1d-3. City Code Amendment, LED Lights
CITY OF
CHANHASSEN
7700 Market Boulevard
PO Box 147
Chanhassen, MN 55317
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Fax: 952.227.1110
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Web Site
www.ci.chanhassen.mn.us
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Todd Gerhardt, City Manager
FROM:
Sharmeen AI-Jaff, Senior Planner
DATE:
June 22, 2009
SUBJ:
City Code Amendments to Chapter 20 to allow Light-Emitting
Diode (LED) Lights
PROPOSED MOTION:
"Staff recommends that City Council adopt the proposed amendments to
Chapter 20 of the Chanhassen City Code as outlined in the staff report."
BACKGROUND
On April 7, 2009, staff presented an issue paper to the Planning Commission
addressing Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Lights. This issue was subsequently
reviewed by the City Council on May 26, 2009 (see attachment #1). Staff
explained that there have been developers requesting LED lights. The
technology is moving toward LED. City code allows high-pressure sodium
(lIPS) light fixtures only. The city code needs to be updated to accommodate
this technology. The use of LED lights should be added to the type of light
permitted in the City.
PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION
On June 16,2009, the Planning Commission reviewed and voted to recommend
approval of the ordinance amendment.
PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS' (All new language is in bold.)
Sec. 20.,913 Lighting
(c) Lighting fixtures on poles shall comply with the following:
(1) All fixtures must be shielded, high pressure sodium or Light-Emitting
Diode (LED) with a total cutoff angle equal to or less than 90 degrees.
Chanhassen is a Community for Life - Providing for Today and Planning for Tomorrow
Todd Gerhardt, City Manager
June 22, 2009
Page 2 of 2
RECOMMENDA TION
Staff recommends the City Council approve the attached ordinance amending
Chapter 20.
ATTACHMENTS
1. City Council Work Session Memo dated May 26,2009.
2. Proposed Ordinance Amendment.
3. Notice of Public Hearing.
G:\PLAN\City Code\2009 Code Amendments\LED Lights\LED cover memo cc.doc
CITY OF CHANHASSEN
CARVER AND HENNEPIN COUNTIES, MINNESOTA
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 20
CHANHASSEN CITY CODE,
ZONING
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA ORDAINS:
Section 1. Section 20-913 Lighting (c) (1) of the City Code, City of Chanhassen,
Minnesota, is hereby amended to read as follows:
(c) Lighting fixtures on poles shall comply with the following:
(1) All fixtures must be shielded, high pressure sodium or Light-Emitting Diode
(LED) with a total cutoff angle equal to or less than 90 degrees.
Section 2. This ordinance shall be effective immediately upon its passage and
publication.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this _ day of ,2009, by the City Council of
the City of Chanhassen, Minnesota
Todd Gerhardt, City Manager Thomas A. Furlong, Mayor
(Published in the Chanhassen Villager on )
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Chanhassen Planning Commission - June 16,2009
Papke: And just to in retrospect here, I think there's been plenty of discussion around this but
you know I think our somewhat divided vote here is reflective of the fact that this is certainly not
a clear cut issue and I think it's going to be indicative of what will happen when we roll this out.
I think there will be, you know if it goes out as it stands right now, I think they're over the long
run there will be some friction in the community.
Laufenburger: Well the good news is, it can be changed.
Papke: Yes, it certainly can.
Laufenburger: Based in a response from the community and how it's perceived.
Papke: Exactly. Okay. Next item.
*
Sharmeen AI-Jaff presented the staff report on the Ordinance Amendment to Chapter 20,
Zoning regarding LED Lighting.
Papke: Okay, questions for staff. We'll start with you Dan.
Keefe: You know I think you know we touched upon, and I don't know if you had any more
information to share but the issue for me on this, and I like the energy savings stuff. I like the
LEED stuff. I like all that. The issue is more the color that LED casts off. I mean the typical, at
least maybe the early generations were more of this white hue where BPS lights are more of a
yellow hue. I happen to prefer the more yellowish. It's a softer lighting. If we were simply to
go sort of this other way, you know I think the technology is coming around some now. Is that?
Al-J aff: Well one of the delays with this type of lighting is the fact that they want it to become
as white as possible, so we started with the colored LED and it's been, it's taken a while for them
to take out all of the color and just have a purely white light. But the technology is moving
towards more white than the yellow.
Keefe: Yeah. Yeah, it's awful. You know in my opinion. I mean I just think from an aesthetics
standpoint it's a lousy color but you know to each their own.
Papke: Kathleen.
Thomas: I am the opposite.
Papke: We're at questions for staff.
Thomas: Questions, let's see. No, I don't think so. I think I'm alright with it.
Undestad: Just one, maybe just to clarify. The, when they base on foot candles, I mean it might
help Dan but on the different color lights really doesn't matter. It's when they have the foot
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Chanhassen Planning Commission - June 16,2009
candles out. Perimeters. Property lines. Street lines, that kind of stuff. The LED and the high
pressure, are they the same foot candles? Same illumination out there.
AI-Jaff: When you're looking at LED lights, because you have multiple sources, it just evens out
the way the light is, maybe in this photo. With high pressure sodium it is concentrated on one
spot and then it starts to fade out. With the LED lights you cover more of an area and it's more
even throughout that area that is covered. As far as foot candles, we would still apply the exact
same regulations that we have today. We still would say no more than half a foot candle at
property lines. We would require the developer to insure there are no dark spots within a parking
lot for instance.
Aanenson: Can Ijust answer a little. Can you go back to the other slide? I think too with the
diodes, the number of diodes you can, that panel just shows one. You can add more on that one
and also you can do it on the other side too so in effect it could be more cost effective because
you can make that head bigger as opposed to a typical high pressure sodium which kind of has
one spec so you actually can make a broader span if you're doing a parking lot or a bridge deck.
Whatever you needed to get that scale, you just add the more diodes so.
Al-Jaff: This is a 3 bar and they can go up to 12. So they can really.
Aanenson: So you're using one pole to get a significant amount of lights so I think that was your
question as far as is it going to cost more because you have to do more fixtures? No, not
necessarily. You can also face them on the other side too.
Undestad: Okay.
Papke: Denny.
Laufenburger: Sharmeen, under your proposed recommendations, would you just clarify? You
have 5 options I think is what you have. Number one you say do nothing. Two is allow a mix.
Three is allow developers the choice. I read 2 and 3 as essentially the same. This is on page 4 of
5. I read 2 and 3 as the same. Is there a nuance there that differentiates Option 2 and Option 3?
Do you find where I'm looking?
AI-Jaff: Correct. One of them would have, or with number 3 we're giving them the choice.
We're giving the developer the choice. Either or.
Laufenburger: So in other words, developer meaning new light placement they could choose
either?
AI-Jaff: Correct.
Laufenburger: Okay, and how about.
AI-Jaff: Or if a brand new development that's coming and then again they have their choice.
With number 4 we don't.
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Chanhassen Planning Commission - June 16,2009
Laufenburger: No, between 2 and 3.
Al-Jaff: Oh, I'm sorry.
Papke: And what's the difference between a mix and a choice?
Aanenson: I think they're the same.
Al-Jaff: They are the same.
Laufenburger: Okay.
Papke: And what are you actually proposing here? This lists a number of options so which one
are you proposing for us to vote on this evening?
Al-Jaff: Staff is recommending that it becomes an, it's the developer's choice.
Papke: Option 3.
Al-J aff: Correct. Which is the recommendation that is on page 1 of the staff report.
Papke: Okay.
Laufenburger: That's it.
Papke: And I have none.
Keefe: Number 1 is all fixtures must be, oh I'm sorry. Yes.
Papke: Anything else with that? And seeing no members of the public here to ask questions I
will open and close the public hearing with one stroke of the gavel and bring it back for
comments. Denny, we'll start with you.
Laufenburger: I don't find the LED offensive. I think the, one thing I like about the LED
lighting is that it's a smoother migration from brightness to darkness, as was pointed out by
Sharmeen. The high pressure sodium light is focused in one area and then it quickly dissipates to
a darkness and I think the direction of the, or the technology of the LED allows for ever a
broader range. I find that not only safer but certainly the economy is in there. I'm in favor of
giving developers a choice. I think given a choice, they will migrate to the most economic and I
think that will likely be LED in the long run. However, 15-20 years from now, there may be a
newer technology.
Papke: Thank you.
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Chanhassen Planning Commission - June 16,2009
Undestad: Well yeah I agree. I mean it's, also I kind of see where Dan's at. I mean it took me a
long time to switch flashlights to LED just because I didn't like that light but you know I see it. I
agree with it. I like having the option on there so.
Thomas: I too like the option. I do like the lights. Probably because it's you know for me it's
more common. You know we have LED flashlights. You know we have all that kind of stuff so
it just, I like the way the light looks. I like the whiteness so maybe it's my generation.
Keefe: I think you know where I stand.
Papke: Okay. My perspective is I think this is kind of the inexorable march of technology and
back to Dan's issue, I think a big piece of this is what we're accustomed to. You know 30 years
ago we had mercury vapor which gave off that horrible blue glow which made all of our acne
stand out when we were kids. And then we went to sodium vapor and we got used to that and
you know, so I think this is kind of a habituation thing that after a couple of years then we'll all
become accustomed to it and we'll march on so. Okay, with that I'll entertain a motion.
Laufenburger: Mr. Chairman, I may not get this language right but I move that the Planning
Commission recommend for approval Option 3 as noted on page 5-5 of the findings allowing
developers the choice of either LED or HPS fixtures.
Papke: Okay. Is there a second?
Thomas: Second.
Laufenburger moved, Thomas seconded that the Planning Commission recommends the
City Council approve Option 3 as the attached ordinance amending Section 20-913
Lighting. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 5 to O.
Papke: Next item, which would be yard regulations.
Angie Kairies presented the staff report on the City Code Amendment to Chapter 20,
Zoning regarding Yard Regulations.
Papke: Dan, we'll start with you.
Keefe: No questions.
Thomas: Me either.
Undestad: No.
Laufenburger: Just Angie if, as I read this and as I listen to you, it looks like what you're trying
to do is to give residents of Chanhassen an opportunity to make, make use of a large expanse of
property that they own but previously they've been prohibited because it's specifically marked as
utility or drainage easement.
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