An Ivins resident contacted us in February asking for help solving a light trespass problem he has that is caused by a City cobra streetlight like the one shown here. The light is on all night and is located right outside his bedroom window.
We contacted the City and suggested additional shielding to stop the light trespass onto the resident’s property, like what the Santa Clara Harmons did on some of its parking lot lights that were affecting neighboring homes. Here’s a photo of one of the shielded lights.
Alternately, we suggested removing the light completely or turning it off. It is located mid-block, not at an intersection, and the Ivins streetlighting ordinance does not require mid-block streetlights unless there is a crosswalk. There is no crosswalk, and none planned. The utility company charges the City for removals, so there’s a budget issue.
The City’s Public Works Director agreed that the City’s mid-block streetlights are unnecessary and developed a plan to remove them. He did not like the idea of turning off the streetlight because then people call the city to let him know a light is burned out.
Also, we did our own research and were told by Dave Imlay, the Director of Hurricane Power, that he believes a city does not have liability concerns if there is no light but does have liability concerns if there is a light, but it is not working. That left shielding or removal as the only options.
At the beginning of June, the City had the cobra streetlight removed, solving the resident’s light trespass problem and reducing (admittedly minimally) the lumen output of the city.
