San Juan Hills Golf Club will be able to install lights for its driving range after all, now that the San Juan Capistrano City Council has voted unanimously to overturn the Planning Commission's denial of the proposal.
The council voted Tuesday to overturn the commission, which had voted 3-2 on Nov. 22 to deny the club's request for a conditional use permit, citing concerns about adverse effects on adjacent residences because of the lights and added noise from nighttime use of the range at 32120 San Juan Creek Road.
The city received 44 letters about the issue, 38 of them in support of overturning the commission's decision and six in favor of the commission. City staff had recommended that the council overturn the denial, saying the proposal is consistent with the community design element of the city General Plan and that the lights would not be bright enough to seriously affect nearby residents.
Under the plan, the driving range is to feature outdoor lights installed on existing 50-foot poles and three new 25-foot poles.
Representatives of the golf club said the lighting would have minimal effect on the surrounding area, describing the system as the first of its kind.
Karin Pekala of Musco Sports Lighting, a consultant for the golf course, said the design of the lights will significantly reduce light pollution. She said the course agreed to drop the foot-candle measurement (of luminance) to five from the standard 10.
Pekala said the light emitted from the range would be comparable to the light from a full moon. She said the course will be one of the first to use special visors on its lights to shield the community from glare.
Some residents were skeptical, however, calling on the council to test the lights before giving the club a permit for the installation.
Others questioned the validity of the claim that trees surrounding the range would provide adequate cover from the light. San Juan resident Mark Nielsen said the golf course's estimate of 85 percent tree cover around the range is too high, saying it is closer to 60 percent.
San Juan Hills Golf Club management said it plants new trees frequently and is not opposed to planting more trees and shrubs in conjunction with the new lights.
The council also agreed to let the course keep the driving-range lights on until 10 p.m., as proposed. City staff had recommended a 9 p.m. shutoff to try to reduce noise from nighttime use.
"This will improve the recreation quality of San Juan Capistrano ... and it boosts the economic engine of the city," Councilman Sam Allevato said.
Councilman Derek Reeve said he is concerned about the surrounding community, but "the benefit outweighs the cost."
Staff said the city has the capability of testing the foot-candle measurement, and the council directed it to do so once the lights are up.
Among the biggest supporters of the lights is the San Juan Hills High School golf team, whose coach, Jim Tinker, said the lighting and increased student access to the driving range will help support and improve his team, which won a CIF division championship last year.
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