Landscape lighting?

Anyone else have this problem? OUr CC&R's specifically prohibit ANY exterior lighting that is not in place for "security" purposes.

Quote: No Exterior speakers, exterior lighting, horns, whistles...except security devices used exclusively for security purposes, shall be located, used or placed upon any of the covered property.

Many of our residents have those small lamps/decorative landscape lights outside, to illuminate a walkway, a pathway through their landscape, a cactus, etc..

Are those illegal then, since they are not used for security purposes, but decorative? WHat about Porch lights? What about Patio lights and party lights? Does this also apply to CHristmas decorations?

it seems that it would, as none of those exterior lights are used exclusively for security purposes, and thus, by our CC&R's, are illegal.

Once again, is that being too anal? And, what recourse does a board have to eliminate some lights that are a nuisance, if the homeowner points to this rule and says "selective enforcement!.. you outlaw my lights, but not my neighbors!"

thanks... i agree, but this is the type of CC&R's I have to deal with every month/day.

How do i answer the question about "selective enforcement" when it comes up? Ie, i tell someone they cannot have this light, but I allow landscape lights (which i have to disagree, have absolutely NO security aspect to them. A half watt bulb 8 inches off the ground in the middle of a yard has no security value what-so-ever).

Lol..and I would be hung (which would at least mean all the homeowners got toether for once) if i enforced the christmas light issue. a couple of our homes get newspaper coverage every year for their lights and displays, and in Arizona, christmas lights are HUGE.

We amended our design standards to allow for holiday decorations/lights to be displayed within a specified time (i.e., Christmas is from the day after Thanksgiving to 1/6). If your lights are still up on 1/15 then you receive a letter. We have specifications for Halloween and Easter also.

All other lighting added to the property needs to be submitted in an ACC request and approved prior to installation whether it is a flood light, landscape lighting, etc.

Due to a lack of volunteers, the board of directors acts as the ACC. We also have a management company that drives the neighborhood and issues the violation letters. This way the board members aren't accused of being selective.

I know exactly what you mean about the question of landscape lighting. At first, I thought that it was no big deal, because everyone seemed to be using tastefully chosen low-volt pathway lighting, etc. However, one day while driving home along the highway that our subdivision backs up to--I saw what looked like VEGAS lighting all along the back of one of the houses that directly faces the highway. There were a total of eighteen "spot" lights (about the size of a typical flood halogen) in purple, pink and blue. They were attached right at the bottom of the second story and illuminated the entire backside first & walk-out levels and deck. Unfortunately, we do NOT have anything in our by-laws about this, but I am tempted to call it a nuisance because of it's display to the highway. I definately don't want people driving by to call us the "Vegas subdivision." I could certainly argue impact on property values with that.
I know that our Village has ordinances hidden way in their planning and development section that talks about how much light a particular light feature gives off. They refer to it in units called "candles," I believe (not sure on this one) but just like a landscaping plat depicts the spread of trees, they require a plan to be turned in from developers that depicts the intensity & spread of the light illumination from each fixture. you could look into that.
I would suggest putting a caveat in the R&R statements allowing for holiday decorations. You have to decide if you want to specify Christmas, or leave it general for holidays. You also have to consider those lights people put up that shine on the side of their house or their garage door and show a scene or rotating pictures. They sometimes come with all sorts of messages for all the seasons and holidays. Are you going to allow that? How can you specify time periods which the decorations can be displayed.

Does anyone else have these in their R&R statements that could offer some direction? How do you differentiate pathway lighting and such from architectural lightscaping (where there are spot lights shining up at certain features of the house, yard, landscape, etc.)

swanb:
how in the world can you enforce the "no trespass beyond the property lines" feature of your rule?

as far as my high school physics taught me, any light, once emitted from a source, goes forever (but gets weaker and more spread out).

So, does your rule mean that if i can see the lights of my neighbor's yard from the street, that his light is "escaping" the property?