Expansion of Washington Neighborhood Yard Lighting Initiative ProgramMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Expansion of Washington Neighborhood Yard Lighting Initiative
Safe Community Task Force Recommendation
DATE: November 8, 2010
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Mi ael C. Van Milligen
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Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Jerelyn O'Connor, Neighborhood Development Specialist
Rich Russell, Building Service Manager
Dubuque
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Neighborhood Development Specialist Jerelyn O'Connor and Building Services
Manager Rich Russell recommend City Council approval of the expansion of the
Washington Neighborhood Yard Lighting Initiative to include neighborhoods east of the
Bluff, as well as the low- moderate income (target areas) of the City. One of the
recommendations of the Safe Community Task Force is to "Create ways to encourage
people to light up their own property and surrounding public property." Expanding this
existing program to other neighborhoods would provide an encouragement for
homeowners to install additional lighting.
This program provides a rebate to the property owner for up to half of the cost of
purchase and installation of energy efficient electric or gas lighting fixtures installed in
their front yard or rear yard. The City will rebate up to 50% ($250 maximum rebate) of
the cost for a front yard light and 50% ($100 maximum rebate) of the cost of a back yard
light. It is also recommended that permanently installed solar powered lights also be
permitted and encouraged as a sustainability initiative.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Jerelyn O'Connor, Neighborhood Development ` '.list
Rich Russell, Building Services Manager -
RE:
MEMORANDUM
November 4, 2010
Expansion of Washington Neighborhood Yard Lighting Initiative
Safe Community Task Force Recommendation
Introduction
The purpose of this memo is to request approval to expand the Washington
Neighborhood Yard Lighting Initiative to older neighborhoods in the city as well as to the
low /moderate income (target areas) of the city.
Background
In 2009, the City Council approved a yard lighting initiative in the Washington
Neighborhood to enhance public safety by encouraging neighborhood property owners
to have yard lights installed on their properties which will provide lighting to the public
sidewalk or alley. The program provides a rebate to the property owner for up to half of
the cost of purchase and installation of energy efficient electric or gas lighting fixtures
installed in their front yard or rear yard. The City will rebate up to 50% ($250 maximum
rebate) of the cost for a front yard light and 50% ($100 maximum rebate) of the cost of a
back yard light. There was $35,000 budgeted for this program. City permits and
inspections are required. To date, only two homeowners in the Washington
neighborhood have taken advantage of this program and the program has a balance of
$34,700.
Discussion
One of the recommendations of the Safe Community Task Force is to "Create ways to
encourage people to light up their own property and surrounding public
property." Expanding this existing program to other neighborhoods would provide an
encouragement for homeowners to install additional lighting.
There have been concerns raised in the North End Neighborhood, Valley View, Point,
and Historic Bluffs neighborhood about the desire for additional lighting.
For example, earlier this year the Engineering Department received a petition from
residents in the 2500 block of Jackson Street requesting an additional street light in the
middle of the block. Engineering reviewed the street lighting in the area and found that
the spacing of street lights fell within City standards and provides adequate lighting for
vehicle traffic in the area. The current city standard is to have street lights spaced at the
mid -block of a street if the block exceeds 600' in length. Engineering contacted Alliant
Energy to upgrade all of the street lights in the area from 70 watt fixtures to 100 watt
fixtures. The city forester trimmed the trees in this block to boost the light levels at
night. The residents still complained that the light levels are low at night. Engineering
investigated the possibility of adding another street light on an existing Alliant power
pole halfway between the corner street light at 25 Street and the existing mid -block
street Tight, but the abutting property owner objected. The primary desire of the
residents is to add security lighting for pedestrians. We believe expanding this lighting
program will provide a tool and incentive for residents to increase the security lighting in
their neighborhoods.
The available funding of $34,700 would be enough to provide rebates for approximately
231 additional front yard lights. If some of the newly installed lights are back yard lights,
even more lights could be funded with this program.
Budget Impact
$34,700 is currently budgeted for this program. There are no additional funds
requested at this time.
Recommendation
Proposed area:
It is proposed to expand the eligible area to downtown, north end and point areas of the
City. All areas east of the bluff would be eligible to participate in the program. In
addition, it is proposed to add any of the city's targeted neighborhoods (areas where
more than 50% of the residents are low /moderate income.)
Currently, property owners may apply for rebates for the purchase and installation of
energy efficient electric or gas lighting fixtures. Building Services Manager Rich Russell
recommends that permanently installed solar powered lights also be permitted and
encouraged as a sustainability initiative.
Action
The City Council is requested to approve expansion of the Washington Neighborhood
Yard Lighting Initiative to address one of the Safe Community Task Force
recommendations.
Encl: Map of low /moderate income areas of City
City of Dubuque CDBG Target Areas
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Neighborhood Summit Maps\
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plotfiles: CDBGTargets_8.5x11.pdf
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Base data provided by Dubuque County GIS
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La• Dubuque City Limits K CDBG Target Areas
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