TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Susan Goebel-Canning, Public Works Director
THROUGH: Mark R. Lauzier, City Manager
DATE: August 21, 2018
Title
PRESENTATION OF OPTIONS FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF CURRENT STREET LIGHTING ON FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT (FPL) OWNED POLES ON A1A FROM CASUARINA ROAD TO GEORGE BUSH BOULEVARD.
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Motion to recommend replacement of City of Delray Beach (City) owned turtle light fixtures with FPL standard lighting.
Body
Background:
Currently, street lighting on A1A (Ocean Boulevard) between Casuarina Road and George Bush Boulevard is provided year-round by City-owned, turtle-friendly light fixtures that have been mounted on FPL poles. In partnership with FPL, these light fixtures were installed more than 20 years ago to allow the street lights to remain on throughout the year along the oceanfront. The City purchased the original lights, and supplies all parts as needed when they fail. FPL provides the labor and bucket trucks needed to make the repairs.
FPL no longer allows customer-owned fixtures on their poles.
This leaves the City with three viable options:
1. Install standard FPL owned LED street lights on their poles that will be turned off during turtle season. This option would be at minimal or no cost to the City. Many other cities including Palm Beach, Highland Beach and Boca Raton have chosen the standard lighting which must be turned off during turtle season, March 1 through October 31, leaving the roads dark all except four months of the year.
2. Install FPL owned LED turtle lights on their poles that will remain on all year; the lights emit a red colored light. This option also would be at minimal or no cost to the City. (The red light can be obtrustive and undesireable by many).
3. The City can provide street lighting on A1A with City-owned fixtures and poles. The initial estimated cost of choosing this option is approximately $520,000. If this option is chosen there are additional choices that can be made:
a) Match existing decorative light poles with year-round turtle-friendly lights similar to those existing on East Atlantic Avenue.
b) Install new cobra head lighting similar to that currently on the FPL poles.
c) Embrace new technology that would allow the City to install LED lighting that is a turtle-friendly amber color during turtle season, but can change to white light to allow for greater visibility and public safety from November through February when
a larger number of winter visitors are present.
Considerations: Total distance that will be covered by the new lighting is 1.2 miles. Amber, turtle-friendly, pedestrian lighting also will be installed on the beach promenade as part of the Beach Master Plan upgrade. The pedestrian lighting will be no more than 12 feet above the side walk and is designed to be east of the promenade. While this will provide additional lighting and safety in the area, it will not provide sufficient lighting for roadway illumination.
City Attorney Review:
N/A
Funding Source/Financial Impact:
Options 1 and 2 have minimal impact on budget. Option 3 is currently unfunded for approximately $520,000.
Timing of Request:
The current arrangement was allowed many years ago and it is understood that this the last agreement of this type in the state. Therefore, FPL is eagerly seeking support from the City to bring the City up to FPL's latest standards.