The information in this section is based in part on the following lighting modeling:

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1 5.1 This section of the program EIR evaluates the potential for project development to impact aesthetic resources on and near Canyon Springs High School and Westbluff Park. This section discusses plans and policies from several jurisdictional agencies, along with the existing aesthetic setting. Impacts to scenic vistas, scenic resources, and the visual character of the site and its surroundings were found to be less than significant in the Initial Study included as Appendix A to this Draft EIR. Therefore, the analysis in this chapter focuses on project-related light and glare impacts. The information in this section is based in part on the following lighting modeling: Canyon Springs High School Football Stadium Metal Halide Lighting Design, Musco Sports Lighting, LLC, January 19, Canyon Springs High School Football Stadium LED Lighting Design, Musco Sports Lighting, LLC, January 19, The lighting designs and photometric studies are included as Appendix C-1 and C-2 of this Draft EIR. TERMINOLOGY Aesthetic impact assessment generally deals with the issue of contrast, or the degree to which elements of the environment differ visually. Aesthetic features vary by environment, which ranges in character from urban to rural to wildlands. Adverse visual effects can include the loss of natural features or areas, the removal of urban features with aesthetic value, or the introduction of contrasting urban features into natural areas or urban settings. Aesthetics. Under CEQA, the term aesthetics pertains to the perceived visual quality of an area characterized by one or more visual elements such as open space, scenic views, or architecture type. Aesthetically significant features occur in a diverse array of environments, from urban centers to rural agricultural lands to natural woodlands. Foot-candle. The unit of measure expressing the quantity of light on a surface. One foot-candle is the illuminance produced by a candle on a surface of one square foot from a distance of one foot. The general benchmarks for light levels are shown in Table December 2016 Page 5.1-1

2 Table Light Levels Outdoor Light Foot-candles Direct Sunlight 10,000 Full Daylight 1,000 Overcast Day 100 Dusk 10 Twilight 1 Deep Twilight 0.1 Full Moon 0.01 Quarter Moon Moonless Night Overcast Night Gas station canopies Typical neighborhood streetlight Source: National Optical Astronomy Observatory 1 Glare. Light that causes visual discomfort or disability or a loss of visual performance. It occurs when a person s eyes see a bright object against a dark background. Glare can be generated by building exterior materials, surface paving materials, vehicles traveling or parked on roads and driveways, and stadium lights. Any highly reflective façade material is a concern because buildings can reflect bright sunrays (unshielded light illustration, below, adapted from Institution of Lighting Engineers 2 ). 1 National Optical Astronomy Observatory. Recommended Light Levels. 2 The Institution of Lighting Engineers. Guidance Notes For The Reduction Of Light Pollution Page 5.1-2

3 Glare is generally understood as excessive brightness occurring in the normal field of view, which indicates that it results from a viewer facing toward the light source so that the light from it directly enters the eye. Glare differs from spill light, where the individual is not directly facing the source, but is seeing the illumination of objects receiving light from it. Light trespass. Spill light that, because of quantitative, directional, or type of light, causes annoyance, discomfort, or loss in visual performance and visibility. Light trespass is light being cast where it is not wanted or needed, such as light from a streetlight or a floodlight that illuminates someone s bedroom at night, making it difficult to sleep. As a general rule, taller poles allow fixtures to be aimed more directly on the playing surface, which reduces the amount of light spilling into surrounding areas. Proper fixture angles ensure even light distribution across the playing area and reduce spill light (illustration, below, adapted from Musco Lighting 3 ). Higher mounting heights can often be more effective in controlling spill light, because floodlights with a more controlled light distribution (i.e., narrower beam) may be used, and the floodlights may be aimed in a more downward direction, making it easier to confine the light to the design area. Lower mounting heights increase the spill light beyond the property boundaries. To illuminate the space satisfactorily, it is often necessary to use floodlights with a broader beam and to aim the floodlights in directions closer to the horizontal than would occur when using higher mounting heights. Lower mounting heights make bright parts of the floodlights more visible from positions outside the property boundary, which can increase glare. 4 Lumen. A unit of measure for quantifying the amount of light energy emitted by a light source. In other words, foot-candles measure the brightness of the light at the illuminated object, while lumens measure the total amount of light radiated by the light source. 3 Musco Sports Lighting, LLC. Answers to 9 Common Questions County of San Diego. Land Use and Environment Group. July 30, 2007; Modified January 15, Guidelines for Determining Significant and Report Format and Content Requirement. Dark Skies and Glare. December 2016 Page 5.1-3

4 Luminaire ( light fixture ). The complete lighting unit (fixture), consisting of a lamp, or lamps and ballast(s) (when applicable), ) together with the parts designed to distribute the light (reflector, lens, diffuser), to position and protect the lamps, and to connect the lamps to the power supply. An important component of luminaires is their shielding: Fully shielded. A luminaire emitting no light above the horizontal plane. Shielded. A luminaire emitting less than 2 percent of its light above the horizontal plane. Partly shielded. A luminaire emitting less than 10 percent of its light above the horizontal plane. Unshielded. A luminaire that may emit light in any direction. Nighttime illumination. Addresses the effects of a proposed project's exterior lighting on adjoining uses. Spill light. Light from a lighting installation that falls outside the boundaries of the property on which it is intended. Sky glow. The brightening of the night sky attributable to human-created sources of light. Light that is either emitted directly upward by luminaires or reflected from the ground is scattered by dust and gas molecules in the atmosphere, producing a luminous background Environmental Setting REGULATORY FRAMEWORK Local regulations, plans, and guidelines are summarized below. Regional County of Riverside Riverside County Ordinance No. 655 (Regulating Light Pollution) is intended to restrict the permitted use of outdoor lighting fixtures emitting undesirable light rays into the night sky that may obstruct or hinder views from the Mt. Palomar Observatory. Zone A is a circular area with a 15-mile radius centered on Palomar Observatory. Zone B is the area between the perimeter of Zone A and the perimeter of a circle with a 45- mile radius centered on Palomar Observatory. The ordinance regulates the types of lamps and shielding and the hours of operation for outdoor lighting. All outdoor lighting fixtures must be fully shielded if feasible, or partially shielded otherwise, and must be focused to minimize spill light into the night sky and onto adjacent properties. All outdoor lighting, except for parking lot, walkway, and security lights and other exceptions specified in the ordinance, must be shut off between 11:00 PM and sunrise. 5 The high school is outside of the regulation zone. 5 Ordinance No An Ordinance of the County of Riverside Regulating Light Pollution. Page 5.1-4

5 Local City of Moreno Valley Section of the City of Moreno Valley Municipal Code contains the following requirements for athletic field lighting. C.5. Public Parks, Trails and Athletic Field Lighting. a. The illumination of outdoor public recreational (sports) facilities, unless a specific recreational activity requiring the lighting is already in progress, is prohibited between midnight and dawn. Lighting shall be provided as specified in this chapter. All lighting shall be designed and installed in compliance with the parks and community services document titled Lighting Standards for Parks and Related Public Facilities. d. Athletic Field Lighting. New lighting designs and retrofit fixtures shall contain horizontal cutoff to reduce vertical lighting above the fixture. The maximum lighting value that shall be used in lighting recreational athletic fields shall be an average maintained fifty (50) foot candles. Minimum lighting values shall be per parks and community services standards. New lighting for athletic fields should have a maximum of one-quarter foot-candle [0.25] at five feet from property line. Due to geographic difficulties or areas that require higher lighting levels for security, a maximum output of five-tenths [0.5] foot-candle of light at ground level at property line may be utilized EXISTING CONDITIONS Nighttime Lighting Existing sources of nighttime lighting on the high school campus include exterior and interior building lights; parking lot lights and walkway lights; and occasional vehicle lights. Also, the soccer field had field lights on 8 poles. Existing light sources surrounding the project site include typical urban nighttime lighting sources, including street lights, exterior security lighting, vehicle headlights, and street and parking lot lights. The majority of the light sources surrounding the high school are from residential uses, street lights, and automobile travel on surrounding roadways. Vista Heights Middle School is to the north and St. Patrick s Roman Catholic Church is to the southwest; each has parking lot lights. The nearest commercial uses to the project site are in the Lakeshore Village Shopping Center about 0.25 mile northeast of Westbluff Park. Two adjacent areas do not have any nighttime lighting: the floodway to the east of the school and Box Springs Mountain Reserve to the west of Pigeon Pass Road. The west side of Pigeon Pass Road consists of disturbed annual grassland, sparse disturbed scrub, scattered sagebrush, tilled fields, developed land (church), and grazelands for domestic donkeys. The floodway consists of Willow Riparian Forest, Willow Riparian Scrub, annual grassland, and several dirt pathways. December 2016 Page 5.1-5

6 5.1.2 Thresholds of Significance According to CEQA Guidelines Appendix G, a project would normally have a significant effect on the environment if the project would: AE-1 AE-2 AE-3 AE-4 Have a substantial adverse effect on a scenic vista. Substantially damage scenic resources, including, but not limited to, trees, rock outcroppings, and historic buildings within a state scenic highway. Substantially degrade the existing visual character or quality of the site and its surroundings. Create a new source of substantial light or glare which would adversely affect day or nighttime views in the area. The Initial Study, included as Appendix A, substantiates that impacts associated Thresholds AE-1, AE-2, and AE-3 would be less than significant. These thresholds are not addressed in the following analysis Environmental Impacts The applicable thresholds are identified in brackets after the impact statement. Impact 5.1-1: The project would add new sources of nighttime light. [Threshold AE-4] Impact Analysis: As part of the Athletic Complex, four in-ground precast concrete bases with 100-foothigh galvanized steel poles would be installed. Two of the light poles would be at the ends of the home seating bleachers on the west side of the stadium, and two poles would be behind the visitor bleachers on the east side of the stadium. Currently, there are two options for stadium field lighting: light-emitting diode (LED) luminaires and metal halide (MH) luminaires. The lighting would have a 50 foot-candle (fc) average on the athletic field. This light level would be for football games and similar events that require the highest levels of light for players safety and ability to play effectively, and for visual observation by spectators. The majority of other events would operate at 30 fc or less. The lights would be dimmed to 1.0 fc after the completion of an athletic event as team members exit the athletic field. Separate bleacher egress lights would be used to assist spectators as they leave the bleachers and during cleanup of the athletic complex. The project would also include construction of a school access driveway and expanded parking and tennis courts at the Expansion Site. An access road through the high school campus would connect the driveway and parking lot to the existing parking lot in the south part of the campus. Both the access road and the parking lots would have nighttime lighting. The new tennis courts would not have lights. Page 5.1-6

7 Impacts Spill Light Impacts The City of Moreno Valley has set a threshold for spill light at 0.25 fc at a residential property line. By comparison, twilight has a light intensity of about 1.0 fc; a typical streetlight on a residential street is about 1.0 to 5.0 fc; and a full moon is about 0.01 fc. The 100-foot-tall pole height is important for maintaining the 50 fc average value and minimizing spill light off the school property (see illustration above). The ideal pole height is based on the light beam angles per IESNA standards, the manufacturer s equipment, and the pole locations (i.e., setback from the field). Appendices B-1 and B-2 provide a computer-modeled diagram of the maximum foot-candles at points around the stadium. Foot-candle levels are based solely on the positioning, intensity, and styling of the light fixtures, lamps, and poles and do not account for landscape, terrain, fencing, or other structures that might partially or entirely block, and thereby further diminish, the light levels. Because of the distance, intervening buildings and trees, and change in topography, light levels in the floodway would be minimal if any. (See Section 5.3, Biological Resources, for a discussion of light impacts on animal habitats.) The closest sensitive receptors are residences to the south of the school. The side and rear yards of a onestory and a two-story home (closest to the stadium) are south of a solid block wall that separates the residential development from Cougar Canyon Drive and the school. There are also mature trees along the north side of Cougar Canyon Drive and the south side just east of the emergency access gate. As shown on the modeling sheets in Appendix B-1, the maximum estimated MH spill light at residential property lines south of Cougar Canyon Drive would be 0.07 fc. Based on the reduction of spill light levels with distance from the light poles for instance, light levels decline from 0.29 fc on the north side of Cougar Canyon Drive to 0.07 fc at residential property lines about 57 feet to the south spill light would be below 0.25 fc west of Pigeon Pass Road. As shown on the modeling sheets in Appendix B-2, the maximum estimated LED spill light at residential property lines south of Cougar Canyon Drive would be 0.00 fc. For comparison, the highest spill light levels estimated to occur on the north side of Cougar Canyon Drive would be 0.03 fc. Based on the reduction of spill light levels with distance from the light poles, the maximum spill light level is estimated at 0.04 fc near the north end of the stadium. Spill light from LED field lights would be below 0.25 fc west of Pigeon Pass Road. Some sky glow may occur from indirect light reflected upward off the field, bleachers, and people. This would be temporary and minimal and is not considered significant. The design elements for light control and reduced spill light include mounting height and steep-aiming angles, various lighting modes, visors and shielding, reflective housing around the lamp, number of lamps, and appropriate light levels. The proposed lighting incorporates all of these elements, and each element can be arranged individually to control and minimize any potential spill lighting impacts. Figure 5.1-1, Light Pole Illustration, shows a general idea of the field lights. December 2016 Page 5.1-7

8 Due to the height of the proposed light standards, surrounding neighbors may have a direct view of the light arrays affixed atop the poles. However, the lighting fixtures proposed for the project are specifically designed to direct their light onto the playing field area with minimum glare, and the tall height of the standards would allow the fixtures to be aimed at a sharp vertical angle toward the ground with minimum view of the light source itself from areas off the playing field. Additionally, the lighting fixtures would be equipped with glare reflector shields specially designed to redirect wasted spill lighting downward onto the playing field and away from the surrounding areas. Glare shields are capable of reducing the glare of a standard symmetrical reflector fixture by as much as 95 percent, which substantially reduces the occurrence of sky glow. Precise positioning of the fixtures, accurate focusing of the light beams, and shielding of the arc of the beams would minimize spillover light and reduce glare and skyglow impacts to a less than significant level. Based on the data provided in the lighting plan and the steps taken by the manufacturer/installer in the design of the lighting equipment to be used, no significant impacts are anticipated to result from project development. Field light impacts would be less than significant at surrounding sensitive receptors. Vehicle Light Impacts Nighttime events at the proposed stadium would generate vehicle traffic on roadways surrounding the project site and on driveways and parking lots onsite, including the proposed driveway and parking lot on the Expansion Site. The nearest residential uses to the school are south of Cougar Canyon Drive. Vehicle lights would not have substantial adverse impact on residents. Vehicle light impacts would be less than significant Cumulative Impacts With the exception of sky glow, light impacts are site specific and usually do not combine to cause cumulative impacts outside of the vicinity of specific development projects. Project-related indirect sky glow light impacts would be less than significant. Cumulative development will continue to occur within the City of Moreno Valley, consequently increasing the sources of light and glare. Three other cumulative projects are too far away to have any cumulative effects in the area surrounding the high school. Because nighttime CSHS games and practices are currently held at the other three District high schools, the actual light levels within Moreno Valley would not be affected. While the project s contribution to the cumulative light levels within the City as a whole would be negligible, it would occasionally increase light levels locally. With the highly evolved sports lighting technology used by the manufacturer, the proposed lighting would not add considerably to the present light conditions outside the field. In consideration of the preceding factors, the project s contribution to cumulative light and glare impacts would be less than significant; therefore, project impacts would not be cumulatively considerable. Page 5.1-8

9 5.1.5 Applicable Regulations and Standard Conditions Section of the City of Moreno Valley Municipal Code Level of Significance Before Mitigation Upon implementation of regulatory requirements, Impact would be less than significant Mitigation Measures No mitigation measures are required Level of Significance After Mitigation Impacts would be less than significant. December 2016 Page 5.1-9

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11 Figure Light Pole Illustration Note: For Illustrative Purposes Only; Based on Musco Green Generation Lighting

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