The county director of public works and environmental management has had Maui Electric Co. install a dozen of the controversial low-pressure sodium lights in groups of three at four locations. He would like feedback to present when the County Council’s Public Works Committee takes up the lighting ordinance.
Astronomers and seabird watchers like the low-pressure lamps; police and some visitor industry businesses don’t.
Low-pressure lights cast a glow that interferes less with astronomical telescopes and is less likely to mislead birds, which can be confused by brighter high-pressure sodium lights, causing young dark-rumped petrels, an endangered species, to land on the ground where they are vulnerable to predators.
But the LPS glow also gives worse color rendition. Police have worried that it might make it more difficult to identify suspects at night. Witnesses could not recognize correctly the color of clothing, for example.
Arakawa’s position as the man whose department will pay for whatever lights are used is that he doesn’t want to spend a lot and then have the public come back to him and say, "We can’t live with that."
Demonstration LPS lights can be seen at:
Lahaina, Kapunakea Street, in the vicinity of Front Street.
Kahului, Papa Avenue, between Waikala and Pohai streets.
Kihei, South Kihei Road, between Waiohuli Street and Welakahao Road.
Pukalani, Iolani Street, makai of Pukalani Street.
LPS lights can be identified even when they are not lit, because the fixtures are longer and more rectangular. High-pressure sodium lamp fixtures are rounder and "shaped like a cobra head," says Arakawa.
There is also a private parking lot lit with LPS lamps in the new building at the Maui Research & Technology Park.
Leimamo Lind, executive director of the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association, says her members recognize lighting as a "hot button" issue, but the board of directors has not yet taken a position.
Wayne Hedani, manager of the Kaanapali Operators Association, has testified against the switch.
"We share the general concern of the Police Department," he said Tuesday. "We are opposed to it."
Hedani said he sympathizes with both the astronomers and the environmentalists, but the LPS lights "are a problem in terms of aesthetics. They are unattractive."
Arakawa says some colors change under LPS illumination. "For example, a red car will appear brown under LPS lighting."
Hedani, who is also chairman of the Maui Planning Commission, notes that the commission routinely requires all projects to agree to fully shield their outdoor lighting as a condition of getting permits.
The county also has an ordinance that requires it to fully shield its outdoor lights.
"The county has been in violation of its own ordinance since March 31, 2005," he said.
Hedani thinks that if outdoor lights were shielded, "80 percent of the problem would go away."
Capt. Milton Matsuoka said the Police Department position "has not changed" but that the police are "keeping an open mind." Now that the lights are ready, "we’ll probably go take a look."
Arakawa says he is not sure how many lights would have to be changed. The draft ordinance allows high-pressure sodium lamps within 50 feet of an intersection.
An estimate of the cost of changing over made in August 2004 was $3.8 million.
No streetlight at all is also an option. The county has a Street Lighting Commission. Residents can ask to have streetlights added or removed.
Requests to put in new lights usually are related to security.
"We get a lot of requests to delete lights from Kula," says Arakawa.
He would like to hear public reaction to the lights by Aug. 28. Comments should be sent in writing to him at Director, Department of Public Works and Environmental Management, 200 S. High St., Wailuku 96793.
Harry Eagar can be reached at heagar@mauinews.com.