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Visibility of Street Lighting Those objecting to the street light installation prefer not to have street lights installed to preserve the country road setting they now enjoy without street lights. Staff agrees that the country road setting will be altered with the installation of any light source. The installation of any light fixtures, including LED (Light Emitting Diode) light fixtures, will broadcast indirect light from the light fixture to the road surface below which will be visible to the naked eye. However, in comparing the LED lighting with traditional High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lighting, the LED lighting is less obtrusive than HPS lighting. The conventional HPS lighting uses a single bulb that refracts and reflects the light within the cobra head casing which broadcasts the light in a conical pattern through a lens that is visible from 360 degrees around the fixture. In addition to broadcasting the light on the roadway, it reflects and refracts light into the surrounding night sky. In an effort to combat some of these drawbacks, HPS manufacturers developed shields to funnel or block the lighting source from broadcasting beyond the roadway limits (see Attachment 3). In some instances, the manufacturers have recessed the bulb within the cobra head cover to control the over lighting of adjacent spaces. LED lighting fixtures however, are made up of multiple lights that allow each light source to be individually directed and focused on the roadway. Each light source has its own refractor and can be directed to specific locations on the roadway and therefore be grouped together in a pattern that better fits the geometry of the roadway. Consequently, there is much less light pollution to the surrounding neighborhoods and night sky. In comparing the photometrics of HPS lighting and LED lighting, the LED lighting has the benefit of a more balanced and uniform distribution of lighting verses the traditional HPS lighting. Staff believes that with the new technology of the LEDs, the mature trees along the corridor and other vegetation around the homes should eliminate most of the extraneous light from getting to the homes of those residents who oppose the lights. LED Energy Efficiency City Council directed staff to look at the use of LED lighting as an alternative light source for this section of Foothill Road. In response, staff interviewed three LED lighting manufacturers and determined LED lighting is suitable for this location. The City is also exploring the potential for converting all of its streets lights to more efficient LED lighting, and is working with PG &E towards that conversion. The funding for the City conversion will come from a partnership with PG &E and federal funding. The LED lighting over the long term is more energy efficient than conventional HPS lighting and has a potential life span of 40 years versus 10 years which translates into less maintenance and provides cost savings over the life of the street light fixture. In addition, the LED light fixture energy cost will save on average about $39 per fixture per year. Page 4 of 5