Agenda - 01-24-2013 - 6d - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Attachment 5 Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation December 2, 2012 To: Craig Benedict, AICP, Planning and Inspections Director Michael Harvey, AICP, Current Planning Supervisor From: David Stancil, AICP, Director, Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation Date: December 2, 2012 Re: Proposed UDO Changes Re Outdoor Lighting Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on proposed changes to the Unified Development Ordinance related to outdoor lighting. From our Commission for the Environment discussions several years ago, we certainly understand and support the goals of ensuring that outdoor lighting does not create light shields and unnecessary illumination of the night sky in our rural areas. At the same time, however, our department also operates parks which include playing fields used by a wide variety of public and non - profit entities for athletic programs and sports play, and these fields have certain needs that may be negatively- impacted by a height limitation of 60 -feet. In keeping with field lighting and safety standards for sports activities, many of our parks include light standards that are 70 feet in height (90 -100 feet at the Eurosport Soccer Center). New parks that are planned in rural under - served areas of the County would likely have lighted fields when constructed in coming years. A 60 -feet height limitation, combined with footcandle value restrictions at the property line, would eliminate the possibility of the County installing lighting at these future parks. These fields would also be ineligible to host Little League or similar organization sanctioned play, as they would not meet their minimum pole standards. Other parks may have to be redesigned to accommodate extra lighting that would be necessary. Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks & Recreation PO Box 8181 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Phone: (919) 245 -2510 Fax: (919) 644 -3351 41