Orange County NC Website
❑ Small Area Plan Workgroup: <br />. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <br />® Other: Courtesy Review — DEAPR: <br />DEAPR staff would like the BOCC to consider increasing height <br />limits as shorter poles will not yield sufficient illumination of a playing <br />field without "excessive light spread" thereby potentially creating <br />safety issues within the lighted facility and avoiding unnecessary light <br />spill. <br />With the ability to direct light down rather than across by using taller <br />poles, there will be a better `spread' of light thereby ensuring <br />appropriate levels of visibility. <br />Requiring shorter poles will also require `more poles' to be installed <br />to ensure proper illumination, creating additional light spill concerns <br />as well as budgetary problems. <br />Staff has incorporated DEAPR's request into the proposed text <br />amendment in an effort to seek guidance from the BOCC on the <br />modification of allowable pole heights. <br />It should be remembered in 2009 the BOCC made the conscious <br />decision limit the height of athletic field light poles to address <br />concerns from rural residents over tall, imposing, lights and light <br />trespass. <br />3. FISCAL IMPACT <br />Consideration and approval will not create the need for additional funding for the <br />provision of County services. Costs for the required legal advertisement will be paid <br />from FY2012 -13 Departmental funds budgeted for this purpose. Existing Planning <br />staff included in the Departmental staffing budget will accomplish the work required <br />to process this amendment. <br />D. AMENDMENT IMPLICATIONS <br />The amendments are in response to previously identified and suggested modifications to <br />outdoor lighting regulations that were not incorporated into the initial UDO development <br />project. <br />The purpose of the proposed amendments is to further identify and define limits of <br />outdoor lighting to address the inherent conflict created by the need to illuminate a <br />property for commerce, public safety and security purposes against the need to protect <br />adjacent property owners from unnecessary impact. <br />5 <br />