Street light in Driveway

[godboko71]

Hey all,

Okay so where I am currently living is a very small town in SE OK. We have a street light in our driveway I would like to have removed. However PSO and the town we live in is saying we can't remove it. It is supposedly part of the street light plan for the area. Yet its half way up our driveway, none of its light makes it to the street. Not only dos it put light in our house at night but we have to split the cost to run it with the town we live in.

So who can I contact to have it removed?

[dbacks fan]

5 will get you 10 you can't get it removed and they will say it's in the interest of public safety for police and fire if they come to your house on a call.

[Ed W]

...pellet rifle....

[dbacks fan]

well, yeah, theres that too, probably have to pay half the replacement cost though

[patric]

Hey all,

Okay so where I am currently living is a very small town in SE OK. We have a street light in our driveway I would like to have removed. However PSO and the town we live in is saying we can't remove it. It is supposedly part of the street light plan for the area. Yet its half way up our driveway, none of its light makes it to the street. Not only dos it put light in our house at night but we have to split the cost to run it with the town we live in.

So who can I contact to have it removed?

You might be able to argue the "Light Trespass" is either a nuisance that should be abated, or constitutes a "taking" where you are being deprived of a quality of life without compensation.  Alternatively, some people deal with open-bottomed NEMA "farm lights" (what AEP calls "security lights") by painting the prismatic plastic ring with grey primer.
The later involves a 25-foot insulated pole with a spray can at the top, and a cord attached to a hinge that activates the spray.  AEP does something similar with a bucket truck... see if they will paint it first, or give you permission.  

[sauerkraut]

If you have to pay half the cost of it I'm sure there is something ya can do. My neighbors have a yard security light I don't know if PSO forces them to have it or not but I like it, for me it's free light and I even cleared away some fence line trees in order to get more light from it, the light  also shines in the windows which I like it acts as a free nite lite, but if I had to pay for it I'd be a un-happy camper too. Maybe you can just run the problem across an lawyer and get his opinion. I read in a PSO booklet that yard security lights cost $8.00 a month if you supply the pole.

[carltonplace]

If you have to pay half the cost of it I'm sure there is something ya can do. My neighbors have a yard security light I don't know if PSO forces them to have it or not but I like it, for me it's free light and I even cleared away some fence line trees in order to get more light from it, the light  also shines in the windows which I like it acts as a free nite lite, but if I had to pay for it I'd be a un-happy camper too. Maybe you can just run the problem across an lawyer and get his opinion. I read in a PSO booklet that yard security lights cost $8.00 a month if you supply the pole.

wow

[Hoss]

wow

Isn't it though?

[godboko71]

You might be able to argue the "Light Trespass" is either a nuisance that should be abated, or constitutes a "taking" where you are being deprived of a quality of life without compensation.  Alternatively, some people deal with open-bottomed NEMA "farm lights" (what AEP calls "security lights") by painting the prismatic plastic ring with grey primer.
The later involves a 25-foot insulated pole with a spray can at the top, and a cord attached to a hinge that activates the spray.  AEP does something similar with a bucket truck... see if they will paint it first, or give you permission. 

Thank you, I called about painting it as a first step while we work on removing it. I will call again tomorrow because I know they will not return my call.

With some digging I found out it was put in in 1997 before this house was built because trailers require the light. Well a trailer has not been on this plot since 1998 so it hasn't been needed in a LONG time.

On a related note who do I contact about the rest of the farm lights on the streets in town with something a little more modern?

As for 8 bucks a month no it eats more power then that.

Also it isn't a security light, its a glare and shadows light. I can't see under trees when it works but can when it doesn't.

[patric]

"who do I contact about the rest of the farm lights on the streets in town with something a little more modern?

Does your town have a franchise agreement with the utility?  Try to get a copy of that.
You could also talk to your town leaders about adding efficiency requirements for publicly-funded lighting.  Texas, for example, has required that statewide since 1999.
Also find out if they have a "warranting" process that dictates where lights should go and what they are intended to accomplish.  Such an ordinance should also include a process for retiring unneeded lights.

For reference, download a copy of the Pearl District Form Based Code at http://www.tmapc.org/FINAL-Adopted%20Form-Based%20Code.pdf
(Section 404 deals with lighting) and encourage town leaders to adopt something similar.

[custosnox]

Hey all,

Okay so where I am currently living is a very small town in SE OK. We have a street light in our driveway I would like to have removed. However PSO and the town we live in is saying we can't remove it. It is supposedly part of the street light plan for the area. Yet its half way up our driveway, none of its light makes it to the street. Not only dos it put light in our house at night but we have to split the cost to run it with the town we live in.

So who can I contact to have it removed?

"no sir, those are not holes drilled throughout the pole, more so on the side away from the house causing it to fall that direction, it's termite damage."

[dbacks fan]

^^^ +1

[tulsascoot]

I have a light like that, and it burned out so I called Pso and asked to have it turned off and stop billing me, which they did. I live in the city, and the light is not a public utitilty light, but looks like one big pole and all. I don't see how the city can force you to keep it on if you have to pay for it. If it is a public safety issue, then the city should foot the bill.