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Resident raises nighttime lighting violation at remodeled storage facility; council refers issue to code enforcement
Summary
A resident complained that new lighting at a remodeled storage facility on 3700 is causing light trespass into neighboring homes and may violate the city's outdoor lighting standards; staff pledged to investigate and follow up.
Rod Sessum addressed the council during public forum to report a lighting issue at a storage facility on the 3700 block. Sessum said the property was remodeled and additional wall‑pack fixtures were installed; he described lights as bright enough to shine directly into his bedroom and living room and said the fixtures appear inconsistent with the city’s outdoor lighting code. The resident cited the code language he located in the packet (referred to in the meeting as section 10‑33‑7) that requires exterior lighting for commercial properties to be fully cutoff, focused downward and shielded to prevent light trespass onto adjacent properties.
Why it matters: Excessive exterior lighting can cause nuisance impacts for nearby residents and may be out of compliance with municipal code. The complaint raised potential code‑enforcement and public‑safety issues for residents (the speaker noted a neighbor who is a disabled veteran and a recent break‑in incident).
Council and staff response: The mayor and planning staff said the city would investigate. Planning staff (Fred) and code enforcement were directed to review the permit history (to identify whether the work was permitted and whether the lighting was added post‑permit), confirm whether a grandfathering provision applies (if the fixtures predated the ordinance change), and take appropriate action if the fixtures are noncompliant. The mayor committed to follow up and directed staff to look into the timeline of construction and any prior assurances given by planning staff.
Next steps: City staff will investigate permit records and the lighting installation, and will report findings and any required enforcement steps to the resident and the council. The resident asked staff to consider the code’s full‑cutoff requirement and whether newly installed wall packs are exempt or allowed under a grandfathering clause; staff acknowledged both possibilities and said they would confirm the facts before taking action.
