The purpose of this policy is to establish an internal operating procedure for the fountain lighting options at Fountain Park. It is recognized that lighting the fountain in various colors is a special and unique occasion. In order to preserve the distinct and exceptional nature of these events, lightings will be kept to a minimum and require Town Manager, or designee, approval. Personal requests, including anniversaries, birthdays, or other such occasions will not be approved.
Background: In 2020, new LED color changing lights were added to the fountain in Fountain Park. These lights have been well received by the public and staff regularly receive requests to change the colors to celebrate holidays, personal milestones, anniversaries, birthdays, etc. Due to the nature of these requests, a policy has been developed to determine guidelines for when and how the fountain lights will be used.
The fountain lights require manual programming, generally overseen by Parks staff. When display colors are changed, staff time and presence are required to begin and end the display period. Currently, the lights cannot be changed remotely or through virtual or cloud technology. Visibility of the lights is limited to evening hours, therefore viewing times vary seasonally as colors are not detectable during daytime hours. The Fountain lighting controller has the capability of displaying in two basic modes:
- Static Color Mode: one color, to be continuously displayed throughout the duration of the fountain run time.
- Variable Color Mode: multiple colors that change throughout the fountain run time.
Policy Recommendations:
Standard Operation: Staff, at the direction of the Town Council and/or Town Manager, will plan to utilize the fountain lighting system for annual holidays and observances. Appropriate color choices will be used to highlight significance and show support, advocacy, or celebration of the occasion. In some instances, with the authorization of the Town Manager, local events, happenings or celebrations may be added to the fountain color lighting calendar.
Public Requests: Public requests for fountain lighting will be accepted on a very limited basis. These requests may not be for personal or professional use, and must adhere to the following process:
- Requests for Special Color Displays must be submitted in writing to the Community Services Department, no less than four weeks and no more than one year in advance of the date requested.
- Upon review by Town staff, applicants will be notified of the approval or denial of the request within 10 days of submission.
- Approved applications must meet one of the following criteria:
- The lighting request is intended to educate or enlighten the public about a significant health or safety issue or emphasize a recognized awareness campaign. (Examples include: Domestic Violence Awareness, Cancer Awareness, etc.)
- The lighting request is intended to draw public attention to an activity or event held by or partnered with the Town of Fountain Hills.
- The lighting promotes a local, state, or national holiday or day of remembrance not already recognized.
Other Standard Guidelines: The following guidelines will also be in effect for any approved public lighting requests:
- No more than four (4), Fountain Color Displays will be allowed within any calendar month.
- Each fountain lighting request will be permitted to last up to four nights, with the exception of national holidays and national health observations, which may be extended at the discretion of the Community Services Director. A weekday block, (Monday through Thursday) or weekend block (Friday through Sunday) will be used.
- Approvals will not be granted for multiple years, nor will they be automatically approved for successive years.
- Every attempt will be made to meet the color choice request, however the Town cannot guarantee all colors will be precise. Color choices, or combinations thereof include: Red, Blue, Teal, Yellow, White, Green, Orange, Pink and Purple.
- The fountain operates daily from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm and is subject to wind and other natural factors. Lighting requests will not be rescheduled or amended if the fountain operations are altered due to wind.
- All display approvals are contingent upon equipment operation and maintenance. No lighting request approval is guaranteed for any reason.
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