12/3/12 Research has been started on the above 2 lighting complaints. No record of lighting could be found for either address. Is this something that was installed recwently? No permit for electrical could be found in our Building Dept. Have they been up for a while? Thank you for your clarification so that research on this can continue. ZEO

Hello, This person seems to have a serious problem with Natalya. He/She seems to be looking for things to complain about, when the car situation does not appear to be a legal problem something else arises. Try leaving her and her business alone. Thanks. Sincerely, Concetta

Hello, I would like to add another comment. Does this person expect the much needed street lights to also be shut off. This would be ridiculous. Try buying room darkening blinds and drapes. Thanks. Sincerely, Concetta

Yes, they have been up for at least 2 years, that I can remember. Last spring, the Owners at Baco's and Natalia's Alterations removed several large trees that were shielding the fixtures. I have emailed the zoning official in the past regarding this issue.

Out of curiosity I drove in the parking lot and I can agree with D A N that the lights are unshielded and extremely bright and infringing on neighboring properties. Expecting the burden of shopping for and cost of blinds and drapes to the residents is ridiculous when the lights shouldn't be shining into their homes in the first place.

Hello, I too have driven through the area just to check it out @ approximately 11:30 PM. Baco's lights were already out and Natalya's rear door spot light was on and did not shine past the area of her rear parking lot. In addition, if one chooses to buy or rent a home or apartment in a business district directly off route 5 lights will be around your premises. So to close I believe yes the renter or homeowner should then take it upon themselves to shield their windows. Sincerely, Concetta

Ms. Arre, you have serious issues and I hope you stay far and clear of my neighborhood. I have a better idea, the business' that aren't conforming to the ordinance should purchas and install full cut-off type light fixtures with no glare and less vertical distribution. If properly designed and installed, energy efficient lighting can effectively illuminate the business' and make their buildings and properties more appealing to customers. More importantly, properly designed lighting could make the area more pleasant and would add appeal to attract future home buyers to the declining neighborhood.. The business owners are wasting energy by lighting our back yards!

Dan, The neighborhood in question is in fact not yours but a part of the Enfield community. I take issue with your above comments regarding me and I would appreciate no further contact from you. Sincerely, Concetta M Arre

I have never contacted you. You posted a reply on the issue thread that I created and you made a spectacle of yourself by throwing accusational comments at what was mearly an attampt to have the town enforce an ordinance that everybody must abide by. Just because the targeted business owners happen to be your friend or family or whatever they are, doesn't make them exempt. Judging by all of the rediculous comments and replies that I see ffrom you on various threads, you have issues and I/we (the Enfield community at or around University Place) would appreciate it if you would stay clear of our neighborhood.

This past weekend, the Owner of Bacos Pizza decided to take the last two trees down. Now there are no trees shielding the residential properties from the business' at all and three additional non-conforming light fixtures are visible on the back of Bacos. Please provide an update of the Town's intentions in this matter. Specifically, the large flood fixtures on the 30 foot poles are the main nuisance, illuminating well into 3-4 houses/yards down University Place. These are not street lighting fixtures, they are directional flood fixtures illuminating the parking lots of Baco's and Natalya's Alterations. They are aimed in a manner that directs an enormous amount of nuisance lighting, The poles are owned and maintained by CL&P and are mounted at a high-voltage level which means that CL&P are more than likely contractoed to provide these fixtures as they don't do so, free of charge. Are these flood fixtures leased by the Town or by the Owner's of Baco's and/or Natalya's Alterations?
The fixtures on Bacos' and Nataly's Alterations buildings are also the culprit but more of glare problem than a nuisance.
It has been a week since this was reported and all of the lighting fixtures burn obnoxiously throughout the evening for the Town to observe. Again, what are the intentions of the Town of Enfield with this matter?

12/12/12 - This note is to serve as an update. ZEO is still researching history of both parcenls. ZEO hopes to have answeres on the questions posed within the next few days. ZEO
.

ZEO is investigating these complaints

José Giner u xilsaaray arrinkan Ginny Higley

1/7/13 - ZEO has researched both tree questions and light questions. CL&P is in charge of the lights along Enfield St. Businesses cannot buy spot on existing telephone pole to add a light. to shine on their business. Perhaps a shield could be put on the light that is shineing on neighbor's properties. Also, ZEO spoke with BACO's owner. He stated trees were diseased and needed to be removed for both his property and the neighbors property safety. The Town of Enfield does not get involved with private property trees unless they are part of a Planning & Zoning Commission approval which these do not appear to be. Owner of Bacos told ZEO that in the Spring bushes will be planted to replace trees. If there are still concerns about thre trees, the Town of Enfield has a Tree Warden. It is the Director of Public Works. Feel free to contact that office 860-253-7559.
ZEO

Ms. Higley:
I never stated that business' could "buy spot on existing telephone pole to add a light". I stated that they might be leased as part of a request. CL&P does lease street lighting and outdoor fixtures with maintenance included. This is done all over the state and it is done with private owners as well. If not leased by the businees owners and if not by the Town of Enfiled, then I'd like to know how, why and when were the flood lights installed and who's paying for the use of them (electric bill)? I doubt if CL&P installed them and provides electricity to them for free!
The trees were not deseases, they were healthy hard wood trees that were cheaper to take down then to have an arborist repair the few broken branches due to the "storms" we've had in the last 2 years. I have taken video of the trees being taken down and it was a comical crew running around with no protective equipment on a Sunday morning. i doubt if there was a qualified individual in the bunch that could make an educated diagnosis that the trees were deseased. I've never seen 100-125 foot deseased oak trees with strong straight trunks and if they were deseased then why is Baco's keeping the chopped wood behind their dumpster which is obviously b eing aged for use in a fire place, wood stove or open hearth?
I could care less about some bushes being planted in the spring. Over a year ago Mr. Giner told me that he was going to ask the business owners at Natalya'sm Alterations to plant bushes and that didn't seem to ever happen. Bushes will never grow big enough to shield the multiple nuisance lighting infractions being committed every single day. I'm tired of not being able to enjoy my garden at night or not being able to sit on my porch without a glare bomb of lighting fixtures invading our privacy. The facts are simple, the Town of Enfield has a ordinance in place in regards to lighting glare and it creates a nuisance to our quality of life and invades our privacy. Again, both Natalya's and Baco have multiple exterior building mounted fixtures that are an infraction of the ordinance. I believe we have been patient and we have waited long enough for a response via this web site and frankly, I don't feel that the complaint is being taken seriously.
Again, here's the ordinance which the Town is expected to uphold and enforce:
The ordinace that I've referenced:
7.10.6 Outdoor lighting.
All external illumination shall be directed or shielded in such a manner that the source (bulb, tube, etc.) of light will not be visible from any street or from any adjoining property. No light shall be directed outside the lot where it originates. All lighting shall be shielded or otherwise designed to provide down lighting so as to minimize night glare.

If the Town staff is incapable of interpreting their own ordinance and enforcing it properly, I would hope that a professional would be sought out to advise. For reference, a respected non-profit in the outdoor lighting industry with roots in various communities including Suffield, Simsbury, Farmington and many other towns in CT, is the International Dark Sky Coalition and their information can be found at www.darksky.org

I have faith or at least I would hope that the Town of Enfiled would enforce it's own ordinance's and in a more timely manner!

2/19/13 - Spoke with CL&P about flood lightrs at 410 & 396 Enfield St. There was a ticket put in to view them. If there is no shield on both - they will put one on each pole. If there are already flood lights with shileds, CL&P will try to adjust them. ZEO

Has this issue been resolved? If so please close out.

No it has not been resolved.

3/14/13 - CL&P has advised the following: One pole will be inspected on 3/19 to see if shield is in place and functioning properly (down instead of out). On March 25th the other pole will be inspected. If it is found new parts or equipment are necessary for either or both poles another work order will be genered. Thank you for your patience as this item moved through the system. ZEO

This item is closed.

The service calls have not happened so please don't close the issue.

Neither of the pole mounted fixtures have shields so I'm not sure how the shields could be adjusted.

Also, this complaint was in reference to not only the pole mounted flood fixtures but also about the building mounted fixtures causing glare problems as well.

Please enforce the town regulations as they are written. If you don't plan on enforcing the regulations, please just make it clear so we can assume the responsibility to the town as being negligent and proceed otherwise.

3/18 - ZEO will check with CL&P after second inspection which is slated for 3/15/13.

3/18 DISREGARD ABOVE DATE

3/18 DISREGARD ABOVE DATE

3/18 DISREGARD ABOVE DATE CL&P will look at March 25 (not 15th). Sorr for the typeo. ZEO

3/18 DISREGARD ABOVE DATE CL&P will look at March 25 (not 15th). Sorr for the typeo. ZEO

3/26/13 - My See-click-fix reporting system has been down. Here are the results from last week regarding CL&P vistit to view both poles. 3/19/13
NOTE TO FILE:
RE: Flood Light on CL&P poles in front of 396 & 410 Enfield Street shining on University Place. Pole in front of 396 Enfield St. – Work Order #2091110 / Pole in front of 410 Enfield St. – Work Order #2091115 – Customer Service Phone Number 1-800-286-2000

3/19/13 – 11:05 AM
Spoke with Kevin of CL&P Engineering Dept. in Tolland. (860)947-2121. The mechanic who investigate/maintain the poles sent the Engineering Dept. the following information. The mechanic went out and looked at both poles. Each flood light was turned down and repositioned so as not to shine on University Place. The mechanic believes this should solve the problem.

Kevin, the CL&P rep from the Engineering Office did say that if any homeowner still has issues with light shining into their house; the property owner can call CL&P Customer Service. The property owner can request it be turned off and/or taken down.
Since these flood lights have been up for well over 10 years (predates current records), CL&P encourages the owner of the structure(s) being affected to contact CL&P directly. CL&P will go out one last time to view the potential violation. If they find it is still existing, CL&P will then contact property owner and have light turned off. ZEO

3/26/13 - This closes out the complaint. ZEO

Thank you.