CORRECTION: Santa Fe City Council greenlights public outreach on light designs, temps

Feb. 25—Correction appended

The Santa Fe City Council approved a motion Wednesday allowing for public outreach to vet new designs and color temperatures for the city's sweeping streetlight upgrade project.

The city plans to replace the existing 5,550 high-pressure sodium bulbs with LEDs. The project will cost $2.75 million under the proposal discussed Wednesday.

The amendment, which was approved after objections from community members over proposed 4,000-kelvin lights on main thoroughfares, would extend the work period from six to nine months, and set up a framework for public outreach and discussion before a final light design and kelvin level is approved by the City Council for conversion.

The new bulbs, the city says, will reduce energy use by 50 percent to 60 percent and are expected make up for the city's investment with energy bill savings.

Lighting is measured by color temperature, which is expressed in kelvins.

The city approved a contract with Dalkia Energy Solutions LLC, which absorbed the company responsible for Albuquerque's streetlight project.

The light conversion project is part of a sweeping plan for the city to go carbon-neutral by 2040. The city also plans to add solar panels and other energy-efficient alterations to city buildings and properties.

During a presentation Wednesday, Public Works Director Regina Wheeler said the city's current streetlight system is riddled with problems, including a high failure rate, high energy use and high maintenance costs, among other issues.

"It's actually quite a big piece of infrastructure that has gone relatively unmanaged. Once you put the pole up, you kind of think it's going keep working, but that is not necessarily the way it has to be."

Currently, most city streets are set at 2,000 kelvins.

Wheeler also noted the current system of streetlights promotes "fugitive light," which can impact homes and the city's night sky. But critics believe that higher kelvins — the plan called for 3,000 kelvins on residential streets and 4,000 kelvins on main streets — would lead to even more light pollution.

Ruskin Hartley, executive director of the International Dark-Sky Association, emailed a letter to Mayor Alan Webber on Wednesday stating the organization's overall support for the conservation efforts. But the letter also stated the organization does not believe 4,000 kelvins is the right level for city lights.

"Given that no particular public safety benefit relating to the use of 4000K lighting has been rigorously established, it is not evident to us why the 3000K standard the City has adopted for residential neighborhoods is not equally suitable for its arterial and collector streets," Hartley wrote.

The letter also noted that other cities in the Southwest, including Tucson, Phoenix and Flagstaff, Ariz., opted for 3,000 kelvins or less.

Jim Baker, a Santa Fe resident, told councilors he would normally support an effort to reduce city energy consumption. But he hoped the city would amend the proposal to reduce the color temperature of the lights below 3,000 kelvins, pointing to a 2016 American Medical Association recommendation that streetlights should not exceed 3,000 kelvins.

The AMA found high-intensity bulbs — like the ones found in larger cities like Los Angeles and New York — can disrupt sleep patterns.

Representatives for Dalkia Energy Solutions said dimming capabilities will be included on all city lights, which could reduce wattage during low-use hours and the overall lumens on roadways.

"We will listen to the community and provide the dimming capabilities as needed," said Kevin Kaye, Dalkia's director of operations.

City Councilor Roman "Tiger" Abeyta said while discussions have largely centered around how bright the lights should be, his constituents have voiced the need for more light in darkly lit areas, which can provide ample opportunity for crimes like car theft and home invasion.

Other actions

* City Manager Jarel LaPan Hill provided an update on the city's COVID-19 employee testing policy, noting that she expects testing to begin in March. LaPan Hill said the city is still in the process of running the draft policy through the city's legal team before sharing it with union representatives.

* The council approved a $445,000 budget increase to construct a downtown Santa Fe public bathroom complex. The bathroom will now have a budget of $900,000, with $90,000 for contingencies. Last week, project manager Curt Temple said the design ran over budget due to the need for a fireproof wall. The bathroom will be constructed in a city-owned parking lot on Water Street.

* The council approved a budget adjustment resolution, providing $62,000 to fund a consultant team to help guide the city's Culture, History, Art, Reconciliation and Truth process. The resolution allows the city to begin issuing requests for proposals to solicit a team to oversee the CHART process. According to city officials, the hope is to have a consultation team selected by April.

* Rich Brown, director of economic development, said the council should expect a recommendation on what to do with the midtown property on March 31.

Correction: This story has been amended to reflect the following correction. A previous version of this story incorrectly reported that the city intended to move forward with 3,000 kelvin and 4,000 kelvin lights. The City Council approved a contract with an amendment allowing for public outreach on the kelvin level and light design before Mayor Alan Webber and city councilors approve the designs for conversion.