04-25-2016 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, April 11, 2016 7:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 23 of 32 15. #15-3784 TEXT AMENDMENT PERTAINING TO LIGHTING REGULATIONS, NUISANCES (continued) Barnhart stated that is why Staff wanted to be careful on what would be a nuisance versus a violation. Printup asked what a full moon would measure at. Barnhart stated a full moon is very bright and to his recollection it registers at a .5. Mattick stated the ordinance is an attempt to create a measurable standard rather than someone simply saying that it annoys them since a measurable standard would be required for enforcement. Staff looked at a number of ordinances and standards to see how other cities have dealt with it. Mattick stated if there is someone who is found guilty of a nuisance, they would not have the right to maintain that light. Levang asked if there are any specific issues the Council should reflect on. Barnhart stated he would encourage the Council to use the light meter to gain a sense of what different light levels are. Walsh stated in his view the ordinance goes way overboard, is too general, and anyone would be able to poke a hole in it. Walsh stated there are a number of places in the ordinance that use the term, not limited to, as well as words like automatic dimming and necessary shielding, but that it is not clear what that means exactly. Walsh stated in his view it is way too much government overreach and that the ordinance should be limited to one page. Walsh stated he likes dark skies but that he is also concerned about security. Walsh stated as far as he is concerned, this issue would rank zero on a scale from 1 to 100. Walsh stated Staff has spent all this time coming up with seven pages of an ordinance that is so generic and so full of holes that they would not be able to enforce it if they wanted to. McMillan stated the ordinance is intended to be a guide for new homes and commercial properties. The ordinance contains certain regulations regarding downward lighting and shielding. Currently the City does not guidelines and that this is a way of formalizing or codifying some of what the Council and Staff are telling applicants now. Walsh asked what problem this ordinance is solving. McMillan noted there are two different pieces to this and that the Council does not necessarily have to approve both. McMillan stated lighting can have a big impact on people and that this helps clarify the path someone should follow. McMillan noted Orono currently does not have a lighting ordinance. Walsh stated in his view the ordinance needs to be more specific and that what Staff is proposing is too overreaching. McMillan noted this is the Council’s first review of the proposed ordinance and that the Council can table this item and review it later.