Residents on Regent and Lexington South have reported that during the first two weeks of this month, someone has been stealing flowers and plants from the mulched areas in front of their units. Some of these were neatly uprooted from the ground and others were in growing in planters, which the thief or thieves also took. These were all taken under the cover of darkness over four different nights. Please keep an eye out for suspicious activity on our streets after dark.
As a result of this, some co-owners have indicated that they wish to replace the exterior light fixture by their front door with one that includes a motion detector. Since these fixtures are common elements, an Alteration/Modification Request must be made out and the new fixture must look similar to the existing one that is used throughout our development. Once I find some comparable fixtures with motion detectors and where they can be bought, I will post the information here. I already know of four co-owners who wish to purchase a motion detecting light fixture and I will be writing up a single Alt/Mod Request to cover them and anyone else who would like to go this route.
UPDATE: Exterior lantern-type lamp fixtures with built-in motion detectors that are comparable to our existing type of fixture can be found at Lowes and Home Depot. I also stopped at the Ray Lighting Center on Hall Road and the House of Lights across from us on Van Dyke and could not find anything comparable.
Lowes carries the Portfolio Wall Lantern, Motion-Activated, Item # 253841. The motion sensor is mounted at the end of the support arm under the fixture and it has independent right and left sensitivity adjustments. It sells for $48.98.
Home Depot sells the Hampton Bay Motion Sensor Exterior Lantern, # 248 593 for $39.97. Its motion sensor is located on the wall plate and it features 2-level accent lighting. When this feature is enabled, the light bulb burns with a reduced intensity that increases to normal when motion is detected. The reduced intensity accent lighting can be controlled to burn for various lengths of time after dusk. If you choose not to enable the accent lighting feature, it operates like a regular motion-activated fixture and the light bulb burns at its regular wattage.
Both fixtures have a maximum bulb rating of 100 watts and the sensor on the Hampton Bay model is advertised as having about a 30 foot range.
However, several resident's experience with both models shows that when installed and set at the maximum sensitivity adjustment, the sensors detected motion only in the 4 to 6 foot range. This is probably due to the narrowness of the front porch and the "tunnel effect" created by the front bedroom and garage exterior walls.
A single Alt/Mod Request was submitted on behalf of (10) co-owners and it has since been approved. All ten co-owners should have received a copy of it in the mail by now.
