The Wellesley Planning Board, as part of its work plan for the remainder of Fiscal Year 14 and FY15, will soon be conducting a Noise and Outdoor Lighting Study.
Planning Director Michael Zehner says the Board’s interest in outdoor lighting and its impacts was piqued by information provided by Wellesley resident Laura Fragasso.
“Recognizing that lighting can have significant impacts, that the Town has limited policies and regulations to limit excessive light, and that new technologies are changing outdoor lighting choices, the Board determined that conducting a study of outdoor lighting was sensible and proactive. Additionally, the Board recognized that there are commonalities between the impacts and generators of excessive light and excessive noise, and determined that a study should review both noise and outdoor lighting,” Zehner says.
The Board is establishing a Study Committee to consist of Zehner, Ethan Parsons (Assistant Planning Director – Project Manager), Fragasso, Deb Carpenter (Planning Board), staff from the Police, staff from the MLP, and a member of the Design Review Board and Zoning Board of Appeals.
While Zehner stresses it is too early to presume an outcome from the effort, he notes that other communities in Massachusetts do have policies and regulations specific to noise and outdoor lighting (for example, see Concord’s Draft Municipal Outdoor Lighting Policy and Guidelines).
The Friends of Brookside website has a good collection of resources on the topic of outdoor lighting.
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