Subject:
Title
7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Outdoor Lighting Regulations - Joint Work Session of Town Council and Planning Commission: Presentation and Discussion
Body
BACKGROUND SUMMARY:
In October 2023, the Town Council adopted a broad update to the Town’s regulations for zoning and subdivision, which was accomplished through the project entitled Code Create Vienna and which became effective on January 1, 2024. One topic that was discussed during community input sessions and in the public hearings was regulating outdoor lighting. To be responsive, staff conducted some limited research and developed draft language and metrics for the update. During work sessions with the Town Council, however, staff acknowledged that the Town did not have in-house expertise in this area. As a result, the updated code included new, but very general, language.
As the Town Council adopted the new code, both the Council and staff identified a series of items for follow-up in 2024. One of those topics was regulations on outdoor lighting. In 2024, the Council asked that staff move forward with bringing in outside expertise that would help the town develop regulations. Staff conducted a Request for Proposals process and, in 2024, selected Clanton & Associates, a nationally known Colorado-based firm that specializes in lighting design and policy.
There are two goals for the project:
1) Develop Town Code regulations for outdoor lighting (not including right-of-way lighting) that would be protective of residents, emphasize safety, encourage environmental approaches, and support a vibrant business environment. Clanton will also develop, as part of the project, a user-friendly form that applicants will be able to use to provide the information that will be relevant for staff’s review.
2) Develop guidelines that the Board of Architectural Review (BAR) can use as it is reviewing proposed exterior modifications in areas of their authority (portions of the Town not zoned for single-unit detached residential development).
In November 2024, Clanton staff visited Vienna, conducted nighttime site visits to assess existing conditions, hosted two information sessions, and held a session with the BAR.
Since then, Clanton has been developing both draft code language and guidelines for the BAR and interacting with staff.
OVERVIEW:
At the April 21st work session, Clanton will do a presentation on how to think about lighting in a way that is constructive, best practices in regulating outdoor lighting, and observations from the November visit. They will also discuss some of the questions that have arisen in developing draft code language. Most importantly, Clanton and staff look forward to feedback from both the Town Council and Planning Commission on the Town’s priorities.
On Tuesday morning, April 22nd, Clanton will return to the BAR for a discussion of the draft guidelines.
SUMMARY/STAFF IMPRESSIONS:
Staff encourages the Town Council and the Planning Commission to think in advance about what is most important for Vienna regarding outdoor lighting and, at the work session, provide input to staff and Clanton about priorities.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
Hear a presentation from Clanton & Associates and provide input on priorities that can be brought into draft regulations.