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Public raises complaint about high‑intensity backyard lights; Fostoria committee approves minutes and sets Feb. 18 meeting
Summary
At a brief Fostoria committee meeting, members unanimously approved prior minutes, set the next meeting for Feb. 18, and heard public comment asking the committee to research whether an ordinance can address bright, motion‑activated backyard lights that a constituent says affect a neighbor's health.
Members of a Fostoria committee unanimously approved the previous meeting's minutes and scheduled their next meeting for Feb. 18 at 5:15 p.m., and a public comment period focused on a constituent complaint about high‑intensity outdoor lights that a speaker asked the committee to research.
The complaint was presented during the public‑comment portion by a committee member who said a constituent in his ward is being disturbed by motion‑activated backyard lights from a neighbor. The committee member said the constituent "has health issues" and provided photographs showing the lights "light it up" the bedroom, and that police told the resident the problem was a civil matter.
The committee discussed possible short‑term fixes and next steps rather than taking any ordinance action. Committee members suggested asking the neighbor to adjust or tilt lights, using shields, and checking whether other towns have ordinances that address similar nuisance lighting. Committee staff member Amy said she would scan the documents the constituent provided and email them to committee members to support follow up.
No committee action to create or draft an ordinance was taken at the meeting. Members directed staff to research legal options and consult the law director, the police department and zoning before returning with recommendations. One member specifically noted it might be helpful to know whether the police have received similar calls in the past.
Other brief business included a single open item: an amendment to the traffic control map that committee members said is "forthcoming" but is being postponed and does not require immediate action. The meeting adjourned after scheduling the next meeting for Feb. 18 at 5:15 p.m.
"I have a resident in my ward that wants to see if we can do an ordinance about high intensity lights from people back of their house shining through his light through his windows," the committee member said during public comment. The member added that the resident "gave me pictures of what his bedroom looks like" and that the police had responded but deemed it a civil matter.
Amy said she would follow up: "I can scan everything that he gave me and then email it to you guys to look over in case there's any interest moving forward with it."
