Townhome associations with private street lights

I live in a town home association, but the lights are provided by the local electric company.
When we added a few, we contacted the electric company. We paid for their install and electric used but the street lights are maintained by the power company (no additional cost to us).

I know of one development that added their own street lights.
Simply a process of looking at options, finding a company and solicit bids.

If adding lights, don't forget to solicit input from the membership. One might or might not want a light near their property.

Excellent idea (and action on your part)

If your lights were installed by your power company, then your is HOA likely paying a fixed rate for both the light fixture maintenance as well as the electric service (It won't be metered).

If so, you can go to your power company's website and find a sales department or other commercial/outdoor lighting contact and call them. If your lights feature identification codes, those would be helpful as the company can pinpoint the pole location in their database.

1. Make a phone call
2. Book an appointment to walk the property and identify the lights to be replaced w/ company.
3. Review the light options and whether you're buying the lights or leasing them
4. Approve the lighting choice w/ your HOA board.
5. Call the power company and authorize the project
6. DOUBLE CHECK with the company billing department that your HOA is not being billed twice once the new lights are installed.
7. Ensure your HOA operations budget reflects the changes monthly expense (or expected expense)

Enjoy your lighting!

The double billing occurs when you pay for the new light lease as well as the light that is now gone. It's hard to claw back misbilled power payments.

It's not a difficult process but a bit tedious and time consuming for the effort.

It's the same in NC as PA. The process of getting street lights takes some patience. Down here, they'll show up announced and do their own walkthrough, which isn't terrible if you already have light poles installed.

But it's a pain, I must admit.

We ae going to replace everything. This includes the under ground wiring, poles, lights, all of the specs it would take to replace 12 street lights.

Michael,

Call your local power utility. They will know what needs replacing in terms of wiring, electric code compliance, etc. In fact, whether they serve commercial lighting accounts, I'd still get their opinion on a job of this scope.

You don't want to own those new lights if you can lease them + the utility will know if you really need to replace everything underground, which can save tons of money while remaining safe.

In terms of selecting poles and new lighting fixtures, they'll be happen to sell you the top of the line!

Reserve study says it's time.

Get rid of bulbs and ballasts. Cost of electricity isn't that expensive, but cost of a man and a bucket truck is.

Improved layout for community. Original lights were an afterthought. Improvements can be made. Going from 12 to 15 lights. Lighting consultant says we should go to 24, but unlikely.

Safety. Need to redo all our signage in coordination with new streetlamps.

Possible reason for delaying a year or two - Everchanging technology. But my sense is that the industry isn't moving that quickly. Still a lot of focus on retrofits rather than replacements.