Update:
I just learned from Alelia at SCE that there are petitions available to REMOVE the horrible new streetlight bulbs = yay! These petitions require that you get signatures from the occupants of the 5 nearest houses/buildings in each direction of the light. They also have to do a safety analysis to ensure that it’s not a high-risk area for accidents.
Cheers!
Alelia Parenteau
Energy Program Supervisor
CITY OF SANTA BARBARA, Public Works
(805) 564-5474 | AParenteau@SantaBarbaraCA.gov
This week Edison replaced the street lamps on our street, in the 1600 block of Mountain Ave, and I feel like I’m living inside a sports arena. This photo is taken at night time, but it looks like daylight!
I called the City to complain to the person who was in charge of replacing the City’s lights, Alelia Parenteau. The City successfully used a LED fixture with a lot of cut-off for less light bleed in many parts of the City. Edison did not use the same fixture and it is obvious. Alelia said she’s had many calls of complaints about the fixtures and that she is trying to get Edison to change them or shroud them or dim them.
If you would like to email her with your concerns or complaints about the light fixtures near your house, she said it would be OK: aparenteau@santabarbaraca.gov. I’m sure she needs as much support as possible to get Edison to change them, and email communications are easier to save and track. Her work number is 805-564-5474. She assured me that she is trying, but it may take time.
The City of Santa Barbara also issued a statement [Monday] stating that anyone could call the above number to request a shroud be placed around the new lights if they are being bombarded with light the way our house is.
Well, I guess I shouldn’t complain that we have no lights on our street just a few blocks away……
I feel bad for the nocturnal animals that live around there, confused about what time it is and being more susceptible to predation. Also my sympathies to the inhabitants of the street for the light pollution. I would be quite upset as well.
In addition to the obvious drawbacks of light trespass and glare, LED luminaires that aren’t of the “low temperature” variety emit so much blue light that they disrupt human (and animal) circadian rhythms and start causing health problems. ============================== Lots of good information resources at http://darksky.org
Wow this is not ok!! Fix it Edison!!
Umm… hate to state the obvious but where’s a good guy with a bb gun when you need one? or even a slingshot.
Too bad we can’t address the underlying issue of entitlement and disrespect that makes it necessary for the bright lights in the first place.
Light pollution in the Greenie City of Santa Babylon… lol!
They shouldn’t need to be told there is a problem if the lights are that bright! Just some common sense should work.
and the down vote was for? reasonable opinion being voiced? ok thanks edhat
I dont see SCE coming by in the evening to check the light pattern, during install ( during the day) it would be hard to tell the impact. but the shield is a good option to try, they will install one.
Street lights? You city folk find the weirdest stuff to complain about. Out here in the countryside we have headlamps on our cars.
The comment about “low temperature” was absolutely correct. You are dealing with blue laser-generated light. The important thing is the shape of the light pattern and it’s color. The color temperature should not exceed 3000 (the range humans are comfortable with). (this is true when you replace your household bulbs with LEDs, too) Unfortunately, his is what happens when companies forget the public’s welfare. Please write to SCE before Santa Barbara looks like an airstrip.
This is slightly off topic. Have you seen the birds fly up to the lights above SBCC stadium? They fly up and then seem to fall down, then back up and repeat over and over again. They look exhausted. It is pathetic.
Cheers? That city staff member sounds a little too arrogant. Folks are complaining with legitimate issues, and she tells you to get up your own petition? The City has no power or authority over SCE? OR to set policy regarding offensive and unnecessary brilliant lightening in residential neighborhoods.? Sounds like a meeting with the local City Councilperson and Mayor is necessary to blast the bureaucrat in charge into responsible action for the citizens of SB.