Bright lights bother Bordentown Township residents

By Stephanie Prokop, Staff Writer
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP — Residents claiming lights on the Shoppes at Glen Plaza on Route 206 are too bright were adamant at Monday’s Township Committee meeting that the lights were “a glowing beacon” illuminating their houses at night.
    Ted Franckowiak, of Orchard Lane, delivered the latest in his testimony to the committee and requested that the lights have more substantial shielding placed around them to direct the beam downward.
    Committee members countered that eliminating too much of the plaza’s lighting could make the building an “attractive nuisance,” and that there has been instances of graffiti scrawled on its side wall.
    Mr. Franckowiak said the lights had been completely turned off at the plaza at night on the weekend, and that he felt “a feeling of peace; a total feeling of relief.”
    Last fall, Mr. Franckowiak delivered a petition to the committee with more than 50 signatures asking the township to take measures to lower the lights.
    Since then township engineer Fred Turek and township planner Jay Petrongolo visited the site to measure the light’s glare and reflection.
    Shields were placed on the lighting fixtures to curb the light glare.
    Committeeman Robert Delaney insisted that throughout the process the committee has been diligent in trying to work with the residents and assured residents that Mr. Franckowiak’s requests have not fallen on deaf ears.
    “We remain concerned that (this issue) is affecting residents in a negative way,” he said.
    He said it was also important to consider the safety of those who work in the building and have to leave at night.
    Mayor Bruce Hill asked the township engineer if it would be possible to shut off every third light on the property, or to have the wattage reduced on each of the bulbs.
    “It does come down to the minimum light standards set for safety,” said Mr. Turek.
    Mr. Franckowiak also said residents residing on the north side of Route 206 have car lights shining right into their houses when a customer pulls into the shopping plaza’s parking lot.
    Although shrubbery and landscaping installed in front of the parking spaces had been installed according to approved plans with the intent that the shrubbery would eventually grow to mask the glare, Mr. Franckowiak said, the shrubs were actually being trimmed and were shorter than originally planted.
    To counteract this, the plaza’s owner has elected to plant arbor spruce trees.
    Requesting more effective shields on the light structures will be the next step, officials said.
    Despite the measures taken, Mayor Hill acknowledged that because the site was a densely wooded area prior to the shops appearing, “there is no doubt that when that was cleared out, the quality of life was changed forever.”