Outdoor Lights Still Burning

It was almost midnight on auto row in Glendale recently, and although the car lots had been closed for nearly three hours, the lights still burned brightly at Glendale Dodge, Guy Schmidt Cadillac and other dealerships along Brand Boulevard.

California regulators ordered retailers March 15 to cut their outdoor lighting in half during off hours, but so far it appears there is widespread disregard or ignorance of the plan, retailers acknowledge. Many auto dealers, grocery stores and restaurants still keep the lights burning after hours.

Although the state order threatens retailers with fines of as much as $1,000 for disregarding the measure, no citations have been issued, according to state officials tracking the program. Police say they are paying little attention to the issue.

Despite that, Sheryl Tankersley of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said she believes the program is working--even though she concedes there are no energy-use figures or other statistics to prove it. She also acknowledged that the state is at the mercy of local police to enforce the measure, who say they are more interested in fighting violent crime than conservation scofflaws.

“It is our belief that the program is working,” Tankersley said. “We assume businesses are complying. However, without law enforcement assistance, the order is difficult to moderate.”

The energy conservation order by Gov. Gray Davis applies to all California businesses, regardless of location or whether they are served by municipal utilities with power to spare.

In interviews, many business owners, including one of the Glendale car dealers whose lights were on after closing time, said they are complying with the law.

“Someone must have forgot [to turn off the lights],” said Myron Grombacher, general manager of Glendale Dodge. “Or maybe the cleaning crew turned on the lights.”

Some retailers say they’ve killed lights to save on energy bills, not for fear of being fined. Others say they were unaware of the rule or haven’t complied due to security concerns. The order applies only to “unnecessary” lighting, exempting lighting needed to protect workers, the public or property.

“We understand the importance of turning off the lights, but we can’t afford to black out the lot,” said Bill Jaros, with Guy Schmidt Cadillac. “Theft is a problem and that’s just as costly.”

Glendale isn’t alone--bright lights can be seen after midnight at car dealerships throughout the area, including lots in Van Nuys and Thousand Oaks. After-hours lights also were spotted this week at a Smart & Final in Venice, a lamp store in Studio City and a Goodyear Tires store in Westwood, where the manager said the lights stay on till 3 a.m.

“We are obligated to the corporate office to keep our lights on,” said the tire store manager, who would not give his name. “We do what they tell us. I didn’t even know a fine could be issued.”

In San Francisco’s Union Square, retailers and restaurants also keep their windows lit long after closing time, according to area merchants.

“If stores are cutting back, I haven’t noticed. The heart of Union Square looks the same. Everything is bright, everything is on,” said Brandon Koehl, manager of the Williams-Sonoma housewares store near Union Square.

The light-reduction order, signed by Davis on Feb. 1, called on “all California retail establishments” to “substantially reduce maximum outdoor lighting capability during nonbusiness hours.” In a directive one week later, the governor’s office defined substantial as a 50% reduction in electrical power consumed--allowing retailers to meet the rule by either turning off lights or cutting the wattage.

Law enforcement honchos, including Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, promised to enforce the measure at a Feb. 1 news conference with Davis. Since then, police have expressed confusion about the 50% rule and whether cities such as Glendale and Los Angeles that have been spared from blackouts must comply.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy David Cervantes said his agency is focused on street crime, not store lights.

“We aren’t issuing citations,” Cervantes said, although he said that deputies have issued a few warnings to businesses that appeared to be in violation.

Glendale Police spokesman Sgt. Rick Young said the late-night bright lights at the Brand Boulevard car dealerships aren’t his problem. “We don’t believe this is a police matter,” Young said. “What do police officers know about monitoring energy use?”

(This week, after calls to Glendale city officials and car dealers, more lights appeared to be off along Brand Boulevard after hours.)

Norman Williams of the state Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency, which was asked by Davis to help implement the order, said he was disappointed to learn that police departments have been reluctant to devote resources to the issue.

“We need them to help us,” Williams said.

Richard Giss, a retail analyst with Deloitte & Touche in Los Angeles, said many store managers may be unaware of the rules or are unable to easily curtail power usage.

“Most retailers aren’t scofflaws,” Giss said. “Some may face issues that aren’t apparent on the surface. . . . There isn’t always a switch that turns off all the lights. It’s not that easy.”

Bob Israel, co-owner of Hungry Al’s Bar-B-Que in West Covina, said the $1,000 fine didn’t scare him into trimming his energy use. His monthly $500 to $600 utility bills were a bigger threat. Israel raised his food prices and began to limit employee hours, but the high energy costs still were too much.

He said he can’t afford to turn on the restaurant’s air conditioning this summer, when he expects his bill to approach $1,000. And the illuminated sign in front of Hungry Al’s now goes off at 11 p.m. instead of staying on all night. “We’ve always left our outdoor lights on. We want people to see us. It just wasn’t feasible anymore. The governor has nothing to do with it.”

The bottom line also influenced Edwards Cinemas’ energy conservation efforts, which have been implemented at the company’s 55 California locations since last summer. Illuminated theater displays and marquees go off when the last show begins, rather than when it ends, saving the company about two hours of energy use. Kevin Frabotta, vice president of theater operations, said the company has focused on long-term methods as well, including electrical rewiring and using of more cost-efficient bulbs.

“It’s an expensive transition,” he said. “But we’ll save money in the long haul.”

Other local businesses have used the governor’s order as a marketing tool, pushing the sale of energy-efficient products such as motion detectors, ceiling fans, weather stripping and improved windows. Home Depot, which unveiled a hefty conservation plan in January, said it is important for customers to see conservation products in action.

After rolling blackouts started sweeping the state, sales and interest in these items increased, said Chuck Sifuentes, company spokesman. Home Depot added a special section to its catalog devoted to energy-related tips and merchandise.

“It’s important to lead by example,” Sifuentes said. “If we cut back, the customers will cut back. They’ll want to buy our products.”