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Webster Groves Safe Streets hires HR Green; commission weighs dark-sky lighting code collaboration
Summary
The Webster Groves Safe Streets environmental review is contracted with HR Green and the public roadway safety survey closes Feb. 14. Commissioners discussed aligning city lighting codes with dark-sky standards used by neighboring municipalities and invited local environmental attorney Jake Ronicker to brief the commission.
The Webster Groves Sustainability Commission received updates that the Safe Streets environmental review has been contracted to HR Green and that the program’s safety action plan is in final negotiation. The public roadway-safety survey remains open through Friday, Feb. 14.
Commission staff member Sean said the environmental review has been contracted with a firm called HR Green and that the safety action plan is expected to be contracted and completed within one to two weeks. He reminded the commission that the public survey on roadway safety would close Friday, Feb. 14.
Commissioners then discussed revisiting the city’s lighting code. Sean said neighboring Kirkwood recently updated its lighting ordinances to align with dark-sky initiatives; he said Clayton, Brentwood and Ellisville have also updated lighting codes in the region. The cited code changes focus on color temperature and light trespass, and most updated codes reflect a 2,700-Kelvin requirement or 3,000 K minimum compared with older 5,000-K technology.
The commission heard that Webster Groves resident Jake Ronicker, an environmental attorney and a Dark Sky Missouri board member, has been engaged with nearby municipal lighting updates and offered to assist Webster Groves. Sean said Ameren has been contacted to obtain an inventory of street lamps to assess the transition to LED but that Ameren indicated the information is not quick to provide.
Why it matters: roadway-safety planning and lighting standards affect public safety, nighttime light pollution, wildlife, human health, and municipal energy consumption. Aligning lighting codes with dark-sky recommendations can reduce light trespass and lower color temperature, which has implications for wildlife and glare.
Supporting details
- HR Green contracted for environmental review and safety action plan; final contract expected within one to two weeks, per staff report. - Public roadway-safety survey closes Friday, Feb. 14. - Nearby municipalities (Kirkwood, Clayton, Brentwood, Ellisville) have updated codes; updated codes often require 2,700 K or 3,000 K fixtures versus older 5,000 K lighting. - Jake Ronicker (Webster Groves resident; environmental attorney; Dark Sky Missouri board member) is available to brief the commission on dark-sky and lighting-code issues. - Staff has requested Ameren provide counts of street lamps by technology; Ameren said details may take time.
Ending
Commissioners suggested collaborating with the Green Space Advisory Commission and inviting Jake Ronicker to the March meeting; no formal recommendation to council was recorded during the discussion.
