Downtown Denison businesses could string holiday lights from Nov. 15 through Jan. 3 without asking the city first, under recommendations from a committee that has spent the fall studying how the historic district should be lit.
The Historic Preservation Board takes up the ad hoc lighting committee's report at noon Tuesday, Nov. 17, in the council chambers at City Hall, 300 W. Main St. The item is listed for a report and discussion only, with no vote recommended, according to the agenda posted Tuesday.
The committee, made up of board members and other downtown stakeholders, met in September after the board asked for a review of lighting rules in the district. Its notes describe trying to keep downtown lively for business while protecting the look of its historic buildings.
What the committee suggested
- Color temperature. Warm-white lighting would be encouraged on rooftops and building facades, with 2,700 Kelvin as the recommended standard and 3,000K as the ceiling. The committee preferred regulating by Kelvin rating rather than having the city try to measure brightness.
- Holidays. No permission would be needed for holiday lights during the Nov. 15 to Jan. 3 period. Lights could be hung earlier but not switched on before Nov. 15. The group also discussed listing acceptable colors for certain occasions, such as red, white and blue for July 4.
- Motion. Moving or flashing lights would not be allowed.
- Quicker approvals. Cafe lighting and other lights attached to awnings could be approved by staff instead of the full board, while architectural lighting that highlights a building's details would still need a certificate of appropriateness.
The notes also suggest encouraging lit window displays until about 10 p.m. Large and inflatable decorations are already barred by city ordinance, the committee noted. The city's earlier sign rules exempted temporary lights and holiday decorations displayed for 90 days or less.
