Supervisor’s Notes

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

Supervisor Bob Cliffe

STREET LIGHTING

In the next week or two, I would appreciate hearing your concerns regarding this important topic.

On February 27’s Board Meeting we held a public hearing on the issue of street lighting: should we modify the Town’s policy regarding street lighting.

This issue came to light with a couple of phone calls from different sections of the town, residents who felt that the street lighting in their areas was not sufficient for safety. Examples are Ferchen with no lighting from Dawn to Sy Road, and Moyer Road with no street lighting from Schultz Road all the way to Shawnee Road. Should the town seek to add street lighting for our town-wide lighting district?

There were only four speakers at the public hearing. Two stated that they live in Wheatfield because it is a rural community. They do not feel that taxpayers should be paying for numerous additional street lights nor sidewalks which would create a city-like atmosphere in the Town. One noted that he raised his children to have good habits when walking or riding along dark roads.

Two others felt that their street areas were very dark and unsafe for residents to walk or ride bikes, that we need to do something better along long, dark stretches of road.

The Planning Board reviewed this and suggested that any area of town which wanted additional lighting could petition the town to create a lighting district in which the residents of that area would pay for the additional light if 2/3rs of the homeowners in that area agreed. Second, that the Town could put up lights when the distance between lights went beyond a given distance, say 600 feet.

Simply put, the present policy is that the Town will put up street lights at intersections, major curves in a Town road and one on each cul-de-sac. Also, any resident or residential group may petition the Town to create a lighting district and the Town will be happy to help create the district, then add the costs to those resident’s tax bills.

What are your thoughts?

Bob Cliffe
Supervisor