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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 8.3 CC HolidayLightDisplayCITY CLERK FILE # 200-30 AGENDA STATEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: October 16, 2001 SUBJECT: Civic Center Holiday Light Display Report Prepared by: Lee S. Thompson, Public Works Director ATTACHMENTS: Survey of Other California Cities RECOMMENDATION: Provide direction based on one of the following options: a) Display as in past years, including rooftop lights and front lawn tree (all night). b) Display as in Option A, but limit the use of lights to offpeak periods of 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. or midnight c) Limit lights to front lawn tree only d) Other direction as desired FINANCIAL STATEMENT: Sufficient fimds have been budgeted to display the lights as in prior years. The cost of power is minor; the total wattage of the rooftop lights is estimated at 8.75 kw, which would incur an approximate power cost of $1.00 per hour between the November 29th tree lighting date and January 1a. Based on 33 days, the cost would be approximately $400 if the lights are on all night, or $165 if the lights are on from 7:00 p.m. to midnight. The cost of lighting for the tree is considerably less. Iflights are to be operated on a timer for early shut-off, the cost of providing timers for each of the 10 circuits involved would be approximately $650. DESCRIPTION: The Governor's Executive Order D-19-01 provides that "All California retail establishments, including but not limited to shopping centers, auto malls and dealerships, shall substantially reduce maximum outdoor lighting capability during non-business hours, except as necessary for the health and safety of the public, employees, or property. 'Maximum outdoor lighting capability' means the total amount of wattage used in outdoor lighting to illuminate the outdoor premises of the retail establishment." Implementation of this order became mandatory as of March 15, 2001. The Implementation Guidelines issued by the State Office of Emergency Services clarifies the following terms: Substantial Reduction: "... a good faith effort to reduce the maximum amount of energy used for outdoor lighting. Depending on current lighting levels and equipment, businesses should target a reduction of 50% or more in energy consumption..." g:~genmisc~holiday lighting COPIES TO: ITEM NO. Unnecessary Lighting: "... lighting which is primarily for marketing and decorative functions..." As noted in the Recommendation above, the outdoor holiday lighting displayed at the Civic Center has typically consisted of the rooftop lights, which are attached to the perimeter of the portion of the building that faces Dublin Boulevard and 1-580 and one evergreen tree on the front lawn. There are indoor holiday trees located in the lobby of both the Administrative Wing and Police Wing of the Civic Center, at the Shannon Center and at the Senior Center. The indoor trees are typically, turned off when the buildings are not occupied due to safety concerns. In past years, however, at least some of the indoor trees have been lit during the day. Staff conducted a survey of other jurisdictions via the League of California Cities listserv and by directly contacting the neighboring cities ofPleasanton, Livermore, and San Ramon. The survey resultS are attached. Nearly all of the responding cities plan some type of holiday display, although many have indicated they would display fewer lights or for a shorter amount of time. The cost of power for the relatively small amount of holiday lighting used by the City of Dublin, even at current rates, is not substantial amount. The issues involved are those of compliance with the Executive Order and public perception. It is difficult to imagine that other agencies and businesses would forego holiday lighting entirely; however, it appears that many will limit the hours of operation to a few hours during the off-peak period between 7:00 plm. and 11:00 p.m. or midnight. As noted in the Financial Statement above, the cost of providing timers is actually higher than the cost of power. The City's contractor, Sierra DisPlay, typically installs the rooftop lights around mid-November, and Staff is requesting direction at this time in order to advise Sierra whether or not to install the lights. Sierra Display has indicated that their 100+ "light line" display customers, mostly shopping centers, are going ahead with their displays this year. Staff recommends that the City Council review the information contained in this report and provide' direction as to whether the lights should be installed and whether the hours of operation should be limited, as well as any other direction desired. ~ HOLIDAY LIGHTS SURVEY RESULTS As of: 9/18/01 Agency Monterey Park Palmdale Sausalito Orinda Oceanside Palm Desert Pleasan~n Livermore Santa Rosa Contact Harry Panagiotes John Brooks Dana Whitson Theresa Brand Peter Weiss Tom Bassler Scott Baker Jacque Touray Charlie Lachman Response The City of Monterey Park will be going to Council on October 3, 2001, to request a decision on having lights or not. We currently light up our City Hall and downtown area but may choose to use decorations and displays without lights. We will be having lights on, although we may reduce their scope and length of time on. Our Chamber of Commerce wants to go full speed ahead .with the lighting this year. I would be interested in what others are doing however. We have lights on the Community Center and we put them on a timer and had them on dudng the week and special events and were faithful about turning them off at 11:00 p.m. The City of Oceanside does not install holiday lighting throughout the city. We do plan to install some minor lighting on our Civic Center and one downtown street. Last year Palm Desert turned off the lighting on our holiday displays. We haven't received any direction yet for this year, however, I think we may keep the lights off this year again. It is too early to say for sure how we will handle holiday lighting, yet I assume we will reduce the number of lights down, look to reduce the hours of operation, try to find some specific counter balancing energy savings; i.e. we will focus on our 20% reduction commitment. Livermore will light their snowflakes (these are on the downtown street lights) dudng the same hours the light poles .will be lit (in off peak hours). Our big Christmas tree will not be lit all night but will be tumed off late in the evening. We will have no large Christmas light displays. The City of Santa Rosa had previously turned off all Downtown holiday lighting and other significant aesthetic lighting, fountains, etc. This Holiday season we plan to restore our Downtown twinkle lights and Christmas tree lighting between Thanksgiving and New Years. Agency Contact Response (Santa Rosa cont'd) San Ramon Concord El Segundo Kevin Carunchio Mary Miller Roger Gmman Fountains and Iow 'level aesthetic lights will remain off. We are planning this as the blackouts have not reoccurred. We've achieved considerable energy reductions in other areas and the recent 9/11 events seem to reinforce the need to celebrate this holiday season. No decision yet. We did cancel our Holiday Light Fest at the Chronicle Pavilion for this coming holiday season. In regard to the downtown plaza holiday lighting, I think that will depend on the sevedty of rolling blackouts this fall. ^ final decision has not been made. Last year we continued with the use of holiday lighting, however all had been placed on timers to reduce the hours of operation. As far as I know today, I believe the same course of action will take place this year.