Sagaponack Village officials have seen the light—and they don't like it.
The Village Board wants to amend the portion of the village code that outlines the powers and duties of the Architectural and Historic Review Board so that its members, when reviewing applications for homes, are required to evaluate how structural glass designs could create light pollution from inside. The proposed change would address a growing concern about emanated light—usually from modern homes with large windows and often entire surfaces made of glass—resulting in off-site glare, light trespass or skyglow.
The Village Board brought up the idea at its meeting last Monday, May 9, and planned to schedule a public hearing this week for Monday, June 13, at 3 p.m. at Village Hall.
Village Mayor Donald Louchheim explained last week that the AHRB has already been considering the impact of interior lighting as the number of applications for contemporary homes grows. However, he said, there is no language in the village code that gives the board the formal authority to do so.
“The board has been doing this for quite some time. In several cases, the applicant has made some alterations in order to accommodate the board’s expressed concerns,” the mayor said. “There are no parameters here—I think it’s something we should consider, he added. "It should be formally listed as one of the considerations.”
Village Attorney Anthony Tohill said that the AHRB is currently required to examine only exterior lighting fixtures. The code change would allow the board to determine if a large glass window or wall is necessary or excessive, if it is expected to promote light pollution, he said.
"What this proposal does is marry up a series of concepts," Mr. Tohill said last week. “It’s never been done before—it’s first of its kind—but I think it’s sound. I think it will solve the problem.”
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Alyssa Melillo on May 16, 2016