Seattle Residents for Fair Field Lighting
"Fields For All - Not Just Some"

Limit:
Glare / brightness
Light trespass
Sky glow (upward light trespass)
Offsite visibility

Preserve:
Views
Wildlife habitat

Get involved when budgets and performance specifications are determined. Know your site and determine performance criteria from a total neighborhood perspective (e.g., limit light trespass onto private property to 0.3 footcandles or 0.1 footcandles on residential sides of field; if you have views, determine tradeoffs between limiting pole height with adding glare and light trespass; plant evergreens to soften brightness/glare; do not light near wildlife habitat).

place light poles as close to field as safely possible

light for a single sport (don’t overlap soccer and baseball lighting systems)

use lower lighting levels (Class IV play) (this usually lowers pole height):

try to schedule baseball/softball games during day - lights for these sports require wider aiming angles and shine more directly into the neighborhood

reduce reflective value of field surface (to prevent sky glow)

choose the state-of-the-art lights that are best for your site:

in general, heights depend on field size, proximity of poles to field, and light trespass / glare containment criteria you want to meet – you’ll generally need higher poles for bigger fields, for poles that are set back from field, and for better light trespass and glare containment

don't use field lights for security lighting; use lower-down, less bright lights on light poles for security lighting

demand most stringent light trespass and glare containment – In Park’s Ballfield Lighting Study, Parks argues they can contain light trespass only to 0.8 foot candles, but our consultant argues for 0.3 foot candles and even 0.1 from any plane (see attached report).

volunteer to monitor light box at your field to manually override computer systems when lights don't go out (none of three auto-shutoff systems has worked as promised)