The State College Borough Council discussed the possibility of dimming light fixtures downtown after residents expressed concern that the lights are encouraging loitering, noise and crime.

Council member Elizabeth Goreham also said the lights installed on Garner Street have been very effective because they are very bright, but they have had some unanticipated results. Goreham said the bright lights have encouraged people to congregate outside late into the night, making noise and keeping residents awake.

"Those lights [on Garner Street] are brighter than the ones on Beaver Avenue and they have encouraged people to hang out on Garner Street," Goreham said. "There are students who are fine, but when you have 50 people standing outside your house, it creates quite a noise impact. The real problem, we think, is students who are trying to get into frat parties."

Goreham said some students who don't get into fraternity parties tend to congregate outside and in the front yards of the houses and stay there for a while.

She also said the brightness of the lights can make people feel as if they should be awake, even when it's very late at night.

"The street lights eliminate the natural cues of a dark sky," she said. "If you are awake and it's bright out, you forget that people are trying to sleep, and there have been real problems with that," she said.

She added that this problem is also linked to the fact that there are 2,000 more freshmen than there normally are on campus.

"We want to protect residential neighborhoods, as well as provide adequate lighting," she said.

Borough Planning Director Carl Hess said the brightness of the lights on Garner Street could be reduced while still providing adequate visibility at night.

State College resident Rebecca Hirsch, who addressed the council, echoed their concerns about the policy.

"I came today to speak up in favor of the purpose statement the planning commission has drafted with regards to lights," Hirsch said. "The lights outside my house are very bright, and they encourage people to congregate around them, and there's a lot of crime in my neighborhood because of this."

Hirsch said there is a lot vandalism and trespassing that occurs near her house, and she encouraged the council to try and reduce the brightness of the lights in her neighborhood, saying that the lights also shine into the bedroom windows of her house.

Hess presented the council with the policy in an effort to ensure the street lighting program is heading in the right direction, she said.

The purpose statement of the policy lists protecting public safety and the privacy of residents, enhancing the safety of downtown as well as conserving energy as reasons for the measure.

The council also discussed the type of lighting, focusing on energy efficiency.

Goreham said halo lights require hazardous waste disposal and fluorescent lights release a small amount of mercury vapor, all of which could be harmful to the environment.

"We are heading into a green period in our lives, and all lights might not be equally desirable," she said.

Hess said there are environmental issues with each type of light that could be possibly used throughout town.

The council also suggested making the light fixtures that are located throughout downtown be tied with the light fixtures that are on campus, thus creating an "interface between town and gown," Hess said.

Hess said the next step in the street lighting process is for the planning commission to take a look at the general guidelines of the policy.