Downtown Lighting Master Plan

Principals and Guidelines

Some of the Lighting Plan's key design principles are as follows:

• Verticality of Buildings: Lighting guidelines and policy are defined by building use at the streetwall, mid-section and tower crown;
• Geographic Proximity: Lighting guidelines and policy are adapted to downtown neighborhoods, districts and the waterfront
• Timing: Lighting guidelines and policy are adapted to hours of operation

Lighting guidelines for buildings are based on the following points:

• The nighttime lighting of buildings should highlight the composition, massing, structure, features and articulation of architectural elements
• Lighting strategies envisioned as "physical attachments" that have no visual relation to the architectural composition of the building are not allowed
• Lighting above the streetwall should dim or completely shut-off after business hours for energy conservation
• Lighting objectives must be within the regulatory elements of the City of San Diego, Airport, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Palomar and Mount Laguna observatories.