Public comment period left open for lighting law - Glens Falls Post-Star
GLENS FALLS — The Glens Falls Common Council decided to leave the public comment period open following a public hearing regarding a local lighting law on Tuesday night.
A number of citizens stood in front of the council and spoke in favor of the proposed law, including Glens Falls 3rd Ward Supervisor Claudia Braymer.
She said she feels that the law is a step in the right direction for the city.
“I think it’s a reasonable measure to allow the city to be able to take some action if residents and neighbors aren’t able to come to an agreement on their own,” Braymer said.
The proposed law would create Chapter 129 in the city code, setting minimum standards and responsibilities for property owners and residents. If the law passes and there is lighting that is not in compliance, it will need to be replaced, changed or removed by the resident.
Melissa Verburg, resident of the 3rd Ward, said the law would help with the quality of life in the city.
“I think controlling the level of light across plot lines helps privacy. It also helps light pollution in general,” she said. “I just think it would be really beneficial for people who have exhausted every option without government.”
In total, six residents spoke in approval of the law. Michael Borgos, a resident of the 3rd Ward, was the sole voice in opposition during the public hearing.
He said that the creation of the law is unnecessary.
“I think a local law should be something as a last resort when there are no other options available,” he said.
Borgos said that if a neighbor is causing an issue with their exterior lighting, it would result in a civil matter. In terms of policy, he said he doesn’t feel the council shouldn’t legislate whenever there is an issue between neighbors.
He said there are local laws in effect now that the city doesn’t have the staffing to enforce. He cited snow removal as an example.
“This is the snow and ice season, and if you travel around town there are many sidewalks that are not being fully maintained according to the law,” Borgos said. “I would like to see a focus on that. … If we distract from the enforcement of the laws we already have by creating new ones, I think we are taking away from the overall quality of life.”
According to the city’s website, during winter months property owners are required to remove snow from sidewalks on their property within five hours of the end of a snowstorm. If the storm ends overnight, then property owners have until 1 p.m. the following day.
Borgos said he was curious why the lighting law would only be applicable to residential areas and not commercial or municipal buildings. He cited school buildings that are directly next to residential areas and the city’s streetlights as a concern.
Borgos said something should be done concerning the egregious examples of lighting issues, but feels that the city should not be the entity dealing with those concerns.
Bob Landry, 2nd Ward councilman, said the council wants to do what is in the best interest of the city and its residents.
“What we’re trying to accomplish here is to make sure that if we move ahead with a law that we move ahead with a law that is very well thoughtout and does what’s best for the city,” he said.
Mayor Bill Collins told Borgos that there have been many people reaching out to him and the other council members asking for help with issues regarding exterior lighting.
He told Borgos that he wished he would have reached out with his concerns prior to the public hearing because there are reasons why some of his concerns were left out of the law. Collins said the council looked at other municipalities with similar laws as a reference.
Borgos said he only became aware of the law being up for discussion the day prior to the public hearing.
Diana Palmer, 3rd Ward councilwoman, informed Borgos that the law was discussed during Building and Codes Committee meetings, and the notice for the public hearing was posted with the agenda for the previous Common Council meeting.
Borgos said he wants to see laws up for discussion to be more easily available to locate on the city’s website.
“It’s better government when we do that,” he said.
Collins made the decision to leave the public comment period open to allow residents time to reach out to the council before the next scheduled Common Council meeting on Feb. 22.
Palmer made the suggestion prior to the decision being made, saying it would be beneficial for the process.
“We can meet in committee, consider all of the comments. If we feel we need to make adjustments we can do that, and we will post the amended law,” she said.
Jay Mullen is a reporter for The Post-Star covering the city of Glens Falls, Warren County and crime and courts. You can reach him at (518) 742-3224 or [email protected].
source: https://poststar.com/news/local/public-comment-period-left-open-for-lighting-law/article_a194359d-eb48-5353-9c04-e8ad30c56ba9.html
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