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Light pollution ordinance to be reviewed
By: Ashley Vasquez
Did the nighttime stars seem brighter 20 years ago? The stars aren't any less bright than they were, but light escaping from commercial and residential developments is making them harder to see.
Eric Larson, city community development director, is working with a local resident to draft language to restrict the type of lighting that is installed in residential neighborhoods. An ordinance provision was added to the city' commercial development requirements last fall.
“We adopted new language for commercial developments that restricts the types of lighting, the bulbs and essentially requires shades for the lights so that light doesn't escape upwards but down where it is intended,” Larson said. “We haven't seen what the changes will do yet because we haven't had a new development built yet, but I think it might help.”
The residential ordinance provision is expected to mirror the commercial change. Both changes come on the heels of complaints from Smithville resident Mark Krokstrum, who has been working with Larson to draft the ordinances.
Krokstrum said he didn't want Smithville's night sky to look like the sky above his hometown of Overland Park, Kan..
“You can only see about half the stars in Johnson County (Kan.),” he said. “There really isn't that big of a problem here in Smithville yet, but I think as we grow it could be an issue. We really should have something in place to prevent it down the road.”
Krokstrum said he knew light pollution was mostly about aesthetics, but he still thought it was an important issue.
“We do have to have a balance between what we need to practically light the city and keep everyone safe and the need to see the stars and be in a small-town environment,” he said.
Smithville Police Chief Ken Wilson said he didn't think the city was bright at all.
“This is a dark city,” he said. “From our perspective, lights detour thieves and vandals and keep businesses and intersections safe.”
Larson said the newly-drafted ordinance was set to go before the city's planning and zoning committee in May or June and for final Board of Aldermen approval soon after. For more information, call Larson at 532-3897.
Smithville Editor Ashley Vasquez can be reached at 532-4444 or ashleyvasquez@npgco.com.
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Eric Larson, city community development director, is working with a local resident to draft language to restrict the type of lighting that is installed in residential neighborhoods. An ordinance provision was added to the city' commercial development requirements last fall.
“We adopted new language for commercial developments that restricts the types of lighting, the bulbs and essentially requires shades for the lights so that light doesn't escape upwards but down where it is intended,” Larson said. “We haven't seen what the changes will do yet because we haven't had a new development built yet, but I think it might help.”
The residential ordinance provision is expected to mirror the commercial change. Both changes come on the heels of complaints from Smithville resident Mark Krokstrum, who has been working with Larson to draft the ordinances.
Krokstrum said he didn't want Smithville's night sky to look like the sky above his hometown of Overland Park, Kan..
“You can only see about half the stars in Johnson County (Kan.),” he said. “There really isn't that big of a problem here in Smithville yet, but I think as we grow it could be an issue. We really should have something in place to prevent it down the road.”
Krokstrum said he knew light pollution was mostly about aesthetics, but he still thought it was an important issue.
“We do have to have a balance between what we need to practically light the city and keep everyone safe and the need to see the stars and be in a small-town environment,” he said.
Smithville Police Chief Ken Wilson said he didn't think the city was bright at all.
“This is a dark city,” he said. “From our perspective, lights detour thieves and vandals and keep businesses and intersections safe.”
Larson said the newly-drafted ordinance was set to go before the city's planning and zoning committee in May or June and for final Board of Aldermen approval soon after. For more information, call Larson at 532-3897.
Smithville Editor Ashley Vasquez can be reached at 532-4444 or ashleyvasquez@npgco.com.
Comments on "Light pollution ordinance to be reviewed"
Comments are limited to 200 words or less.Dave Cash wrote on Jul 29, 2007 2:45 PM:
" My website is on line now, so you can
read a true story about a nuisance of
light at:www.lightlawsuit.com .
Thanks again, Dave C. "
Dave Cash wrote on Jun 5, 2007 9:24 PM:
" I had to sue 2 John Elway car dealerships in Golden Colo. for a nuisance of light. I won. Look for my website in the near future for the complete true story at www.lightlawsuit.com . I have to find a web design co who'll do it locally for me, but like Larry the cable guy says, I'll get'er done. "
Robert Wagner wrote on Apr 20, 2007 11:37 AM:
" The Kansas City Metropolitan area wastes 71 million KwH per year to illuminate the sky. Adopting simple measures such at Full-Cutoff fixtures, IESNA standards for maximum illumination and Light Trespass limits will greatly enhance our safety, security and nighttime visibility.
Robert Wagner
Midwest Citizens for Responsible Outdoor Lighting
http://www.trianglealumni.org/mcrol/ "
Doug Kniffen wrote on Apr 19, 2007 8:42 AM:
" Decades of crime statistics have shown that the crime rate has risen right along with the increase of outdoor lighting. Anybody can check those facts. If light did deter crime the rate should have dropped, but it didn't.
Claims are often made that people feel safer when they see lights. Ask yourself what feels safer; Seeing well at a distance, or a light shining in your eyes? Light pollution is really about tricking people for profit. When seeing the light source vision is desensitized and this creates artificial darkness to motivate using more lights. This is proven by the fact that single lights are visible at great distances while the illuminated areas can only be seen up close. The only way to improve night time outdoor visibility is by properly shading outdoor fixtures to preclude direct illumination beyond ten times the fixture mounting height. Besides obvious profit motives polluting lights offer ostentation, evident from the fact that you can't ignore bright lights anymore than loud noises. Losing sight of the stars is simply a consequence of the real problem, unnecessarily impairing vision. Light pollution only continues to get worse because the facts don't count with the responsible authorities. "