Site Evaluation Workgroup (WFWG) County Board Work Session - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Williamsburg Field Site Evaluation Workgroup (WFWG) County Board Work Session January 24, 2017 1

CHARGE • “to lead a robust community process to evaluate whether or not to light the Williamsburg synthetic fields.” • “Included in that evaluation, although not limited to these topics, shall be whether the environmental, noise and light spillage impacts of, for the first time, lighting one or two fields at Williamsburg can be mitigated sufficiently to preserve the character of the neighborhood and provide a reasonable quality of life to the nearest neighbors – both those whose property abuts the Williamsburg property and those who live across N. 36th street from the site.”

MUSCO'S PROPOSAL • 2 Options: HID (High Intensity Discharge) and LED (Lighting Emitting Diode) • HID: primary source for sports lighting for several decades • LED: recommended over HID for greater ability to keep the glare/spill off the property line • Recommended: 6 poles, 80ft, 30fc, 5700K • Alternative (not reviewed by WFWG yet): 4500K

FACT CT FINDING • Neighborhood Character • Lighting Effects • Public Health Impacts • Noise • Traffic • Environmental Impacts • Field Utilization • Mitigation

FIE IELD UTIL ILIZATION MODEL GRASS FY13 WMS Data Field 1 Field 2 DPR Scheduled (hrs/yr) 504 461 Inclement Weather Loss Factor 20% TOTAL (hrs/yr) 403 369 *rounded to integer UNLIT TURF CY16 WMS Data Field 1 Field 2 DPR Scheduled (hrs/yr) 896 862 Utilization Factor 85% 85% TOTAL (hrs/yr) 761 733 *rounded to integer LIT TURF Modeled Projection Spring 13 wks TRUE Summer 9 wks TRUE Fall M-Th Fr Sa Su M-Th Fr Sa Su M-Th Num Days 4 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 4 Utilization Factor 73% 73% 58% 69% 66% 66% 48% 51% 70% Curfew 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM 10:00 PM Mean Sunset 8:02 PM 8:02 PM 8:02 PM 8:02 PM 8:16 PM 8:16 PM 8:16 PM 8:16 PM 6:22 PM Exit time (minutes) 15 Hrs Available (per day) 1.71 1.71 1.71 1.71 1.48 1.48 1.48 1.48 3.37 Hrs Used (per day) 1.25 1.25 0.99 1.18 0.98 0.98 0.71 0.75 2.36 Total (hrs/season) 65 16 13 15 35 9 6 7 123 Total Lights On (hrs/season) 119 30 30 30 74 19 19 19 205 Time on before sunset (minutes) 20

Model Scenario - Low RESULTS TOTAL Hrs/Yr Field 1 Field 2 Total Avg Grass (FY13) 403 369 772 386 Unlit Turf (Calculated Adt'l) 359 364 723 361 Unlit Turf (CY16) 761 733 1494 747 Lit Turf (Calculated Adt'l) 175 175 350 175 Lit Turf (Cumulative Total) 937 908 1845 922 Gain - Grass : Unlit Turf 89% 99% 94% 94% Gain - Unlit Turf : Lit Turf 23% 24% 23% 23% Lights On 453 • Prime Time only • 9PM Curfew (8:45PM cutoff) • Lower Utilization Factor • No Winter Use

Model Scenario - Medium RESULTS TOTAL Hrs/Yr Field 1 Field 2 Total Avg Grass (FY13) 403 369 772 386 Unlit Turf (Calculated Adt'l) 359 364 723 361 Unlit Turf (CY16) 761 733 1494 747 Lit Turf (Calculated Adt'l) 317 317 633 317 Lit Turf (Cumulative Total) 1078 1049 2127 1064 Gain - Grass : Unlit Turf 89% 99% 94% 94% Gain - Unlit Turf : Lit Turf 42% 43% 42% 42% Lights On 593 • Prime Time only • 10PM Curfew (9:45PM cutoff) M-Th • 9PM F-Su • Modest Utilization Factor (Greenbrier) • No Winter Use

Model Scenario - High RESULTS TOTAL Hrs/Yr Field 1 Field 2 Total Avg Grass (FY13) 403 369 772 386 Unlit Turf (Calculated Adt'l) 359 364 723 361 Unlit Turf (CY16) 761 733 1494 747 Lit Turf (Calculated Adt'l) 618 618 1236 618 Lit Turf (Cumulative Total) 1379 1351 2730 1365 Gain - Grass : Unlit Turf 89% 99% 94% 94% Gain - Unlit Turf : Lit Turf 81% 84% 83% 83% Lights On 1284 • Prime Time only • 10PM Curfew (9:45PM cutoff) • Higher Utilization Factor (Gunston) • Incudes Winter

Model Scenario - Max RESULTS TOTAL Hrs/Yr Field 1 Field 2 Total Avg Grass (FY13) 403 369 772 386 Unlit Turf (Calculated Adt'l) 359 364 723 361 Unlit Turf (CY16) 761 733 1494 747 Lit Turf (Calculated Adt'l) 921 921 1843 921 Lit Turf (Cumulative Total) 1683 1654 3337 1668 Gain - Grass : Unlit Turf 89% 99% 94% 94% Gain - Unlit Turf : Lit Turf 121% 126% 123% 123% Lights On 1518 • Prime Time only • 10:30PM Curfew M-F • 10:00PM Sa-Su • NO cutoff – assumes exit lights avail • Highest Utilization Factors (VA-H) • Includes Winter • Sunset rounded to earliest ½ hour

WFWG RECOMMENDATIONS • No consensus! • Open to Lighting • Opposed to Lighting

Every Park is for Everybody “As with all Arlington County projects, a goal is to str triv ive to bala lance th the needs and in interests of f th the im immedia iate communit ity with ith those of the broader Arlin lington Communit ity. All ll part rtie ies must be adequately ly heard and served. Finding that right balance is the tough part.”

Most Syn ynthetic Fiel ields are in in Cen entral and So South Arl rlin ington

Most t Lig Lighted Field ields are in in Ce Central l and So South Arlin rlington 25% of ASA’s Recreational l so soccer pla layers s liv live with ithin in 1.5 1.5 mile iles of of th the fie field lds at t Will illia iamsburg Mid iddle Sc School!

Players squeezed onto two fields at Long Bridge Park for ASA’s Monday Skills clinics.

Projected Annual Hours Gained with Lights at Williamsburg Fields Sample curfew Hours gained Number of People per field People per People per Person/hours time per field with full size fields (low capacity) field (high field (high gained (high lights capacity) capacity) capacity) 9pm 293 2 30 100 17,580 9 pm 58,600 10pm 532 2 30 100 31,920 10 pm 106,400 11pm 779 2 30 100 46,740 11 pm 155,800 Hours gained figures come from a 10-4-16 email from DPR updating these calculations based on field usage since converting to turf.

Mitigating the Impact of Lights Environmental Options Mechanical Options Scheduling Options Partnership Options • Plant more and denser trees and • Phase lights settings so that • Mandate carpooling/number of cars per game • Develop Friends of Williamsburg Field • Limit evening hours to 10 p.m.(11 p.m. is ground cover between the field and less bright lighting is closest Coordinate Ongoing Communication • Committee meets regularly to discuss neighbors. to neighbors, reducing light County standard for lighted fields) • Consider buffer options such as • Adjust closure times for weekdays and spillage even more. operational concerns and issues and • Lower light intensity, color or panels, berms. weekends to interface with user groups and staff • Coordinate a package discount for • Seasonal restrictions (e.g.; limited light during temperature based on data to as needed • Develop Hotline for residents to neighbors who want to put up fences reduce light impact winter and summer months) • Develop grant program for neighbors • Limit special events after 6 p.m. (11 p.m. is provide feedback directly to user to purchase internal mitigation such County standard for lighted fields) groups regarding issues and concerns. • Limit for only youth play (assuming youth are • Facilities communication with as blinds, shades and white noise devices. quieter) programmed groups vs. un- • Limit for only adult play (adults bring fewer programmed uses • More accountability spectators • Limit field use to affiliated leagues • Eliminates distrusted middleman • Day restrictions (e.g.; no more than 2 - 3 nights to 10:30) • Staggered start times (practices/games)

Mitigation Factors Used at Other County Locations • Provide facility monitor onsite for supervision during games • Limit number of special events per year (YCA) • Coordinate APS and County special events onsite to reduce impact on community (YCA) • Limit the number of evenings for the lights to extend to 10:30 p.m. or 11:00 p.m. (YCA) • Adjust starting times to reflect a 9:00 a.m. start on weekends as opposed to at 8:30 a.m. (YCA) • Adjust hours according to seasonal use (YCA) • Standing Committee to address community use issues (YCA) • Onsite facility monitor when synthetic fields are in operation during the evenings and weekend (YCA) • Explore reducing the Kelvin temperature or Foot Candle of the lights • No use of any type of public address system • Adjust spectator seating for small sided games YCA = Agreement with Yorktown Civic Association

County Public Health Concluded Minimal/No Adverse Health Effects • “Natural eye defense mechanisms” will protect the retina from overexposure to blue light from 5700K LED lights • Health effects from glare are unlikely with proper lighting design • Players and coaches may experience sleep delay, but it is expected to be short-lived because exposure is not that frequent. • Nighttime play creates more opportunity for healthful exercise for the youth and mostly adults who will play at night. Detrimental Effects Not Proven for Proposed Light Installation • No studies have explicitly evaluated the health effects of outdoor sports field lighting • Studies that suggest potential negative effects on melatonin or sleep levels focused on longer term exposure in indoor lighting situations. • AMA study concerns street lighting not field lighting. Recommends no more than 3000K and/or additional protective shielding for streets. • AMA study does not specify address the time length of exposure.