La Conner commission debates sign-code lighting rules and kelvin limits

At a La Conner planning commission meeting, staff presented proposed edits to the sign code that would clarify allowable lighting and encourage pedestrian‑level lighting on the boardwalk. Staff said the fence and banner at the town entrance are outside the town limits and advised anyone seeking banner placement to contact the Chamber of Commerce director, Mark.

Summer Holt, the staff presenter, said the draft adds language about color temperature and lighting placement and proposed keeping sign‑specific lighting in the sign chapter while potentially moving general building exterior lighting into a separate chapter. "If you do wanna put something in on that sign, I do believe our Chamber of Commerce is involved with the placement of those banners," Holt said, adding the fence was outside the town limits.

Commissioners debated whether to retain the word "decorative" in the code or to separate "functional" lighting (walkway, street, security) from decorative facade or sign lighting. Carol Fordegan urged clarity: "The functional lighting is, walkway lighting, but mostly walkway lighting, street lighting," and suggested clearly defining those terms so enforcement targets the right sources of glare and safety lighting.

Staff described a proposed kelvin range of roughly 1,800–4,000 K (1,800 K likened to candlelight and 4,000 K to moonlight) and recommended permitting higher (4,000 K) tones for security lighting while encouraging warmer tones (around 3,000 K) for decorative streetscape applications. Holt said she would research appropriate kelvin ranges for security lighting and asked commissioners whether the county energy code already covers safety lighting.

Holt noted the town does not review energy‑code compliance and that Skagit County reviews energy‑code standards. "I will double check that what we're writing here does not interfere with that energy code," she said, and suggested the commission could adopt county lighting requirements by reference if that proved appropriate.

On enforcement, commissioners asked whether the town should require routine sign inspections. Holt said staff capacity is limited and current enforcement operates on a complaint basis; she recommended clearer code language so enforcement can be handled consistently under the administration and enforcement provisions (chapter 15.135). "We respond based on a complaint basis, and that has been how we've been running sign and signage enforcement," Holt said.

No formal vote was taken on the sign‑code drafting choices; staff said they will review Skagit County's energy‑code requirements, consider whether to exempt county‑required safety lighting from local kelvin limits, and return with revised language.

Next steps: staff will research county energy‑code alignment and kelvin guidance, then propose edits and circulate them to commissioners before the next review.