The Longfellow Community Council (LCC) is excited to announce a Home Security Lighting Grant Program intended to increase safety and reduce crime in Greater Longfellow. This project is intended to support those who might otherwise find it difficult to afford lighting improvements to their property. Click here to apply.
Eligible property owners may apply for up to $500 in grant funds. The application must include a list of items to purchase and evidence of actual pricing for items and/or work to be purchased/completed.
Grantees will be notified when applications are approved and given half of the awarded funds up front. The grant project must be completed within 1 year after award of the grant. Upon completion of the project, grantees will have 90 days to submit receipts for the remainder of awarded funds.
Upon completion of the project, grantees will be required to submit a project summary. Failure to submit receipts and/or project summary will make the grantee ineligible for future LCC funding opportunities.
All residential property owners (owner occupied or rental) located within the Longfellow Community Council boundaries of the Greater Longfellow Neighborhood as defined by the LCC bylaws, (the Cooper, Longfellow, Howe and Hiawatha neighborhoods) are eligible to apply for grant funding. Each property owner is limited to one grant. Grants will be considered and distributed on a first come, first served basis starting on the date a completed application is received by LCC.
Yard poles, exterior front or back door lights with motion sensor control, exterior garage lights with motion sensor controls. All lights must be motion sensor controlled and comply with Minneapolis codes regarding lighting restrictions (see Minneapolis Code of Ordinances – 535.590 – Lighting below).
LCC recommends that residents consider the following when choosing outdoor lighting:
Shielded products reduce glare – Light fixtures come in a variety of styles. Many cheaper fixtures allow for bulbs to be fully exposed and not shield from view, thus creating harsh glare. The glare produced by a light shining in your face can cause night blindness, making it difficult to see. Glare also produces dark shadows where criminals can hide, as well as encroach on your neighbors. Look for fixtures that reduce glare by shielding the bulb so that light shines on the ground instead of into the sky – this is called a shielded or full cut-off fixture — the bulb can only be seen by standing directly under the fixture and looking up.
Choose solar lights or other energy efficient bulbs and fixtures – Lower wattage bulbs pay for themselves over time. Examples include compact fluorescent, Low Pressure Sodium (LPS), High Pressure Sodium (HPS) and metal halide lighting products. Avoid mercury vapor bulbs. All lighting must be light-emitting diode (LED).
Consider “Dark Sky Friendly” lighting products – Visit www.darksky.org/lighting/ for a complete listing.
Decorative sidewalk lighting, decorative accent lighting, electrical installations for Christmas lighting, lighting that encroaches upon neighbors, boulevard fixtures, dusk to dawn lights, security light and camera combos, or any other landscape lighting.
Eligible property owners will submit a short grant application, including a list of items to purchase and evidence of actual pricing for items and/or work to be purchased/completed.
Once a completed application is submitted to LCC, the application will be reviewed for completeness and eligibility. Grants will be distributed on a first come, first served basis starting on the date a completed application is received by LCC. The grant program will continue to accept applications until all allocated funds are awarded.
City of Minneapolis Lighting Ordinance
Minneapolis Code of Ordinances – Title 20 Zoning Code – 535.590 – Lighting
(a) In general. No use or structure shall be operated or occupied as to create light or glare in such an amount or to such a degree or intensity as to constitute a hazardous condition, or as to unreasonably interfere with the use and enjoyment of property by any person of normal sensitivities, or otherwise as to create a public nuisance.
(b) Specific standards. All uses shall comply with the following standards except as otherwise provided in this section:
(1) Lighting fixtures shall be effectively arranged so as not to directly or indirectly cause illumination or glare in excess of one-half (½) footcandle measured at the closest property line of any permitted or conditional residential use, and five (5) footcandles measured at the street curb line or nonresidential property line nearest the light source.
(2) Lighting fixtures shall not exceed two thousand (2,000) lumens (equivalent to a one hundred fifty (150) watt incandescent bulb) unless of a cutoff type that shields the light source from an observer at the closest property line of any permitted or conditional residential use.
(3) Lighting shall not create a sensation of brightness that is substantially greater than ambient lighting conditions as to cause annoyance, discomfort or decreased visual performance or visibility to a person of normal sensitivities when viewed from any permitted or conditional residential use.
(4) Lighting shall not create a hazard for vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
(5) Lighting of building façades or roofs shall be located, aimed and shielded so that light is directed
(2001-Or-063, § 5, 5-18-01)
3101 Minnehaha Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55406
