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Lighting complaints KollmorgenFebruary 11, 2011 Mr. Louis Hasbrouk Northampton Building Commissioner Northampton Ma 01060 Dear Mr. Hasbrouk, The neighbors of Kollmorgen, particularly on the west side of the building, that is the side facing Laurel St., have a number of complaints about the lighting. We were shocked when the lights were turned on to find 22 lights ranged along the west side of the building, some shining into the neighborhood and others trained on the shiny metal siding of the building. The neighborhood had been assured throughout the review process that lighting at Kollmorgen would be similar to that at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, and that neighbors should look there and at Florence Saving Bank in Florence for examples of similar lighting. When tall poles were proposed for the parking lot, neighbors expressed their deep reservations. We were continually assured that light regulations were strict in Northampton and that Kollmorgen’s lighting should be the least of our concerns. We were assured that no light, direct or reflected, would spill over the property line. Also we were assured that the siding of the building would not be lit or spotted in anyway. This is a residential neighborhood and Kollmorgen continually assured us that they understood that they were becoming a neighbor, and that they would enter the neighborhood in the spirit of neighbors. Here are some of our concerns. Only if you see the building at night can you experience the intensity of the lighting. Also it is important that you see what we experience when all the lights are on, because most of the time they have all been on at night, although occasionally a few are off. The west side of the building faces a residential neighborhood. The four tall overhead lights (two poles with two bulbs apiece), similar to those in the parking lot, are trained at the silvery, metal siding of the building on the west side. These lights effectively spotlight the building. The resulting glare and reflection from the siding into the neighborhood are similar to a lit up billboard after dark. You will notice that on all other sides of the building this is not the case. Rather the building’s siding is dark, as it should be. We were assured that any lighting of the siding of the building was illegal in Northampton and this would not happen. Perhaps the lights are trained on the building, because if they were trained on the ground then the light would overflow the property line on the west side. There are 14 overhead lights under the loading dock. Every one of them can be seen from Laurel St. and many can be seen from Grove St.. This is ridiculously excessive, and these lights must be effectively screened from the neighborhood. Because the building is above the surrounding neighborhood, all of these lights can be seen in the neighborhood. The sheer volume of light assures that light is pouring over all the property lines. This is easily demonstrated at night -- a piece of paper with writing typed on it is unreadable in any other location in the neighborhood, but one can easily read from it on Laurel St and Grove St. There are four unshielded lights on the back wall of the loading dock, two on either side of two egresses. They shine directly outward and are very bright. There are two or more lights in the tower which shine directly down into the neighborhood. It is disconcerting to have a tower with bright lights shining into our neighborhood. Thank you for taking time with our complaints. We know that there are many violations here. Thank you for applying the regulations rigorously. The very idea that a large manufacturing concern could be part of a residential neighborhood was questioned from the start. The Citizen’s Advisory Committee, Mass Development, O’Connell Development, the Northampton Planning Board and Kollmorgen itself promised our neighborhood that Kollmorgen could be a harmonious part of the Village at Hospital Hill. We sincerely hope that we can resolve this issue. Sincerely, Harriet Diamond Representing the Neighborhoods of Grove St., Laurel St. and Chapel St.