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Variance sought for Benny Road school practice‑field lighting; council continues final vote two weeks
Summary
A petitioner requested a zoning variance (VAR 25‑03 / Bill 54‑31) to allow higher light levels for a practice soccer field at a Benny Road school. The petitioner said the proposed illumination is for practice safety (not games), that overall field illuminance is ~14.27 foot‑candles with localized spill up to ~0.8–0.9 foot‑candles (county ordinance
The council heard a detailed presentation on Bill 54‑31 (VAR 25‑03), a zoning matter affirming action of the Board of Zoning Adjustment regarding field lighting at a Benny Road school site. The petitioner explained the proposal is for a practice field — not a game field — and said the lights are intended for weekday evening practice with an automatic shutoff at 9 p.m.
The petitioner described the lighting design and submitted photometric plans to staff. He said the plan will produce an average field illuminance of about 14.27 foot‑candles and a uniformity ratio to avoid very dark spots; certain peripheral spots on the east side would reach roughly 0.7–0.9 foot‑candles, exceeding the County’s reference of 0.5 foot‑candles in the ordinance. The petitioner asked the council to allow a variance up to 0.9 foot‑candles at those limited points in order to maintain safe practice conditions for children, and said he will instruct his lighting contractor to add shields to reduce neighbor spill if needed. He also said the facility was privately financed and that he did not intend to commercialize the field or create a large rental complex.
Council members asked whether neighbors had been consulted; the petitioner said his son had spoken with the closest neighbor and that the lighting contractor would add shielding, but the petitioner acknowledged he had not personally completed outreach to all adjacent property owners. One councilmember expressed caution that small volunteer or school fields sometimes later expand into commercialized, revenue‑generating complexes; the petitioner replied he has personally funded the project and stated a long‑term personal commitment to the school rather than commercial use.
Councilmembers recorded that the lights must be off by 9 p.m. under conditions discussed earlier. The council did not take a final vote on the variance; the chair said the matter will be taken up for a vote in two weeks.
