Farmington OKs one-week temporary lighting for Miss Porter School camp with conditions, will monitor impacts

The Farmington Town Plan & Zoning Commission voted March 9 to grant Miss Porter School a temporary special permit to use portable lighting towers for one week this summer to support evening programming for Camp Ultimate Peace, permitting lights until 10 p.m. each night.

Tom Sheret, Miss Porter's director of facilities, told commissioners the towers produce a humming sound around 73 dB at source that drops to roughly 61 dB at 90 feet and that each tower would have secondary containment to capture any fuel leaks. The camp plans to use 12 towers to light two soccer fields and a baseball field; towers would be timed and fitted with stabilizers and be upright for the week unless severe wind requires lowering. Sheret said the generators hold sufficient fuel for operations but fuel would be brought from the school's storage tanks rather than left on the field.

Commissioners asked about battery-powered alternatives, fueling practices, the presence of a sound system and whether lighting would be timed or manually controlled. The applicant said they had researched battery towers but found standard generator towers provided more light; they would investigate lower-impact models and coordinate with staff. Several commissioners recommended a one-year trial and monitoring plan to track noise and light impacts; staff agreed to perform at least one site visit during the camp and to deploy noise and light meters as needed.

During public comment, Dan Rose, a resident behind the soccer field, said he was willing to support a one-year trial but asked that the commission condition approval on monitoring and an opportunity to revisit the permit if impacts proved greater than expected. Staff also read a series of written letters from neighbors and organizational supporters (including a submission from Miss Porter's leadership and multiple nearby residents). After discussion, the commission moved and approved the special permit for the one-week temporary use as presented.

The approval is limited to the single week as requested; the commission said any extension, additional weeks, or changes to the program would return to the commission the next year. Staff will coordinate monitoring, share neighbor feedback with the commission, and report back if operational changes are necessary.