Table of Contents

Outdoor Lighting

The town’s zoning code addresses outdoor lighting (§17.36.030). These provisions are cited by the Texas Dark-Sky Association as an excellent model to guide local ordinance development.

A purpose statement highlights the prevention of lighting nuisances and protection of the night sky.

Applicability provisions address existing lighting, requiring immediate compliance for nuisance lighting and conformance for all other non-conforming lighting. The code lists exemptions to the standards, and provides general requirements that address nuisance prevention, maintenance, lighting levels, lamp types, fixture types, and accent lighting. It details requirements for outdoor lighting plans and lists lighting prohibitions. Specific standards are provided for outdoor sport and recreation facilities, winter snow removal, and energy conservation. Illustrations offer guidance on acceptable lighting practices.

Solar Energy

The town's updated zoning code addresses solar in planned residential development regulations, requiring plans for these developments to protect solar access (Sec. 17.32.090.J.4).

The code allows solar roof paneling to exceed maximum district height limits by 14 feet (Sec. 17.36.060.B.3.b).

The code includes a section on solar access and solar equipment guidelines, which requires developments to preserve solar access as practicable and design roof areas to allow for the installation of solar energy systems, and provides location and installation guidelines for solar collectors (Sec. 17.36.120).

One factor in reviewing tree removal permits is whether the removal of the tree would substantially increase mid-day solar access to a solar collector (Sec. 17.36.140.E.2.b.vi).