Ocean City staff to recommend regulations for LED lights

The lights of the Cambria Hotel shine across the Sinepuxent Bay at the edge of the Route 50 bridge. The bright lights have been the subject of complaints and concerns and a major catalyst for city staff members to look into regulations regarding LED lights.

The lights could soon be going down in the city as resort officials begin seriously looking at regulating previously unrestricted LED fixtures.

Prompted largely by the glaringly intense lights that shine across the Sinepuxent Bay from the eight-story Cambria Hotel near the Route 50 bridge, discussions have been going on for months about the city's ability to regulate lighting.

And at a joint meeting between City Council members and planning commissioners on Tuesday, both groups agreed the issue needs addressed.

The existing code does not include clear language to address LED, or light-emitting diode, fixtures, which are becoming increasingly common across the resort.

"The current code is not good at addressing brightness or glare components," Planning and Development Director Bill Neville said of the existing language.

Nothing is in place now to require the owners of the Cambria, or other property owners, to hit the dimmer switch, despite the droves of complaints about the intensity of the lights, which on clear nights can be seen from Assateague Island.

"We definitely routinely hear complaints from members of the public, particularly about the Cambria with concerns for safety driving over the Route 50 bridge," Planning Commissioner Joe Wilson said. "That doesn't bother me personally, I’ve never had a problem with it, but just relaying some of the concerns we’ve heard that people are afraid because it's too bright for them."

According to a staff report, LED fixtures produce light that is measured with different criteria than what is in the current code. The report said LED lights are often not shielded, or covered, resulting in "a directed bare-bulb light source."

Neville said staff could recommend requiring shielding or developing other regulations for color or brightness. However, he said some

exceptions exist that could apply to some of the most egregious offenders.

"With regard to a certain waterfront hotel that's claimed a lot of attention, one of the things that we’ve run into is our code is set up to exempt waterfront properties along the waterfront property line," Neville said.

He explained that the exemptions were included essentially to protect the beauty of the bayside skyline, which many consider an aesthetic asset.

"Ocean City has typically been proud of their skyline," Neville said. "And so the bayside, the water view, was something that was typically not regulated."

With that, he asked the group if staff should look at those exceptions to address LED lights.

"The question is, should we look at those exemptions again today in light of this new light fixture type that is so bright and so pervasive?"

Planning Commission Chairwoman Pam Buckley also suggested that staff look into regulating lighting colors, as issues could arise with uplighting — or pointing lights straight up.

"You all have a chance here before the lights are completely out of the closet to make a decision on that," she said.

Council members voted unanimously to have staff look at the issue and return with recommendations.

The Cambria Hotel's bright bayside lights can be seen from miles away, and are offensive to some, however city officials are unsure of whether ay violations exist.

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