City staff presented the proposed new White Rock Lake lighting plan to the White Rock Lake Task Force at a public meeting at Winfrey Point last week. The event didn’t draw a huge turnout but emotions ran high.
The plan to light the trail around White Rock Lake came to the forefront of neighborhood consciousness last summer when glaring light poles started popping up lakeside. Many were quite upset when told the project was funded and inevitable.
Inevitable? Never. Opponents of the lights were able to get the project as it were nixed — good, because the plan had problems (and was never discussed openly, which put everyone on the defensive). Plus, what they drew as an alternative is not a bad deal: After the protest and subsequent crumbling of the first lighting plan, the city commissioned some of the country’s foremost environmental lighting design experts, including the Illuminating Engineering Society to help create a “comprehensive master plan for lighting” that would make the lake useable at night without forcing unwanted/ unattractive lights on the neighborhood.
The goals of the proposed plan, which is based on a 2003 study:
Enhance public perception of a safe and secure environment within the park; reinforce signature park status; comply with city of Dallas policies and regulations; minimize the effect of electric lighting on natural views and wildlife habitats. More plan details after the jump:
Plan calls for lighting the 10-mile trail corridor, parking lots and monument signs with "low intensity" lights; zero lights in several designated "environmental protected" areas; special timed event lighting at destination spots such as Bath House and Winfrey Point; removal of glaring, non-conforming lighting, to name a few.
Corridor lights would include 15-foot poles, similar to those along the Mockingbird Bridge, about 90 feet apart from one another along the main portion of the trail.
Another note, East Lawther and West Lawther roads are considered public streets not parks property, therefore they’ll be subject to residential street lighting standards rather than public park standards.
The above video includes a series of excerpts from the meeting — the outspoken neighbor and member of the WRL task force is Chip Northrup. The panel includes Erin Moody from The Lighting Practice, Inc and parks board representative Darren Boruff. (Please save comments related to the video/ audio quality —I did the best I could on short notice and without a proper microphone— I concede I’ll win no cinematography award for this one and I suggest you use a set of headphones if you have some handy. ).
The video is designed simply to give you a glimpse into the goings on at the meeting, for those who missed it. From my perspective, I noticed the voice of the opposition is much louder than the voice of those of supporters, though I know numerous supporters are out there. I’ll continue to follow this— I’ve put in calls to a few of the main players.
There is a public hearing coming up Thursday, March 5th at 10 a.m. at City Hall. You can e-mail Darren Boruff before then with your opinion and questions.
