Lighting Policy
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Feather Sound Community Services District

Street Light Policy

(Approved August 17th 2004 by the FSCSD Board of Directors)

The Feather Sound Community Services District (FSCSD) has the responsibility for maintaining certain streetlights within the Feather Sound Community. In the interest of the public health, safety, and welfare of the Feather Sound Community streetlights are located along certain roads under certain conditions where such lighting achieves public benefit.

Policy Purpose and Benefits

This policy is meant to be a guide for determining the overall need for each request for street lighting in the community based on factors such as, but not limited to, traffic volume, speed limit, road conditions, accident rates, pedestrian safety, roadside parking conditions, adjacent development patterns, number of curb cuts, and degree of existing lighting. It is for the purpose of providing a means of prioritizing and planning for street light improvements; to process requests for street lights in a fair and efficient manner, and to ensure that new street lights installed will be sited for reasons of public health and safety based on the greatest demonstrated public need. Streetlights are of benefit in the reduction of personal injuries, fatalities, property damage and a variety of other hazards.

General Guidelines

· Consideration should be made to place lighting at all intersections and other high pedestrian use areas.

· Lighting should be planned to ensure adequate illumination for safety of pedestrians, bicycles and motor vehicles.

· Where sidewalks exist on one side of the street only, street lighting will be placed on that side to ensure adequate illumination for the pedestrian.

·  Additional lighting on a street with existing lighting should be similar in style and illumination to the existing lighting.

· FSCSD may choose to take over responsibility for payment of streetlights, provided that they are within the taxing district, accepted for maintenance purposes by Progress Energy and otherwise meet the guidelines of this policy.

· Lighting of privately owned roads will be the responsibility of the property owner unless the they are currently on the FSCSD lighting account or the Board has previously agreed to pay for them. The Board will consider requests for changes to lights on private roads if for reasons of public safety and other guidelines within this policy.  This policy is supported by a letter from the Pinellas County Attorney's Office dated June 10th 2004.

· The purpose of streetlights is to light the street safely for vehicular traffic and to provide some level of security to the property owner. Streetlights are not intended as security lighting, although homes, which border closely to the street sometimes benefit from the illumination of that side of the house fronting on the street. If the homeowner requires additional security lighting, it would be necessary to install those privately.

 

Existing Streetlights

The FSCSD was formed in 1990. Since that time there has been no written policy for the siting of streetlights. As a result there are now some inconsistencies in the placement of streetlights. In past years the Board has approved requests for changes to the streetlights with addition of lights on private roads, in commercial areas and in areas where lights are otherwise maintained by a Feather Sound homeowners association.  With the adoption of this policy the Board agrees to maintain these lights for as long as the existing use and ownership of the property areas adjacent to the streetlights remains unchanged.  If ownership or use of a property area changes such as in the case of annexation or new construction the FSCSD may reevaluate its maintenance of lights in that area and make changes as appropriate.

Maintenance
Florida Progress is responsible for maintenance of the streetlights. Streetlights that are not working properly or are out should be reported by calling 1-800-228-8485, menu selection 5. It is helpful to have the pole number or street address of the light needing repair. This is the only way lights will be fixed. Florida Progresses does not monitor streetlights and will fix only those problems that are reported. You can also request a repair online

Requesting a Change
In order to request a change to the street lighting, the applicant must be a legal resident of and/or own property in the community. The request must be written and can be mailed the FSCSD postal address at 2655 Ulmerton Road Box 266, Clearwater, FL 33762 or sent by email to webmaster@feathersound.org. Where underground wiring does not currently exist, the FSCSD may request that additional underground costs, must be paid by property owner(s) prior to authorization of the expense of installation. If the change requested is within an active homeowners association the request must be first approved by a vote of the homeowner’s association board. A copy of the approved meeting minutes must accompany the request. In areas where there are no active homeowners associations the request must be signed by a majority of the property owners within the area affected by the change.

 

Notification of Residents and Businesses

Whenever possible it will be the practice of the Board to notify property owners of a pending change in street lighting in their area prior to final approval by the Board of a change. This notification may be by mail, telephone or other means as the Board determines to be appropriate and with adequate time to allow property owners to respond to the change as needed.

Change Approval

The FSCSD Board shall review all requests for for street lighting. The decision of the Board shall be based on the recommendations of the lighting committee. The decision on the type of streetlight to be sited shall consider, public safety, cost and consistency with the general character of the neighborhood. The Board reserved the right to determine the area affected by change requests and whether a majority of affected property owners have agreed to the change. The Board may at its discretion approve or deny a request that does not meet this criteria if there are other overriding considerations such as public safety, costs or any other changes that would be inconsistent with this policy.

Annexation Areas

If any area which has street lights paid for by the FSCSD is annexed the Board may consider the transfer of those lights to the annexing municipality.

Effective Date

By a majority vote of the FSCSD Board members this policy will serve as a guide in the funding and siting of streetlights in the tax district. Issues regarding the application and interpretation of this policy shall be determined by a majority of the Board. This policy will be revised as needed by a majority vote of the Board.

Approved and adopted by the Feather Sound Community Services District Board of Directors this 17th day of August, 2004.