Highways/Street Lights
Since the early 1980's, Greensville County has responded
to perceived, potential, and proven threats to the health, safety, and
general welfare by providing increased nighttime visibility through a
street light program. Many neighboring localities have abandoned similar
programs because of economic constraints or an inability to prioritize
locational needs. It is the intent of the Greensville County Street
Light Placement Program, outlined herein, to continue to provide this
service to the citizens of Greensville County by identifying the most
significant threats and formulating an appropriate response in an effort
to improve traffic safety; both vehicular and pedestrian, reduce crime,
generate economic activity, and improve the overall quality of life.
CRITERIA BY CATEGORY:
1.
Road Conditions: Consideration
shall be given to dangerous curves, narrow bridges, intersections
involving public streets as well as private roads where existing signage
is inadequate and a street light can be safely located.
2.
Pedestrian Access: Consideration
shall be given to areas of significant pedestrian activity where
existing signage is inadequate and a street light can be safely located.
3.
Project Areas: Within
the Urban Services Area identified by the Greensville County
Comprehensive Plan or other such areas of concentrated activity as
identified by the governing body, consideration shall be given to the
number of residents to be served, ongoing efforts at neighborhood
rehabilitation/revitalization, crime deterrence, economic development,
or combinations thereof and a light can be safely installed.
ADMINISTRATION:
1. A street light placement application can be obtained from, and subsequently
returned to, the Planning office by anyone seeking to locate an individual street
light under Category 1 or Category 2 with $15.00 fee.
The
local governing body, acting on its own initiative or upon a
recommendation from either the Transportation Safety Commission (TSC) or
the Planning Commission, may direct the Planning Director to process an
application placing more than one (1) street light under Category 3
(project areas).
All
applications received less than thirty (30) days prior to the next
meeting of the TSC shall be considered at the subsequent meeting.
2.
For all requests, the Planning Director will coordinate a meeting
with a representative of the appropriate electric company and the
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) at which time the electric
company will be asked to make a recommendation as to the location, type,
orientation, and power of the light if installed and provide a cost
estimate. VDOT will be asked to make a recommendation regarding these
same items in consideration of other alternatives.
3.
When a request is generated in whole or in part by a concern
related to crime deterrence, the Director of Planning shall offer to the
Sheriff of Greensville County an opportunity to comment upon the
request.
4.
Based on the budget and information received from the electric
company, VDOT, and others consulted as necessary, the Planning Director
shall formulate a recommendation, or recommendations as necessary, and
forward same to the TSC providing a copy to the applicant.
5.
For Category 1 and Category 2 applications - prior to the meeting
of the TSC at which the placement will be considered, the applicant, the
owner of the property upon which the light would be placed, together
with the adjacent property owners, shall be notified of the TSC meeting.
For
Category 3 applications - prior to the meeting of the TSC at which the
placements will be considered, residents living within the area proposed
for the placement of lights shall be notified of the TSC meeting.
6.
At the TSC meeting, the Director of Planning will review the
request, comments received, and recommendations. All meeting attendees
will be provided an opportunity to address the Commission on the
request. The TSC shall make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors
regarding the placement of the lights or defer a decision for more
information. The TSC shall make a recommendation.
7. The Planning Director shall forward to the Board of Supervisors the TSC's recommendation together with that of the staff and the opinions of various entities involved in the review. The Board shall consider these items and may entertain public comment. The Board shall either approve the request, defer a decision to obtain additional information, or deny the request.
8.
Once the determination is made to place a street light, the
Director of Planning will be responsible for conveying the Board's
decision to the appropriate electric company as authorization to
undertake the work. By way of copy, the applicant of Category 1 or
Category 2 requests shall be notified of the outcome.
Placement of all lights will
occur on a first come, first serve basis. The number of pending light
placements, which can not be financed in the current fiscal year, will
be considered in the budget review for the next year and funded as
conditions allow. If a determination is made to deny placement, the
Director of Planning shall so notify the applicant.
9.
Five (5) years after installation of any light and every five-
(5) years thereafter, the Planning Director shall re-evaluate the
conditions, which gave rise to Category 1 (road conditions) and Category
2 (pedestrian access) street light placements to determine if those
situations continue to exist. Those situations the Planning Director
determines no longer justify the continued placement of a street light,
shall be referred to the TSC together with a recommendation for action.
Should the TSC concur with the Planning Director's recommendation, the
Planning Director shall convey the joint recommendation to the Board of
Supervisors who shall either continue the light's existence, authorize
removal of the light, or defer the decision pending additional
information.
Click here for Street Light Placement Application.