Lighting Regulations in Beach Park, Illinois: Balancing Residential Character with Safety Standards

Introduction

Beach Park, Illinois, may not contain an actual beach or park within its borders, but this charming village in Lake County has cultivated a distinct identity since its incorporation in 1989. Designed as a community free from industrial or commercial development, Beach Park's approach to growth has consistently emphasized preserving its natural surroundings and residential appeal.

The village's proximity to Illinois Beach State Park has influenced its commitment to conservation and minimal commercial development. As Beach Park has grown from 8,468 residents in 1980 to over 13,000 today, its lighting regulations reflect a careful balance between community safety, visibility, and maintaining the area's natural beauty and residential character.

Quick Reference Guide

• Permits Required: All permanent or temporary lighting installations require permits and inspection
• Light Shielding: Exterior lighting must be shielded and directed away from streets and adjacent properties
• Sign Lighting: Non-flashing illumination only; 0.5 foot-candle maximum intensity for electronic signs
• Electronic Signs: Must incorporate automatic dimming (5,000 nits daytime, 500 nits nighttime)
• Street Lighting: Required for all new developments; developers responsible for installation costs

Permit Requirements

Official Approval Process

Before installing any lighting on your property in Beach Park, you must obtain proper authorization. The village code is clear:

• All lighting installations require permits: "No permanent or temporary lighting and/or electrical connections shall be installed without an electrical permit, inspection and approval by the building and zoning administrator, or his designee."

This requirement ensures all lighting installations meet safety standards and community guidelines.

Exterior Lighting Standards

Preventing Light Trespass

Beach Park's regulations focus on preventing nuisance lighting that affects neighbors or passing motorists:

• Directional requirements: "Exterior lighting shall be shielded and directed away from the street or adjacent properties to avoid unnecessary and nuisance illumination to adjacent properties."

Zoning Considerations

Light level limitations vary depending on your property's location:

• District-specific standards: "Limitations on light levels shall be as stated under the zoning ordinance for each underlying zoning district or as specifically required in this chapter."

Business Lighting Requirements

Alcohol-Serving Establishments

Properties with Class C and F licenses (alcohol-related) have specific illumination requirements:

• Minimum wattage: Premises "must illuminate the licensed premises by means of an electric light of at least sixty (60) watts' power located at the rear of the premises and visible from the street."
• Required illumination hours: Lighting is mandatory during hours when alcohol sales are prohibited (midnight to 6:00 AM)
• Interior visibility: "No arrangement of lights or lighting shall be permitted in or about the interior of such premises which prevents full view of the entire interior of such premises from the street or sidewalk"
• Continuous lighting: "All rooms where liquor is sold for consumption upon the premises shall be continuously lighted during business hours by natural light or artificial white light so that all parts of the interior of the premises shall be clearly visible."

Sign Illumination Regulations

Permitted Sign Lighting

Beach Park allows certain types of illuminated signage under specific conditions:

• Promotional signs: Each non-residential lot may have two illuminated promotional signs plus one illuminated "open" sign
• Temporary signage: May be illuminated (non-flashing) in non-residential districts with approval
• Awning lighting: Signs on awnings "shall be affixed flat to the surface thereof, shall be nonelectric and nonflashing, and shall only be illuminated with downcast external lighting"

Prohibited Sign Lighting

Several types of sign illumination are specifically prohibited:

• Traffic signal conflicts: No signs with red, green, or amber illumination in the direct line of vision of traffic signals
• Tubing lighting: Neon, LED tubing, or similar treatments are prohibited except for permitted illuminated window signs
• Window outlines: Neon/LED tubing framing windows is not permitted
• Flashing signs: "No electric or illuminated sign shall be of the flashing or intermittent type"
• Utility attachments: "No sign shall be attached to a tree in any public right of way, utility pole, light, street sign or signal standard or traffic signaling equipment"

Electronic Message Center Requirements

Beach Park has extensive regulations for electronic message centers to prevent distraction and light pollution:

Illumination Standards

• Maximum intensity: "The illumination of the sign shall not exceed an intensity of 0.5 foot-candle as measured with a portable handheld sensor at either the property line or ten feet (10') from the sign, whichever is lesser"
• Automatic dimming: "The sign shall incorporate automatic dimmer software or solar sensors with maximum settings of 5,000 nits during daylight and 500 nits between dusk and dawn"

Content Display Requirements

• No animation: "The message shall not consist of flashing, scintillating, chasing or animated lights, or include animated pictorial graphics"
• Monochromatic display: "Anything displayed on the lines of text on the sign shall be displayed monochromatically, and shall not change in color, intensity, brightness, shade or color gradient"
• Minimum display time: "The copy, logo or display of the sign shall remain static and unchanging for a period of no less than fifteen (15) seconds"

Operation and Maintenance

• Operating hours: "Sign shall only operate between one-half (1/2) hour before the premises are opened, or 6:00 A.M., whichever is earlier and one-half (1/2) hour after the premises is closed to the public, or 11:00 P.M., whichever is later"
• Malfunction response: "If at any time, more than thirty percent (30%) of the display lights malfunction or are no longer working, the owner of the sign shall make repairs within sixty (60) days or the sign will require removal"
• Default mechanism: "All electronic message center signs must be equipped with a default mechanism that will stop the messaging or freeze the image in one position when a malfunction occurs"

Street Lighting Standards

Beach Park's comprehensive street lighting regulations ensure consistency and quality throughout the village.

Development Requirements

• Mandatory installation: Streetlights are required in all developments with new roads, improved existing roads, or other locations as determined by the village
• Developer responsibility: The developer bears all construction costs for street lighting systems

Types of Street Lighting

General Street Lighting

• Standard configuration: Luminaries attached to truss arms on existing or new wood utility poles
• Ownership: Commonwealth Edison Electric Company installs, owns, operates, and maintains the general street lighting system

Special Street Lighting

• Decorative options: Consists of decorative luminaries on decorative poles with concrete foundations
• Application: For planned unit developments, subdivisions, or as determined by the village
• Responsibility: Installed, owned, operated, and maintained by the village, with funding via special service area, subdivision homeowners association, or equivalent organization

Technical Specifications

• Lamp types: High-intensity discharge high-pressure sodium lamps are standard
• Color rendering applications: Special applications requiring high color rendition may use metal halide or super metal halide lamps
• Pole requirements: All lighting poles must have 120 VAC, 15 amp, GFI, weatherproof duplex receptacle
• Circuit specifications: Minimum conductor size must be no. 6 AWG with maximum 6% voltage drop
• Operating voltage: Typically 240 VAC, single phase, with individual circuits not exceeding 150 VAC to ground

What Property Owners Should Know

Practical Compliance Guidance

If you're planning any lighting installations in Beach Park, keep these key points in mind:

• Always obtain permits before installing or modifying lighting systems
• Direct light downward and away from neighboring properties
• Consider illumination levels based on your specific zoning district
• Verify sign compliance before installation, especially for electronic message boards
• Follow technical specifications for any street lighting in new developments

Common Compliance Issues

Watch out for these frequent violations:

• Installing lighting without proper permits
• Improperly shielded exterior lights causing glare
• Electronic signs exceeding brightness limitations
• Improper maintenance of required lighting systems

Supporting Beach Park's Lighting Vision

Bock Lighting understands the unique character of communities like Beach Park that seek to balance residential