Public works committee reviews outdoor lighting policy, sends Resolution 25-24R to Public Safety for review

The Skagway Municipality Public Works Committee on September 25 reviewed draft Resolution 25-24R, a proposed responsible outdoor lighting policy for municipal properties, and voted to request a Public Safety review before further action. Borough Manager Emily Deach told the committee she supported the policy in principle but urged exceptions where lighting is necessary for safety and operations, citing the transfer station, camera visibility and employees working after dark. “There are going to be times when we need to have a light somewhere because for safety reasons,” Deach said.

Committee members questioned technical standards in the draft, including a 1,000-lumen threshold. One committee member compared that number to common headlamps and household bulbs and said it may not clearly indicate per-bulb or aggregate output. “I honestly don’t even know what that number means,” the committee member said, urging clearer definitions. Deach and staff noted that manufacturers provide lumen specifications and that purchased fixtures can be evaluated for compliance.

The committee debated whether industrial facilities and certain municipal sites should be exempt. Tyson, the director of public works, said industrial areas such as the transfer station serve staging and safety functions and argued for exemptions or flexible application. The policy’s sponsor said the draft leaves interpretation to the manager and bureau manager and that shields to limit upward light would be a preferred first step.

Members also discussed whether the draft should cover streetlights. Deach said municipal buildings should be the first step and that streetlight work would be a larger, costlier program that might be phased in and would require review of state regulations and spacing. The chair said she would reach out to AT&T to obtain a visual example of a shielded streetlight to demonstrate how shielding can reduce upward light while preserving downward illumination.

A motion to request that the Public Safety committee review Resolution 25-24R carried; the committee voted to send the draft to Public Safety for further vetting and to return with implementation guidance, cost estimates and visual examples of shielded fixtures. The chair said staff will follow up with AT&T and bring examples back to the committee.