Bank of America Building

[fsujax]

The DDRB can't even decide if BofA should be allowed to add signage on their building Downtown. They want to install signage on the building, but due to the height of the building they need larger signs, they are being held up by the DDRB. Anyone wonder why it's so freaking hard for business owners to install any signage on their buildings? Why can't we have forward thinking people on these boards??? this drives me nuts! Big City lights and signs, it what makes Downtowns look alive and fun!

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=51167

[Jason]

I'd say the city should approve the signage with one exception: fix the lighting in the crown of the building.

I agree fusjax, let them install the damn signs already.

[thelakelander]

It would seem that this would be a good chance for a compromise.  Give BOA their four signs.  In return, BOA has to agree to illuminate their building at night.  

[fsujax]

Jason, I e-mailed the Parmenter corporate office in Miami as well as the Propoerty Manager at the Jacksonville Tower inquiring about thier lights. I havent heard anything back yet.

[thelakelander]

I see we're thinking the same thing.

[fsujax]

lake, we need to get on that Board!

[Seraphs]

Infiltrate, I agree some Metro Jax members needs to be on that board.  This is really a no brainer!  I've always wondered why sinage wasn't added when the building was first built.  I thought one of the main things a big company occuping a skyscraper wanted was it's name displayed.  Status!

[ProjectMaximus]

After more than an hour of discussion, the board decided to defer the application until the next DDRB meeting Nov. 20 in order for Davis to consult with his client and possibly suggest other options.

Like payments under the table?

[jandar]

Give them their signs, but stop requesting that downtown JAX turns into a light polluter like most other cities.


How many kids growing up have actually seen stars on their own in their own backyard today?

[Keith-N-Jax]

    ^^^^^

[Matt]

Give them their signs, but stop requesting that downtown JAX turns into a light polluter like most other cities.


How many kids growing up have actually seen stars on their own in their own backyard today?

I can sympathize, but...
I live in a suburb, and I still hardly see any stars.
It is depressing, yes, but just the fact that we live in a large metro area is probably not going to help. If we can get back to some urbanity and poo on the suburbs, then we will have the light pollution in smaller areas (more intense mind you, but smaller areas), ipso facto "a short trip to the countryside to see the stars...."

To truly grasp the magnificence of the heavens, you really have to go out into a national park, or the general middle of nowhere. Expecting to see stars in a downtown area is a tad silly.



I guess my point is if we keep it all in a small general area, it is fine.

[reednavy]

Do not give that seeing stars crap. If you want stars, move out into Baker County or out to Keystone Heights. If you live in the city, chances of seeing stars is one of the last reasons you chose your location. For the 12th largest city in America, largest in the SE in population, it sure does not look the part. Visitors can and will judge cities often on what their skyline is like, and in some cases, is easily identifiable. The only time you'll ever see the stars well in the city is if a major power failure occurs, a la Fay.

[Coolyfett]

Give them their signs, but stop requesting that downtown JAX turns into a light polluter like most other cities.


How many kids growing up have actually seen stars on their own in their own backyard today?

There is a room in the MOSH where you can see all the stars you want......for a fee.

[jandar]

Go out to Osceola National Forest, or Baker, or Clay County.

The light pollution shield from Jacksonville is horrible.
Why the hell would you focus light up to the sky and waste the energy to begin with? Funny how many that say we need to trim down our use of oil/coal/etc have no problems adding more lighting to areas.
Almost 50% of all energy wasted by lights is because of them pointed wrong.

Glare from lights has caused more accidents than people think. A properly aimed security light helps, poorly aimed ones are bad for everyone.



It's not that it is a city issue, the light from metro areas is washing out the countryside.
There are tons of biological/ecological issues due to this.

BTW, I live in an area of Clay County where they have made a move to ban unneeded lights. Businesses must turn off lights if they are closed, save for some security lights. All street lights are aimed downward, thereby illuminating the ground better and not the sky as well as saving power.
Many cities have done this as well.
You can take a billboard and simply put the lights on top aiming down (not up from the bottom) and this eliminates 50% of wasted light.


Look at this image taken from a house 45 minutes north of Toronto:
http://www.skynewsmagazine.com/pow/pow94.jpg
On the left is when the power issue turned off the lights for Toronto.
The right image is the next night when power was back on.
The left image was exposed for 90 seconds, the right for 30 seconds.

I can easily go on about how light affects wildlife. Sea Turtles head toward highways versus the moonlit ocean. Birds sing all times of day, have migration schedules screwed up.

I would not bitch if it was just a city issue, but when city inhabitants do unneeded lighting and cause pollution issues for everyone else, it becomes an issue.

Look at this link:
http://cleardarksky.com/lp/SnJsFLlp.html?Mn=binoculars

Tell me that Jacksonville's light pollution only effects Jacksonville city residents.

[Joe]

I have to agree with Jandar about unneeded lighting.

It's one thing if a private user wants to have lots of lights for some purpose (even if it's just decoraton or ego). That's fine.

But it seems like absolute overkill for the government to mandate private lighting as part of some aesthetic goal. That's not the government's job. Unlike form-based design codes, I don't think there's the same legal argument that decorative lighting serves a legitimate public purpose.