Must be designed to minimize light pollution
• Industrial Areas: No direct or reflected glare permitted beyond industrial district boundaries
• Signs: Must emit constant intensity light only (no flashing, intermittent, rotating, or moving lights)
• Construction Sites: Excavations require warning lights at night for safety
• Public Facilities: The Parks, Grounds and Buildings Superintendent handles exterior lighting maintenance
• Recreational Areas: Seasonal lighting provided for tennis and basketball courts
• Utility Planning: Street lighting must be coordinated with utility easements

Street Lighting Requirements

Design and Environmental Considerations

Street lighting in Lordstown must be designed with appropriate lamps and reflectors to minimize light pollution. This requirement demonstrates the village's consideration for both practical illumination and environmental impact.

Administrative Requirements

The regulations specify that developers must:

• Cooperate with the Village and local electric utility
• Establish a "Street Lighting District" in accordance with Chapter 515 of the Ohio Revised Code
• Ensure compliance with Village of Lordstown policy and standards

Utility Coordination

The code notes that street lighting is considered among essential utilities alongside water, sanitary sewer, storm water, electric power, natural gas, cable television, and telephone services. However, regulations also specify that "no light poles shall be erected over top of the sanitary sewer or water line."

Sign Illumination Standards

Permitted Lighting Types

Lordstown's code takes a firm stance on sign illumination, requiring that:

• Any illuminated sign or lighting device shall employ only light emitting a constant intensity
• No sign shall be illuminated by or contain flashing, intermittent, rotating, or moving light

Safety and Nuisance Prevention

The regulations explicitly prohibit directing illumination in ways that would:

• Cause glare or reflection onto public thoroughfares, highways, or sidewalks
• Create a traffic hazard
• Constitute a nuisance to adjacent properties

This demonstrates the village's focus on maintaining safety while allowing appropriate business signage.

Industrial and Commercial Lighting Controls

Glare Prevention

For industrial districts, the code is clear: "No direct or reflected glare shall be permitted which is visible from any property outside an industrial district or from any street." This requirement helps maintain compatibility between industrial areas and neighboring properties.

Site Plan Requirements

For various developments including commercial properties, eating establishments, residential apartments, and multiple dwellings, site plans must include:

• Location and dimension of illumination facilities
• Details of parking area illumination
• Designs of lighting facilities

Environmental Protection

The code specifically mentions protection of abutting properties from "undue disturbances caused by excessive or unreasonable... glare," among other potential nuisances.

Safety and Warning Lights

Construction and Excavation Sites

Lordstown regulations require that:

• Excavations, wells, cesspools or structures under construction must be adequately protected by warning devices or lights at night
• These precautions must ensure conditions will not "reasonably prove dangerous to life or limb"

Protection of Safety Lighting

The village code prohibits:

• Destroying, removing, damaging or extinguishing barricades or warning lights placed for public protection
• Interfering with, molesting, injuring, breaking, marring or disfiguring any street lamp or lamppost within the Village

Recreational Facility Lighting

The code provides seasonal lighting for recreational purposes, specifically noting that:

• Lighting for tennis and basketball courts is provided beginning the first Monday of June
• This lighting continues until the third Friday in September
• This seasonal approach balances recreational needs with energy conservation

Public Facility Maintenance

The Parks, Grounds and Buildings Superintendent is responsible for:

• Replacing exterior lighting as part of general maintenance
• Ensuring proper illumination of public facilities
• Maintaining lighting infrastructure in village-owned properties

What Property Owners Should Know

Planning Considerations

When developing property in Lordstown, remember to:

• Include lighting details in your site plan submissions
• Ensure compliance with glare prevention requirements
• Coordinate street lighting with other utilities
• Avoid placing light poles over water or sewer lines

Sign Installation Guidelines

If you're planning to install illuminated signage:

• Ensure constant light intensity
• Avoid any flashing, moving, or intermittent lighting
• Direct illumination away from roadways and neighboring properties
• Verify compliance before installation to avoid potential violations

Construction Site Requirements

During construction activities:

• Properly illuminate all excavations and construction hazards at night
• Maintain warning lights in good working order
• Understand that damaging or removing safety lighting is prohibited

Supporting Lordstown's Lighting Vision

Bock Lighting, with roots in Northeast Ohio dating back to 1918, understands the unique character of industrial communities like Lordstown. We recognize the village's practical approach to lighting that balances industrial functionality with residential quality of life.

Our experience working with communities that have strong industrial heritage helps us appreciate Lordstown's lighting priorities - safety, functionality, and minimizing disturbance. We share the village's commitment to practical solutions that serve both businesses and residents.

As a regional manufacturer, Bock Lighting has supported many Northeast Ohio communities in navigating lighting regulations. We understand the importance of having lighting that serves industrial needs while respecting neighboring properties and minimizing unnecessary light pollution.

Our team values the same practical, common-sense approach that Lordstown embodies in its regulations, and we're committed to being a resource for community members seeking to understand and implement these standards.

Conclusion

Lordstown's lighting regulations reflect its pragmatic approach to community development. While not exhaustive, these standards focus on practical concerns like safety, nuisance prevention, and proper planning. They maintain the village's industrial functionality while protecting quality of life for residents.

For specific questions about compliance with Lordstown's lighting requirements, property owners should consult with the village planning department. As lighting needs and technologies evolve, Lordstown continues to maintain standards that serve its unique character as a community that balances industrial strength with residential comfort.