The Harlem City Council is moving forward with creating an ordinance regarding a Fort Gordon light study.
During the council meeting on Monday, June 26, City Manager Debra Moore said it only affects the two-mile area that was put into a memorandum of understanding with Fort Gordon to establish a process for creating consistent and timely procedures for reviewing development applications for a two-mile area on the southside of the city. The study looked at how outdoor lighting could impact training at Fort Gordon.
“It has to do with their training at night and light pollution as they call it,” Moore said. “…instead of having lights facing up, they’ll have light (pointing another way)…hopefully it should still provide enough light for the public…”
It was recommended in the study to implement an outdoor lighting ordinance specific to the proposed military lighting overlay districts (MLOD), which is the two-mile area discussed in the MOU. The ordinance would consider creating a lighting zone that would limit pollution and improve viewing of the sky at night, promote the installation and use of lighting fixtures that would reduce glare, require using lumens that range between 3,000 and 4,000k and when appropriate, install timer/motion sensors.
Council members approved having city staff work on an ordinance to be presented at the July 24 meeting.
Council members also approved ordinances 2307, 2308 and 2309. Ordinance 2307 amends chapter 108 land use sec. 108-204 regarding permitting requirements. This change helped clean up the language in the ordinance. Ordinance 2308 is to amend chapter 108 land use sec. 108-244 regarding violations, inspections and removal. This has to do with the appeals process to matches changes made in ordinance 2307. Ordinance 2309 is to amend chapter 108 land use, sec. 108-3 definitions and sec. 108-271 exterior walls. This ordinance has to do with the definition of virgin brick and establishing an exterior wall color palette zone that will be considered for use on new non-residential/commercial construction only.
During the meeting, Whitaker announced the dates for several upcoming meetings and hearings. The Urban Redevelopment Agency will meet on July 12 at 9 a.m. at Harlem City Hall. The Historic Preservation Commission will meet on July 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the public safety building. The first property tax hearing will be July 17 at 6 p.m. at the public safety building. The second property tax hearing will be July 20 during the city council work session at 7 p.m. in the public safety building. The third, and final, hearing will be July 24 at 7 p.m. during the city council regular meeting in the public safety building. The council will vote on the millage rate during the regular meeting.
Stephanie Hill is a staff writer covering Columbia County government for The Augusta Press. Reach her at stephanie@theaugustapress.com.
