Item 3.2 - Additional Material posted 1-15-19City of Poway MEMORANDUM
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
(Agenda Related Writings/Documents provided to City Council or Staff after distribution of the
Agenda Packet for the January 15, 2019 Council Meeting)
DATE: January 15, 2019
TO:
FROM:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Coun��/\Robert Manis, Director of Development Servicesrv'
David De Vries, City Planner ')'G'V CONTACT:
(858) 668-4604 or ddevries@poway.org
SUBJECT: Adoption of an Ordinance amending Title 13 of the Poway Municipal
Code (PMC) establishing Street Lighting regulations; Zoning
Ordinance Amendment (ZOA) 18-004
Summary:
Peter De Hoff has submitted an email (Attachment A) regarding the subject project raising various
concerns related to light pollution and the environmental exemption for the draft street lighting
ordinance.
Light Pollution
Mr. De Hoff raises variou s concerns related to light pollution and spillage and the use and effects
from light emitting diode (LED) blue light. Mr. De Hoff's email included an attached article from
Science magazine titled "Lighting up the nighttime" by Kevin J. Gaston (Attachment B). The article
references five recommendations for lighting as follows:
1.Artificial light at night should not casually be introduced into areas.
2.Lighting should be at the lowest realistic intensity.
3.Outdoor sources should be designed to ensure that lighting is limited to the places where
it is actually required.
4.Lighting should only be used at times when it is required.
5.Less environmentally disruptive lamps should be used (<2,400 Kelvin (K) instead of 4,000
K). A Kelvin of 4,000, according to the article, is considered to be a high correlated color
temperature (CCT) and brings major negative environ mental impacts.
Response: CCT is measured in degrees Kelvin (K). CCT measures the different colors created
from a light source. CCT is simply a numerical value assigned to the color emitted from a light
source. Staff believes the draft street lighting ordinance is consistent with the five
recommendations from the Science magazine article and addresses the concerns of Mr. De Hoff.
The draft ordinance provides the minimum light necessary for public safety and restricts new
lighting in rural residential and open space areas. The types, locations and controlling devices of
street lights will be adjusted upon installation to minimize glare, upward light and artificial sky glow
to restrict light pollution and light trespass (spill-over) onto adjacent properties. The draft
ordi nance proposes street lighting standards consistent with dark sky policies and existing
standards in the PMC for exterior lighting in commercial and residential zones adopted by the City
1 of 17 January 15, 2019, Item #3.2
Street Lighting Ordinance
January 15, 2019
Page 2
Council in February 2016. "The Promise and Challenge of LED Lighting: A Practical Guide"
pu blished by the International Dark-Sky Association (Attachment C) states that a CCT of less than
3,000 K is recommended to promote the goal of dark night skies and is considered to be "warm
white" or "filtered LED" light that minimizes blue emission. The draft ordinance limits the CCT of
LED lights to 2,700 K along local collector streets mostly in residential zones and a CCT not to
exceed 3,000 K along major arterial and collector streets.
Environmental Exemption
Mr. De Hoff raises various concerns related to the environmental exemption for the proposed
street lighting ordinance stating that new LED bulbs will be at a higher Kelvin than existing low
pressure sodium (LPS) bulbs.
Response: Mr. De Hoff is correct in that the maximum CCT proposed in the draft street lighting
ordinance will be higher than the current CCT of the existing installed LPS bulbs. The existing
LPS bulbs installed within the City's existing street lights is estimated to be approximately 1,800
K and the proposed ordinance would allow up to 3,000 K for new LED street light bulbs. As such,
staff has revised the draft environmental review exemption to state that "the replacement of LPS
street light fixtures with LED fixtures will be at a similar CCT' instead of stating that it will be "at
an equivalent or reduced color temperature."
Revised Environmental Review:
This Ordinance is exempt from the provIsIons of the California Environmental Quality Act
("CEQA") pursuant to Se ction 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines because this is an ordinance
intended to allow the replacement of LPS street light fixtures with LED fixtures at a similar color
temperature which are housed within existing street light facilities involving no expansion of the
existing use.
The Ordinance has been revised to reflect this language and is provided as Attachment D.
Attachments:
A.Email from Peter De Hoff dated January 12, 2019
B.Science magazine title "Lighting up the nighttime" by Kevin J. Gaston dated November
16,2018
C."The Promise and Challenge of LED Lighting: A Practical Guide" published by the
International Dark-Sky Association dated June 21, 2018
D.Revised Ordinance
Reviewed/Approved By:
Wendy Kaserman
Assistant City Manager
2 of 17
Reviewed By:
Alan Fenstermacher
City Attorney
Approved By: �ttv!Yt�
Tina M. White
City Manager
January 15, 2019, Item #3.2