24.7.J Illumination

1.  All lighting shall concentrate the illumination upon the area of the sign to prevent glare upon the street or adjacent property. All sign illumination shall be designed, located, shielded, and directed to prevent both the casting of glare or direct light upon adjacent publicly dedicated roadways and surrounding properties and the distraction of operators of vehicles or pedestrians in the public right-of-way.

2.   In the Vieux Carre Districts, the following illumination standards apply:

a.  Internally illuminated signs are limited to an eighteen (18) inch separation between sign faces. Lighting fixtures and all light sources shall be a steady light concealed behind standard glass or other substance of equal or smaller light transmission factor, hoods, or a method deemed acceptable by the Vieux Carré Commission.

b.  Illuminated signs shall conform to the following wattage restrictions to avoid concentration of illumination:

i.  Signs measuring eighteen (18) inches by forty-two (42) inches are limited to one-hundred fifty (150) watts total for each sign. The wattage may be distributed evenly over the surface area of any one (1) side or over each of the two (2) sides of the sign, behind opaque glass. The same wattage maximum and even light distribution is required for an indirectly lighted sign.

ii.  Signs measuring twenty-four (24) inches by forty-eight (48) inches are limited to two-hundred twenty (220) watts total for each sign. The wattage may be distributed evenly over the surface area of any one (1) side or over each of the two (2) sides of the sign, behind opaque glass. The same wattage maximum and even light distribution is required for an indirectly lighted sign.

iii.  Signs smaller than eighteen (18) inches by forty-two (42) inches are limited to seventy-five (75) watts. The wattage may be distributed evenly over the surface area of any one (1) side or each of the two (2) sides of the sign using opaque glass over all light openings. In no case can a sign smaller than eighteen (18) inches by forty-two (42) inches using the maximum allowable wattage concentrate the emitted illumination through a smaller area on each side than one (1) foot square. The same wattage maximum and even light distribution shall is required for an indirectly lighted sign.