Lighting Outside of Brownstones
I just purchased a Brownstone and was wondering about the lighting outside the house, right above the stoop. The former owner told me that it is a New York (city/state?) law to provide proper lighting during the night on the brownstone facades. Can someone direct me to the actual legal text? I would like to…
I just purchased a Brownstone and was wondering about the lighting outside the house, right above the stoop. The former owner told me that it is a New York (city/state?) law to provide proper lighting during the night on the brownstone facades. Can someone direct me to the actual legal text? I would like to know more about the kind of bulbs to use, what is the minimum/maximum power of the bulbs, if one light is enough (2 are currently used), if the interior light in the vestibule also qualifies as exterior lighting and if it is subject to the law mentioned earlier. My main concern is the safety of everybody (tenants and ourselves)who is using the stoop at night but also the architectural aspect of the lighting as well.
You asked for the legal text…
The book I linked to above (NY Landlord’s Law book) refers to the state multiple dwelling law § 35 that requires at least 1 exterior light at or near entrance sundown to sunrise.
Check here and search for “Sec. 35”
http://www.tenant.net/Other_Laws/MDL/mdl.html
I’m not a lawyer but I believe multiple dwelling means 2 units or more (as opposed to the guesses above). A typical 2 or 3 family <22ft brownstone would need “fifty watts incandescent illumination”. If you can afford a brownstone with more than 22ft of frontage, pay your servants to figure it out.
“In enforcing this provision the department shall permit owners to determine for themselves the actual location, design and nature of the installation of such light or lights to meet practical, aesthetic and other considerations, so long as the minimum level of illumination is maintained.”
CFL’s with timers/sensors: work if you have at least 1 non-CFL bulb on the same circuit. Also you can get commercial timers (key: not a replacement for a light switch) which will work. Otherwise the timer/sensor bleeds a tiny amount of current thru the bulb which fries the CFL electronics
http://books.google.com/books?id=ea9JDnnivl4C&pg=PT266&lpg=PT266&dq=%22lighting+common+areas%22&source=bl&ots=pykNA5KSE9&sig=QpI1ROZtwwAXiB3aPvffiQMDh4A&hl=en&ei=2o0WTJPDFcL48AaGicWeCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22lighting%20common%20areas%22&f=false
You probably should get something like this, to be safe.
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/3JXA5?Pid=search
the regulation (not law) is for multi-family buildings.
(3 family and above I think).Nothing to do with being a ‘brownstone’. And it is 100-watt.
I keep mine on a timer. And I don’t use 100-watt either.
(I have bright lights on street and even a 100-watt isn’t going to make things brighter)
. so I just let them cite me for violation and live happily ever after. (no fines).
We keep the light under our stoop on 24-7, largely for our tenant’s sake. It’s a CFL and I believe I installed it over a year ago so not bad going!
There is a law about it & there’re also guidelines for historic areas (but they’re really inane. I asked years ago & was told it was better to cut a niche into the brownstone than to surface mount a fixture. I ignored it & haven’t had a problem but a neighbor was fined for similar.)
And dibs is absolutely right – don’t use CFLs w/ any timer or sensor. It usually blows the timer, not the bulb.
CFL bulb.
I also keep the light on 24 hours in my parlour level just inside the foyer/vestibule/windlock.
Don’t use a FCL bulb in a fixture that has a motion sensor or nightlight. Mine kept blowing.