Let’s beautify Pleasantview with upgraded decorative lighting!

Unfortunately, when we submitted this option to the City of Edmonton, we were informed that the cost of this combination would now be almost twice the original estimated price, due to the unexpected cost increase in the luminaire option. We apologize for this but it came to us as a total surprise.

There is a cost involved for property owners, but there are options for how this is covered – it can be a one-time payment or spread out over 15 years as a yearly charge added to the property tax, whatever best suits the individual. As this is the only opportunity to vote for decorative lighting for Pleasantview, we are hoping you will lend your support to this initiative, and vote for this decorative lighting option. Please complete and return the City of Edmonton's Expression of Interest Form, which is included in this package.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this and for your support in keeping Pleasantview a vibrant and beautiful community!

Pleasantivew Community League Decorative Lighting Committee

streetlights@pleasantviewcommunityleague.ca

Decorative Lights Survey Results

Have Your Say on Pleasantview’s New Street Lights

The survey is now closed. Stay tuned for updates.

Introduction

The City of Edmonton’s Neighborhood Renewal Program gives us the opportunity to upgrade our street lights from standard galvanized to decorative poles. Decorative street lights will enhance the appeal of our streets and unify the look of the neighborhood.

During neighborhood renewal, the standard galvanized poles will be replaced at no cost to homeowners. If an entire neighborhood opts for decorative street lights, property owners are responsible to pay 100% of the cost over and above the City’s replacement cost for standard galvanized poles.

Working Team

A working team of volunteers was formed in February to explore our community’s interest in decorative street lights. The goal of this initiative is to select a decorative street light style for Pleasantview, based on input from the community. The team has been working with our Neighborhood Renewal project manager to investigate options and costs. (Other topics, such as the location of the street lights or sidewalk renewal, are beyond the scope of the team.)

Selection of Styles

A number of options are available for decorative street lights: two types of poles, three arm styles, two light options, and three different colours. All these choices result in 36 possible combinations! To make this more manageable, the Working Team narrowed it down to five decorative style choices plus the standard street light.

Selection of Styles

Notes

• All costs above are approximations. The City will calculate the costs for your specific lot and include this figure on the Expression of Interest sent to you.

• You will have the option to spread the expense over 15 years by paying approximately 10% of the one-time cost each year on your taxes.

• The costs will be pro-rated to match your lot size. For example, if your lot frontage is 75’, your one-time cost for option 2 will be $150 If your lot frontage is 35’, the cost for option 2 will be $70.

• If you have a corner lot, your cost will be based on 100% of your lot’s short side plus 15% of the long side.

• The final cost would be determined based on factors like material costs and exact spacing of street lights in the neighborhood.

• The exact cost for the local improvement will be included on your tax notice in the year following installation of the decorative street lights.

Process

1. The decorative street light working team reviewed the choices and narrowed the selection down to five (other than the standard pole).

2. Property owners are asked to complete the survey to determine which decorative light style is most appropriate for Pleasantview. The survey closes June 15th.

3. The selected style will be announced at the Pleasantview Community League Annual General Meeting, on the PCL website, and via social media.

4. The working team will advise the City Neighborhood Renewal group of the selected style by June 30th.

5. The City then takes over the process and sends an Expression of Interest (EOI) info package containing estimated costs to every homeowner in the neighborhood.

6. Home owners return the EOI, indicating whether or not they support this local improvement.

7. If 20% or more property owners return the EOI and 50% + 1 of them vote in favour of the local improvement, it will then proceed. If less than 20% return the EOI or 50% +1 vote against the local improvement, it will not.

The City will send out Local Improvement Tax Notices to property owners. Those who choose to petition against the local improvement must do so within 30 days. If the petition garners signatures from over 50% of all property owners, the local improvement will be defeated. For more information on the process, visit this City of Edmonton website.

Before and After

Here is an example of how decorative street lights would look on a street in Pleasantview (57 Ave). Note the wooden power poles will remain on the street.

FAQs:

Will new street lights be attached to the wood power poles (as they currently are on some blocks?)

• The lights hanging on an arm from the wood power poles on some of the front streets will be removed and replaced with a modern standard. Regardless of the choice for decorative or standard street lights, they will not be installed on the wood poles. Rather, new dedicated street lights (standard or decorative) will be installed on the other side of the street. Exact spacing and placement along those streets will be determined at a later stage of design.

Will the overhead power line be buried?

• No, that is not part of the neighborhood renewal project.

Will the wooden power poles be removed?

• No, they will remain in place.

I have newer stand-alone street lights on my block. Will they be replaced?

• Yes, all will be replaced with the selected street light.

Will renters have a say in the selection of street lights?

• The City will send out the Expression of Interest (EOI) info package for decorative lighting directly to all residential property owners (not to residents living there). Owners will get one vote per property. The City has access to ownership information for properties, so returned notices will be validated.

Do you have to be a community league member to fill out the survey?

• No, it is open to all residents of Pleasantview.

Are the decorative street lights as bright as the standard ones?

• Lighting levels will not be impacted by the type of street light pole/arm/luminaire chosen. Regardless of whether they are decorative or standard, they will include new LED bulbs. The LED's last longer and use less energy than the old ones. They are also more directional than the old style of lights, allowing for the light to be better directed at streets/sidewalks, with less light going up or towards private property.

Have other neighborhoods chosen decorative street lights?

• Take a drive or bike ride through Lendrum, Belgravia, Westmount, North Glenora, Woodcroft, Dovercourt, Argyll, Inglewood, or Highlands to see the decorative street lights these neighborhoods have chosen.

When will our new street lights be installed?

• They will be installed as part of the full neighborhood renewal process currently scheduled to begin in 2022.

What happens if I sell my house but I have chosen to amortize the cost of the street lights?

• The tax stays with the property. Should you move, the payments become the responsibility of the new owner.

Contact us

• Send an email to streetlights@pleasantviewcommunityleague.ca or call 780-944-7833 and leave a message!