Subject:
Title
Outdoor Lighting: Review Draft Code and Follow-up to September 21 Work Session
Body
Purpose:
Staff is seeking feedback to finalize the draft outdoor lighting ordinance and prepare for referral to the Planning Commission.
Key QUESTIONS:
• How would the Town Council like to incorporate the Board of Architectural Review’s feedback on electronic message centers into the draft ordinance?
• Does the Town Council wish to have specific language regarding architectural lighting for single-family detached residential uses included in the Town Code?
• Does the Town Council have any further edits to the draft outdoor lighting ordinance that they would like to incorporate before staff finalize the draft?
BACKGROUND SUMMARY:
At the September 21 work session, staff presented a set of draft updated regulations on outdoor lighting. Staff also provided four specific questions for Council consideration. For two of the questions, Council provided specific preferences. For the other two, staff were asked to get input from the BAR. Specifically, Council asked that staff discuss certain aspects of electronic message centers and outdoor lighting for single-family detached residential uses with the Board of Architectural Review. Detail regarding Council’s request and the BAR’s feedback can be found in Attachment 1, the staff memorandum.
OVERVIEW:
The purposes of this work session are for 1) the Town Council to review the draft updated regulations on outdoor lighting, 2) discuss the feedback received from the BAR, 3) provide staff with any desired changes to the draft code, and 4) determine next steps.
• Attachment 1 is the staff memorandum that provides an overview of the proposed changes and the feedback received after the September 21 work session.
• Attachment 2 is the Draft Outdoor Lighting Regulations
• Attachment 3 is the BAR memo from April 2026 providing feedback on the potential for Vienna to allow electronic message centers.
SUMMARY/STAFF IMPRESSIONS:
Staff look forward to receiving Council’s feedback and guidance on the draft code, including on the requested feedback from the BAR.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommend that the Town Council:
1. Provide guidance to Department of Planning and Zoning staff so that staff can finalize the draft code on outdoor lighting, and
2. Determine the next steps in the process. Options include:
a. Staff update the draft code based on the Town Council’s preferences and bring the updated draft to a Council meeting, where the Council could vote to forward it to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation.
b. Staff update the draft code based on Town Council’s preferences and return to an additional work session to discuss any matters that the Council has identified on November 16th. Referral to the Planning Commission would come afterwards, if the Council chooses to do so.
c. Another approach, as identified by Council.