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Home My WebLink AboutPWC Agenda 2023-09-19 and Packet AGENDA PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE September 19, 2023, 9:00 a.m. ZOOM Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81695207215 1. Approval of Minutes a. August 15, 2023 2. Member Comments/Concerns a. Consider Modifications to Agenda 3. Samsara Presentation – Fleet Safety Software 4. Cartegraph Presentation – Asset Management Software 5. Town Hall Weatherization Report Findings/Discussion- Dan 6. Project Updates a. Paving Project Updates – Slater b. Streetlight Policy Update – DePaolo 7. Communication a. Schedule a 2024 TB tour Future Agenda Items: • Snow Removal Policy • Long-Term Stormwater Maintenance • Infrastructure upgrade related to development policy (who pays) Policy for the Installation, Removal or Modification of Streetlights on Existing Rights-of-Way, Where Complete Streets Implementation is not Applicable DRAFT v4, 9/13/23 I. PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to standardize processes by which the Town of Ithaca determines streetlight installation, removal or modification on existing streets and publicly traversed rights of way, where the implementation of the Town’s Complete Streets Policy is not applicable. The policy is intended to provide an ongoing system for prioritizing future placement and usage of such streetlights, and outline a review procedure that will result in approval or denial of requests for streetlight installation, removal, relocation and modification. II. STATEMENT OF POLICY The purpose of street lighting is to improve the safety of multimodal traffic on publicly traversed rights of way. Street lighting is not prioritized for the lighting of property over which the public does not possess transportation or pedestrian rights of way. Any perceived secondary benefit such as personal security, or the lighting of yards, driveways or private property, is considered coincidental. Residents and businesses on private streets shall be responsible for the installation, maintenance and costs associated with their street lights, unless the Town has established access rights and maintenance responsibilities, either by written agreement or ongoing and historical use. (Does this cover our current situation?) Street lighting will be prioritized along streets and roads where increased lighting is most necessary for the safety of multimodal traffic. In general, locations likely to be considered the highest priority for street lighting include: a. Intersections b. Dangerous curves or significant changes in the roadway, horizontal or vertical. c. Street locations with a significant accident history. d. Busy pedestrian crossings and popular bicycle routes d. Locations where potentially hazardous or unsafe conditions have been identified. III. CRITERIA FOR INSTALLATION Although the Town of Ithaca will consider a number of quantifiable factors, the installation or removal of streetlights is ultimately a discretionary action. When prioritizing new streetlight installation, relocation, removal or modification, the Town will consider the high-priority criteria identified above, and other factors, including, but not limited to: Night-time business activity Traffic volume   Municipal and industry-standard engineering practices   Availability of existing poles   Potential light pollution and negative impacts to nearby residents   Input from affected property owners (Accept input from renters?) Compliance with all Town codes and ordinances   Consultation with law enforcement to determine additional safety factors   Cost of installation, removal, relocation or modification Energy usage and costs When reviewing applications, Town engineers and Public Works staff will, as needed, reference standards in IES RP-8-xx, including those related to the necessity, placement, height, brightness, and light dispersion of street lighting, and, if applicable, devise context-sensitive solutions. IV. APPLICATION AND REVIEW PROCESS The process for approval of the installation, removal, relocation, or modification of a streetlight or streetlights will begin as a Public Request, or as the result of an ongoing Town Review of Need. A. Public Request: 1. Requests for streetlight installation, removal, relocation or modification may be made by Town of Ithaca residents, business owners, institutions or other impacted persons. (is “other impacted persons” too broad, or should anyone have the right to sponsor a petition, provided that the signatories represent the “Affected Area”?) Any person requesting installation, removal, relocation or modification of a streetlight shall do so by submitting the attached application to the Town of Ithaca Clerk via mail or email: Town of Ithaca Clerk 215 North Tioga St. Ithaca, NY 14850 clerks@town.ithaca.ny.us 1(b) Petition Required for Areas with No Accident History or Pedestrian Safety Issues After an application for the potential installation, removal or modification of streetlights is made, the Town Engineer and/or Highway Superintendent, in consultation with the Director of Planning, will determine whether the requested work is infill in nature and, as such, covered by this policy, or whether it is to be considered in conjunction within the parameters of a more comprehensive Complete Streets design. If covered by this policy, the Town Engineer will request a petition from the applicant if an initial analysis of the 5-year accident history or other safety issues do not warrant bypassing the petition process. In the absence of compelling evidence of an existing hazard, a petition must be submitted to provide evidence of general support for the change in order to minimize the expenditure of Town of Ithaca resources on requests that are not widely supported. Petitions must be signed by at least 60% of the property owners of record in the Affected Area, determined as follows: (% of frontage, instead of residents?) New Streetlights If practical, the location of any proposed new streetlight will be on a property line as close as possible to one-half the distance between existing streetlight(s). Petition respondents will be the owners of properties located within an area that encompasses one-half the distance between the proposed new streetlights and existing street light locations on either side of the proposed new streetlight. Using the aforementioned criteria, the petition area will be defined by the Town Engineer or designated staff. Streetlight Removal or Modification Petition respondents will be the owners of properties located within an area that encompasses one-half the distance between the streetlight(s) proposed for removal or modification, and existing streetlight(s) on either side of the proposed action that are not part of the application. The petition area will be defined by the Town Engineer or designated staff. 2. Once an application is deemed complete with the submission of a petition to the Town Clerk as detailed above (if required), the Town Engineer in collaboration with the Highway Superintendent will evaluate the application, and prepare a summary report of the characteristics, accident history, and safety considerations of the location. The report and supportive materials shall be submitted to the Public Works Committee for review, and forwarded with a recommendation to the Town Board, which will make a determination on the application. 3. If the request is approved, the Highway Superintendent will facilitate the installation, removal, relocation or modification of the streetlight(s) in coordination with all relevant parties. The timeline for executing an approved application is determined by the Town, and is subject to change, based on factors including funding, right-of-way research, and coordination with governments, utility companies and contractors. If the request is denied, the denial and determinative findings will be indicated in writing to the applicant. B. Town Review of Need 1. The Highway Superintendent and Town Engineer may identify potential streetlight needs determined through observation and input from staff, and will conduct an evaluation of the locations, and prepare a summary report of the characteristics, accident history, and safety considerations of the location. The report shall be submitted to the Public Works Committee for review. 2. If the Public Works Committee recommends an action involving the installation, removal, relocation or modification of a streetlight, it will forward the recommendation and related materials to the Town Board for consideration. V. EQUIPMENT 1. The summary report issued in conjunction with a valid streetlight application or ongoing Town Review of Need will recommend equipment details, including luminaire type, wattage, mounting height, light distribution pattern (including shielding, if recommended), and any other relevant details. 2. To minimize glare and light pollution, new streetlights will comply with the Town of Ithaca Code, Chapter 173, “Outdoor Lighting.” The Town will source the most energy efficient technology that addresses the safety objectives of the streetlight, while attempting to achieve aesthetic consistency within delineated lighted areas of the Town. 3. If practicable, color temperature will be 3,000 degrees Kelvin or lower. Consideration will be made to limiting light dispersion to the area required to enhance safety, while minimizing the illumination of neighboring properties as much as possible. VI. SITING 1. The location of any proposed new infill streetlights will be as close to one-half the distance between existing streetlights as is practical. 2. Existing poles shall be used whenever possible for new streetlights. In the event that an application for a streetlight necessitates a new pole, property lines will not be used as the basis for determining streetlight spacing, but consideration will be given to minimal spacing adjustment if it will result in property line placement, as long as safety objectives are not compromised.  3. After a streetlight has been decommissioned, poles deemed unnecessary will be considered for removal. VII. INSTALLATION STANDARDS All installations, removals and modifications of Town streetlights in public rights of way over which the Town has established access rights and maintenance responsibilities, either by written agreement or historical and ongoing use, shall be carried out by a licensed electrician employed or contracted by the Town of Ithaca. Street lighting installations, removals, or modifications proposed for private roadways over which the Town has not established access rights and maintenance responsibilities, shall be designed and implemented in conformity with this policy by private contractors, to specifications determined by the Town. IX. MAINTENANCE STANDARDS Streetlights shall be maintained and repaired as soon as reasonably possible to ensure public safety.  All maintenance of Town streetlights shall be carried out by a licensed electrician employed or contracted by the Town. The Town shall maintain an official map of the location of the Town’s streetlights and a corresponding list of the fixtures and wattage of those streetlights. This official map shall be reviewed annually, and updated as needed.