DRAFT WFWG Evaluation Criteria
Sources for Lighted Synthetic Fields Impacts Investigation
1. Hynes Motion to County Board, 9/24/13: http://archives.arlingtonva.us/publicaccess/PublicAccessProvider.ashx?action=ViewDocument
A motion was made by MARY HYNES, Member, seconded by LIBBY GARVEY, Member to direct the Manager to initiate in 2015 a Working Group to lead a robust community process that evaluates whether or not to light the Williamsburg synthetic fields. Included in that evaluation, although not limited to these topics, shall be whether the environmental, noise and light spillage impacts of, for the first time, lighting one or two fields at Williamsburg can be mitigated sufficiently to preserve the character of the neighborhood and provide a reasonable quality of life to the nearest neighbors - both those whose property abuts the Williamsburg property and those who live across N. 36th street from the site. The members of the Working Group shall be appointed by the County Board and include, at a minimum, near neighbors, the Rock Spring Civic Association, appropriate County commissions and school and recreation field users. The working group shall conclude its work by June of 2016 in order to allow full and appropriate review of any recommendations prior to consideration of the lights question as part of the scheduled Williamsburg Use Permit Review at the September 2016 County Board meeting. The motion was adopted and carried by a vote of 5 to 0. The voting recorded as follows: J. WALTER TEJADA, Chairman - Aye, JAY FISETTE, Vice-Chair – Aye, LIBBY GARVEY, Member – Aye, and MARY HYNES, Member- Aye, CHRISTOPHER ZIMMERMAN, Member – Aye.
2. County Board Charge to Working Group: http://arlingtonva.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2015/06/Williamsburg-Field-Work-Group-Charge-Final.pdf
3. Administrative Regulation 4.4. – Arlington County Environmental Assessment Checklist for NES: http://www.apsva.us/cms/lib2/VA01000586/Centricity/Domain/105/Environmental%20Assessment%20revised%206-24-2013.pdf
Table 1. Working Group Charge Statements
WG Charge Statement / Refer to EA Checklist Paragraph in Table 2 below / Non-Lighted Synthetic Fields Condition / Issue or Problem Raised by Lighting Fields / Mitigation of Lighting Fields /to preserve the character of the neighborhood / C. / · / · / ·
provide a reasonable quality of life to the nearest neighbors / C. / · / · / ·
Impacts to programs and uses / None / · Increase in available fields in wet conditions / · / ·
Impacts to current level of public services provided to County residents / None / · Increase in available fields in wet conditions / · / ·
Opportunities to combine multiple priority programs and uses on the fields / None / · / · / ·
Hours of operations / None / · Daylight 7 days/week / ·
Compliance and enforcement of permitted use Site considerations / None / · Permitted / ·
Impacts to undisturbed natural areas / I. / · / · / ·
Compatible with neighborhood context and surroundings / C. / · / · / ·
Sufficient open/recreational space to support site uses and community needs / C. / · / · / ·
3. Hynes Motion, Environment Assessment Checklist and Charge Statements required to be addressed
EA Checklist Item / Non-Lighted Synthetic Fields Condition / Issue or Problem Raised by Lighting Fields / Mitigation of Lighting Fields /C. CHARACTER OF SURROUNDING AREA (provide a brief description of the surrounding area, including a description of the current property use, including whether the property is developed or undeveloped, adjacent land uses, topography, vegetation, etc.). / · / · / ·
1.) Charge Statement:
to preserve the character of the neighborhood / ·
· / · / ·
2.) Charge Statement:
provide a reasonable quality of life to the nearest neighbors / ·
· / · / ·
3.) Charge Statement:
Compatible with neighborhood context and surroundings / · / · / ·
4.) Charge Statement:
Sufficient open/recreational space to support site uses and community needs / ·
· / · / ·
D. SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS / · NA / · NA / · NA
E. STORM WATER MANAGEMENT / · NA / · NA / · NA
F. FLOODPLAINS, WETLANDS, CHESAPEAKE BAY ISSUES / · NA / · NA / · NA
G. WATER QUALITY (excluding storm water) / · Improvement as fertilizer & pesticides are eliminated / · NA / · NA
H. AIR QUALITY
(1) Will the project cause increased air emissions? (for example, from vehicles, lawn mowers and other landscape maintenance equipment, generators, boilers, etc.) / · / · / ·
I. FLORA AND FAUNA
(1) Please describe impacts on vegetation (for example, change in species diversity, removal of trees or other vegetation), how the project will minimize and mitigate such impacts, and how you will comply with the County's tree replacement policy. All vegetation planted on the site should be native species; contact the County's urban forester for more information. / · Approx. 3.4 acres of grass is eliminated, removing any benefit from carbon absorption and O2 production / · / ·
(2) Please describe impacts on fauna and wildlife habitat (e.g. butterflies, birds, small mammals) and how the project will minimize or mitigate such impacts. Consider both design and timing strategies to minimize impacts. / · / · / ·
J. NOISE
Will the proposal result in increased noise levels? If yes, please describe your abatement procedures to comply with the County's Noise Control Ordinance, Chapter 15. / · / · / ·
Hynes Motion Statement:
Noise impacts / · / · / ·
K. LIGHT and GLARE
If the project involves outdoor lighting, describe how it has been designed to avoid nuisance light that disturbs neighbors, minimize glare, and protect dark skies. / · None / · / ·
Hynes Motion Statement:
Light spillage impacts / · / · / ·
L. HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES/WASTE / · Questions have been raised re synthetic turf and LED light negative health affects / · NA / · NA
M. TRANSPORTATION/CIRCULATION
(1) Will the project:
______generate additional traffic?
______add to existing parking facilities or create demand for new parking?
______have a substantial impact upon existing transportation systems or traffic flow?
______create or increase a hazard to pedestrian or bicycle traffic?
If the answer to any of the above is yes, please describe the impacts and how they can be avoided or mitigated (for example, incentives for mass transit or pedestrian/bike use, design to avoid traffic flow problems, etc.). Please describe, summarize, or attach any traffic studies. / · YES
· TBD
·
· / ·
·
·
·
N. ENERGY CONSUMPTION/CONSERVATION
Describe energy consumption and measures to promote energy efficiency in your project (e.g., measures to reduce heating and cooling energy loads, minimize lighting power density, harvest daylight, use solar technologies, or meet EPA Energy Star or Consortium for Energy Efficiency performance levels): / · NA / · Refer to MUSCO data / ·
O. GREEN BUILDING
Describe your compliance with the US Green Building Council's LEED standards or submit your LEED checklist and related descriptive materials: / · Is artificial turf considered an impervious surface for LEED rating?
· / · Is outdoor field lighting accounted for in the LEED Rating Scorecard?
·
· / ·
P. CULTURAL/HISTORIC RESOURCES / · NA / · NA / · NA
Q. GENERAL QUESTIONS
Beyond the specific areas identified above, do you anticipate that the proposal individually or in association with similar projects or other projects within the same area has the potential to cause significant adverse impacts on the environment, either short-term or long-term?
If the answer is yes, and your response has not already been addressed above, please describe such impacts and how they will be minimized or mitigated. / · Yes (TBD – addition of WMS relocatables further impacts all EA Checklist Items)
· Additional Traffic when fields are wet
· Other – Additional Relocatables should be mentioned / · / ·
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