ANNA MARIA – Grammy-winning singer/songwriter and Anna Maria resident Janis Ian waxed poetic when recently sharing her concerns about the glare coming off a new streetlight near her home on Pine Avenue.
Installed by Florida Power & Light (FPL) at the city of Anna Maria’s request, the streetlight Ian referenced is located on the 400 block of Pine Avenue, near the Pineapple Marketplace and two new homes under construction.
According to Mayor Dan Murphy, the streetlight Ian addressed is one of three new streetlights the city recently had installed to improve the lighting along Pine Avenue. In response to Ian’s concerns, the city has asked FPL to install a shield around the streetlight to lessen the glare it casts.
Accompanied by her wife, who did not address city officials, Ian addressed the city commission on Thursday, Dec. 9.
“I’m requesting the council and planners give still more consideration to those of us who actually live on, and adjacent to, Pine Avenue – particularly in the area of lighting. When Pine Avenue was first rezoned as ROR (residential/office/retail), part of the reasoning was to encourage store owners to live above their shops, increasing the investment in the community and Pine Avenue itself. Not just their financial investment, but their emotional investment. When we first began coming here, the love for Pine Avenue felt by many of the shopkeepers was very evident to us. From the attention they paid to the Christmas lights, to the way they treated us once we moved from Nashville, their pride in the street and the city was obvious. The folks at Beach Bums welcomed us with open arms, as did the vendors at Olive Oil Post and what was then Pineapple Junction. Not to get all sappy about it, but it was really moving, and it made us even happier about our decision to relocate,” Ian said.
“We didn’t buy our home to flip it and move on. We bought it to spend our remaining years in a place whose quality of life we couldn’t find anywhere else. Understandably, things have changed a lot these past few years. Nothing stays the same and I know that, but one of the things we always loved about Anna Maria was being able to walk outside at night and see the stars. Now we have to walk out to the end of the pier. The new city lights make seeing the stars next to impossible, unless you’re actually on a canal or on the bay, and even then… ” she said.
“We used to love the way ‘the streets rolled up’ early evening and how peaceful it became – an antidote even at the height of season. We all understand that tourists drive the economy and we are dependent on them. The tourists flee at the height of red tide while we’re still here. Tourists stay away when hurricanes threaten and we’re still here. We shop locally during good times and bad and spend our money during recessions when other people stay away. Many tourists just don’t have a financial or emotional investment in the ecology of Anna Maria – not just the ecology of the wildlife, the flora and the fauna, but the human ecology of Anna Maria,” Ian said.
Regarding the new streetlights, she said, “I understand the liability concerns. I’m asking you to understand that we live on Pine Avenue. We weren’t consulted about lighting structures that cast light up to a full block away from our home, like the one on Tarpon or across the street. Lots of cities are talking about light pollution and recognizing that over-lighting destroys the ambiance of a place like this, which advertises itself as ‘a slice of old Florida.’ Over-lighting wreaks havoc with local wildlife, from small insects to large mammals, including humans like us. Being exposed to light 24 hours a day isn’t healthy for any living thing,” Ian said.
“Our bedroom windows are on Pine. We went to bed one night with the windows wide open to catch the breeze. The next night, the light from across the street was so bright that it not only illuminates our entire driveway and a large portion of our stairs, it reaches into our second-story windows and illuminates the bedrooms so that we’re now talking about having to buy blackout shades,” she said.
“I would appreciate any consideration the city can give to this problem that we face – and some consideration given to those of us who love seeing the stars when we walk out at night. I really think that’s an important part of this city – just as important as the Christmas lights or Bayfest or what we’re doing along Pine Avenue to make it safe for everybody. Thank you,” Ian said.
In response to Ian’s comments, Murphy said the city has asked FPL to install a shield that will focus the light downward. He also noted there’s “a tremendous safety problem” for those walking along Pine Avenue at night.
“That’s what the intent was. The intent was not to disturb your sleep,” Murphy said.
Regarding the pending Reimagining Pine Avenue safety improvements, Murphy said various types of light fixtures will be presented for commission consideration. He said some may resemble the light fixtures in Ybor City that resemble old-fashioned gas lights.
“Those would take the place of the high-powered lights on Pine Avenue now. The intent is that we would take those out and have more of a folksy look,” Murphy said.
Ian then said, “I think the charm of Pine Avenue, particularly around the holidays, is in large part that it feels old-fashioned and does feel folksy or homey. I worry – not just as a resident, but as somebody who has a financial investment – about that charm disappearing in the rush to make sure everyone is accommodated.”
After thanking Ian for her insight, Murphy said the city would seek a quick remedy to her concerns.
Public Works Manager Dean Jones then said, “I spoke with FPL and the request was put in on the 6th to put in a light shield. We’re definitely on top of it.”
After the meeting ended, Ian noted she has a new album coming out in January.
As of Dec. 22, FPL had not yet installed the requested streetlight shield.
