August 17, 2026 - Sustainability Task Force Agenda & Packet

CITY OF VERONA 111 Lincoln Street Verona, WI 53593 (608) 845-6495 SUSTAINABILITY TASK FORCE AGENDA DATE: Monday Aug 17, 2026 TIME: 6:30 PM LOCATION: Small Conference Room – D122 Verona City Center 111 Lincoln St. Verona, WI 53593 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Minutes of July 20, 2026, meeting 4. Public Comment 5. Discussion and possible action re: Presentation on our Greenhouse Gas Inventory efforts by Erik Woolsey, Summer Administration Intern. 6. Discussion and possible action re: Dark Skies Ordinance (an update to our existing Outdoor Lighting Ord) Freiwald will take the draft to Plan Commission on Sept 7 for introduction. Post twice in the paper (Thurs Sept 24 and Thurs Oct 1) and the hold the Plan Commission Public Hearing at the Oct 5 meeting and take it to council after that. Take to Council on Oct 12th, 2026. 7. Discussion and possible action re: 2026 Solar Project update 8. Discussion and possible action re: Sustain Dane All Around Dane Co event 9. Discussion and possible action re: Event Table with sustainability info for 2027 10. Discussion and possible action re: Potential new project discussion 11. Adjournment Luke Diaz, Chairperson --- POSTED: Aug 14, 2026 Verona City Hall Verona Public Library Miller’s Market All agendas are posted on the City’s website at: veronawi.gov Notice: If you need an interpreter, materials in alternative formats, or other accommodation to access the meeting, please contact th e City Clerk at (608) 845-6495 at least 48 hours preceding the meeting. Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate your re quest. Notice is hereby given that a quorum of the members of the City Council or other standing committees of the City Council may be present at the meeting to gather information about a subject over which they have decision -making responsibility. The City Council and any other standing committees will not take formal action at this meeting. SUSTAINABILITY TASK FORCE MINUTES DATE: July 20, 2026 LOCATION: Verona City Hall – Small Conference Room 111 Lincoln St., Verona, Wis. 1) Mayor Luke Diaz called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 2) Roll call – present were Mayor Luke Diaz, Geoff Guist, Jeff Johnson, Leyla Sanyer, Imran Mohammad, Audrey Helmke and Micah Farritor. Kirstin Paulmeyer is excused. 3) Johnson moved, Sanyer seconded approving the minutes of the June 15, 2026 meeting. The motion passed unanimously. 4) Public Comment- No members of the public were present. 5) Discussion and possible action re: Introducing our Summer Admin Intern, Erik Woolsey. Erik attended the University of Iowa, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public affairs. Additionally, last summer he interned with the Village of Whitefish Bay where he was able to get his first real experience working in government, his long-term goal to work within local government. 6) Discussion and possible action re: Dark Skies Ordinance (an update to our existing Outdoor Lighting Ord) On June 18, 2026 Kayley Bell (2026 Summer Administrator Intern) sent three versions of an updated outdoor lighting ordinance for the task force to review. The STF selected the version that updates the existing Outdoor Lighting Ordinance but adds lighting standards based on our zoning code. Freiwald and Woolsey will work with planning and building inspection staff to finalize the update for review by STF in August, and the Plan Commission in September. 7) Discussion and possible action re: Update regarding the Office of Energy Innovation (OEI) grants. The City of Verona has submitted three OEI grants at the end of June. • Activity 1: Community Center Resiliency Hub: Solar and Battery Storage • Activity 2: Outdoor Lighting Efficiency Improvements at Three City Verona Sites • Activity 3: Renewable and Resilient: Verona City Hall and Fire Station Sustainability Feasibility Study The grants will be announced in fall 2026. The projects, if funded, will take place in 2027. 8) Discussion and possible action re: 2026 Solar Project update. The City of Verona and Eagle Point Solar have entered into a contract for the installation of a 31.04 kW DC solar array on the roof of the Senior Center. Eagle Point has informed Freiwald that the permits and interconnection agreements have been secured. They are working on a construction timeline for us and will let us know when a crew is available. The contract promises substantial completion by September 30, 2026. Additionally, the Verona Senior Center has received a $10,000 Solar Moonshot Program grant from the Hammond Climate Solutions Foundation to help fund a new solar power system. 9) Discussion and possible action re: Sustain Dane All Around Dane Co event will be held at the Verona Town Hall. o Thursday, September 24 from 5:30PM-7PM o 5:30-6PM: Networking & Arrival o 6-6:45PM: Speakers & Walk o 6:45-7PM: Networking Roles: o Sustain Dane: Create flyers and language for the program o Create registration form through Eventbrite, share with our network to get participants. Event is free, registration is just to help prepare for the event. City & Town of Verona: o Share the flyers and registration link with network to get Verona residents to attend o Find presenters/speakers Draft list of speakers _person listed is tasked with finding out if group is interesting in speaking o Sustainability Task Force _ Micah Farritor has kindly volunteered to say a few words about the task force at the event. o VAHS Green Club _ Audrey Helmke is in touch with the club to see if a member will step up to say a few words at the even. 10) Discussion and possible action re: MGE EV event June 17 debrief, Farritor reported that the event was well attended and had a fantastic collection of electric powered vehicles including a Harley Davidson motorcycle. 11) Farritor moved, Johnson seconded adjournment. The motion passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 7:16 p.m. By: Ann Freiwald, Assistant City Administrator Sec. 13-1-44 - Definitions - B. (e) BUG Rating. A luminaire classification system that measures the amount of light emitted in the Backlight (B), Uplight (U), and Glare (G) zones of a fixture. BUG ratings are used to evaluate and limit light trespass, sky glow, and glare from outdoor lighting installations. Sec. 13-1-54 - Definitions - L. (i) Light Pollution. Any artificial light that is excessive, misdirected, intrusive, or unnecessary, including glare, light trespass, sky glow, and other adverse effects on the nighttime environment. (j) Lighting, Festoon String. A series of lamps connected by a cable, wire, or string and suspended between attachment points for decorative, pedestrian-scale, or ambient outdoor lighting purposes. (k) Lighting Fixture. A complete lighting unit consisting of one or more lamps or light sources, together with the housing, mounting components, optics, reflectors, lenses, and associated equipment designed to distribute, direct, or control light. (l) Lighting, Seasonal. Outdoor or site lighting that is portable, temporary, decorative, and used in connection with holidays and traditions. This includes but is not limited to string lighting, icicle lighting, and lighted inflatables, none of which are intended for general illumination. (m) Lighting Zone. An area designated by this Code for the application of outdoor lighting standards, including limits on light levels, light trespass, correlated color temperature (CCT), and lighting controls. (cc) Luminaire. A complete lighting device, including the light source, fixture housing, optics, mounting components, and electrical elements necessary to emit and control light. (dd) Luminaire, Directional. A device designed to project light primarily in a specific direction or toward a targeted area, object, or surface, minimizing light distribution outside the intended illumination zone. Sec. 13-1-61 - Definitions - S. (jj) Sky Glow. The brightening of the nighttime sky caused by the scattering of artificial light in the atmosphere, reducing the visibility of stars and other celestial objects. Sec. 13-1-63 - Definitions - U. (a) Uplight. A lighting fixture or lighting technique that directs all or a substantial portion of its light output upward above the horizontal plane, toward the sky, building facades, trees, or other objects. Sec. 13-1-159 Performance Standards. Exterior Lighting Standards 1) Purpose. The purpose of this subsection is to regulate the spill-over of light and glare on operators of motor vehicles, pedestrians, and land uses in the vicinity of a light source in order to promote transportation safety and to prevent the creation of nuisances. 2) Applicability a. The requirements of this subsection apply to all exterior lighting installed, constructed, reconstructed, enlarged, altered, or replaced within the City of Verona, except lighting located entirely within public street rights-of-way under the jurisdiction of the City, Dane County, or the Wisconsin Department of Transportation a. This subsection does not apply to interior lighting except where such lighting causes direct light trespass or glare onto other properties, natural areas, waters, or into the public right-of-way. b. Nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted to prevent the use of lighting that is required by state or federal law. 3) Permit Required. A Development Permit shall apply to the installation or replacement of outdoor lighting in all nonresidential development and all residential development, except for one (1)-and two (2)-unit dwellings. A photometric plan and cut sheets that include fixture photometric templates and Blacklight, Uplight or Glare (BUG) ratings for all fixtures shall be required. 4) Establishment of Lighting Zones. Lighting Zones are established for the purpose of determining compliance with American National Standards Institute and Illuminating Engineering Society (ANSI/IES) lighting standards and for setting appropriate maximum correlated color temperature (CCT), light trespass, and operational controls. Each zoning district established in Section 13-1- 81 establishment of Zoning Districts is assigned to a Lighting Zone as provided below. Lighting Zone Zoning Districts and Typical Locations LZ0 – Protected Areas Conservancies, environmental corridors, parks or open spaces where preservation of natural darkness is a primary objective; environmentally sensitive portions of RA - Rural Agricultural or PI - Public Institutional properties as designated by the City. LZ1 – Low-Light Residential and Agricultural RA; NR - Neighborhood Residential; MR - Mixed Residential; low-intensity public parks and open space not designated LZ0. LZ2 – Moderate Activity Areas UR - Urban Residential; NO - Neighborhood Office; SO - Suburban Office; PI; SC - Suburban Commercial; PD – Planned Development or PD -L – Planned Development Legacy areas with residential, office, civic, institutional, or moderate commercial character. LZ3 – High Activity Commercial and Industrial CC - Central Commercial; SI -Suburban Industrial; UI - Urban Industrial; PD or PD -L areas with downtown, entertainment, industrial, or high nighttime activity character. 5) Where a parcel is located within a Planned Development Overlay District (PD), the underlying zoning district or the character of the approved planned development shall determine the applicable Lighting Zone. The Zoning Administrator may assign a lower Lighting Zone where a site contains or abuts environmentally sensitive lands, residential uses, parks, open space, waterways, or other areas where lower light levels are appropriate. 6) Lighting Zone Performance Standards Lighting Zone Maximum Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) Maximum Illuminance at Property Line Typical Character LZ0 – Protected Areas 1800 Kelvin (K) 0.05 footcandle (fc) Natural or environmentally sensitive areas; lighting should be avoided unless needed for safety. LZ1 – Low-Light Residential and Agricultural 2700 K 0.10 fc Residential, agricultural, and low - intensity nighttime environments. LZ2 – Moderate Activity Areas 2700 K 0.10 fc Mixed residential, office, civic, institutional, and moderate commercial areas. LZ3 – High Activity Commercial and Industrial 3000 K 0.30 fc Downtown, commercial corridors, industrial, and operational areas. a. All exterior lighting shall comply with the maximum CCT and maximum property-line illuminance for the applicable Lighting Zone as seen in the above Table. b. Where a site abuts a lower-intensity Lighting Zone, the more restrictive maximum property- line illuminance shall apply along the shared lot line. c. The average intensity of illumination on any portion of a lot shall not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) above the recommended maintained average horizontal value defined by the current ANSI/IES standard for the applicable use and Lighting Zone, unless a higher level is required by law or approved by the City based on a documented safety need. d. Lighting shall be designed to prevent direct view of the light source from adjacent residential properties, natural areas, and public rights-of-way. 7) Lighting Fixture Requirements. a. Zero (0) Uplight. All exterior lighting fixtures, including, but not limited to, wall-mounted, pole-mounted, bollard, canopy, or otherwise installed, shall have zero (0) uplight and shall be installed such that the bottom luminous surface is level and parallel to the ground. Luminaires emitting less than 500 lumens are exempt from this zero (0) uplight requirement but shall still be aimed to prevent glare and light trespass. b. Shielding and Aiming. Fixtures shall not be tilted above horizontal. Minor adjustments are allowed only as needed to ensure that the fixture is installed level. All adjustable luminaires shall be aimed and, where necessary, shielded so that direct light is confined to the intended surface, activity, or task area and does not exceed the applicable performance standards for the assigned Lighting Zone. c. . CCT-Adjustable Lighting Fixtures. All permanently installed exterior lighting shall comply with the maximum CCT for the applicable Lighting Zone. Where luminaires are CCT- adjustable, they shall be limited, locked, or programmed not operate above 3000 K, except where a higher CCT is specifically approved under this subsection. d. Flashing, Flickering and Other and/or lighting. Flashing, flickering, moving, searchlight, beacon, or otherwise distracting lighting is prohibited except as required for traffic control, emergency signaling, or other lawful public safety functions e. Security Lighting. Security lighting intended to illuminate fence lines, property lines, loading areas, or other perimeter areas shall include motion sensors or adaptive controls and shall be designed to remain off or dimmed unless triggered. Luminaires activated by motion detection shall automatically turn off or return to their dimmed state no more than five (5) minutes after activity is no longer detected. f. . Sports and Recreational Lighting. Exterior lighting for sports fields and similar recreational facilities shall be designed to minimize glare, sky glow, and light trespass. Lighting shall not exceed ten percent (10%) above the maintained light levels recommended by the applicable ANSI/IES standard for the specific sport and class of play and CCT shall not exceed 5700K. Sports and recreational lighting shall be aimed and shielded to confine direct light to the playing surface and immediately adjacent spectator areas, shall comply with the applicable property-line illumination limits for the assigned Lighting Zone, and shall be extinguished no later than thirty (30) minutes after the end of play or 11:00 p.m., whichever occurs first, unless otherwise authorized by special permit. 8) Distribution. Unless otherwise specified in this ordinance, luminaires emitting more than 1,000 lumens shall be Fully Shielded and shall emit no more than five percent (5%) of their total Lumen output above eighty (80) degrees from Nadir. Exceptions are: a. Festoon string lighting where no individual lamp emits more than fifty (50) lumens, and the lumen density of the string is no greater than twenty-five (25) lumens per foot. b. Directional Luminaires used for façade illumination which are shielded and aimed to hit their target such that the light is contained by architectural elements. 9) Controls and Hours of Operation. a. Any nonresidential or mixed-use land use shall extinguish exterior facade, landscape, display, and decorative lighting within one hour after closing and shall not energize such lighting earlier than one hour before opening b. All other exterior lighting on nonresidential and mixed-use properties shall be reduced in power by at least fifty percent (50%) or extinguished during nighttime curfew using timers, scheduling controls, motion sensors, occupancy sensors, or other adaptive controls. 10) Exemptions from these control requirements may be granted for covered vehicle entrances or exits, parking structures, emergency lighting as determined by police, fire, EMS, or public works, and lighting required by law. 11) Administration and Compliance a. All development and redevelopment subject to site plan review shall demonstrate compliance by submitting a photometric plan to include, but not limited to, fixture locations, mounting heights, shielding, CCT, lumen output, control methods, and photometric calculations documenting compliance with applicable Lighting Zone limits. b. Photometric plans may be submitted using a fixture schedule method for minor renovations and residential projects, or a calculation method for larger projects, sports lighting, parking lots, and any project for which the City determines photometric calculations are necessary. c. Existing nonconforming lighting shall be brought into compliance when the fixture is replaced, substantially altered, or when a building permit or site approval involving exterior site work is issued, to the extent reasonably related to the scope of work. 12) Seasonal Lighting. a. Decorative light fixtures or seasonal lighting, and any fixtures that have no bulbs that exceed a factory-rated light output of 500 lumens shall be allowed between _____ to _____ b. Seasonal lighting shall not interfere with the safe movement of motor vehicles or create a dangerous glare conditions on adjacent roadways or properties. c. Seasonal lighting shall be maintained and not constitute a dangerous situation or fire hazard. d. Seasonal lighting is extinguished during nighttime curfew. (b) Air Pollution. No person or activity shall emit any fly ash, dust, particulate matter, fumes, vapors, mists, or gases in such quantities that would constitute a nuisance to surrounding property owners. Dust and other types of pollution borne by the wind from such source s as storage areas, yards, and roads within lot boundaries shall be kept to a minimum by appropriate landscaping, paving, fencing, or other acceptable means. (c) Fire and Explosive Hazards. All activities involving the manufacturing, utilization, processing, or storage of flammable or explosive materials shall be provided with adequate safety devices against the hazard of fire and explosion and with adequate fire-fighting and fire-suppression equipment and devices that are standard in the industry and approved by the City of Verona Fire Chief. All materials that range from active to intense burning shall be manufactured, utilized, processed, or stored only within completely enclosed buildings which have incombustible exterior walls and an automatic fire extinguishing systems. Storage of flammable and explosive material shall be in accordance with the requirement of Chapter IHLR 10 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code and the requirements of Chapter NFPA 30 of the National Fire Protection Act. (d) Glare and Heat. No activity shall emit glare or heat that is visible or measurable outside its premises except activities which may emit direct or sky reflected glare which shall not be visible outside their district. All operations producing intense glare or heat shall be conducted within a completely enclosed building. Exposed sources of light shall be shielded so as not to be visible outside their premises. (e) Water Quality Protection. No activity shall locate, store, discharge, or permit the discharge of any treated, untreated, or inadequately treated liquid, gaseous, or solid materials of such nature, quantity, obnoxiousness, toxicity, or temperature that might run off, seep, percolat e, or wash into surface or subsurface waters so as to contaminate, pollute, or harm such waters or cause nuisances such as objectionable shore deposits, floating or submerged debris, oil or scum, color, odor, taste, or unsightliness or be harmful to human, animal, plant, or aquatic life. In addition, no activity shall withdraw water or discharge any liquid or solid materials so as to exceed, or contribute toward the exceeding of, the minimum standards set forth in Chapter NR 102 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code. (f) Radioactivity and Electrical Disturbances. No activity shall emit radioactivity or electrical disturbances outside its premises that affect the use of neighboring premises. (g) Vibration. No activity in any district shall emit vibrations, which are discernible by the Zoning Administrator without instruments outside its premises. (h) Noise. At no point on the boundary of a Residence or Business district shall the sound intensity level of any individual operation (other than the operation of motor vehicles or other mobile equipment) exceed fifty-eight (58) and sixty-two (62) dBA, respectively, during normal operations. (Ord. No. 21-980, 5-10-21; Ord. No. 24-1042, § 1, 3-11-24)