Humboldt County has begun an effort to regulate trespassing – not of people, but of light.A draft ordinance that seeks to “minimize the effects of light trespass and light pollution” got initial feedback during a March 20 Planning Commission workshop.The proposed new law will “establish reasonable design standards for outdoor lighting to minimize light pollution while maintaining nighttime safety, utility, security and the enjoyment of the night sky,” according to its statement of purpose.Directed at residential and commercial properties, the ordinance’s basic goal is to contain lighting within properties and “address community complaints” about “nuisance” lighting.County Planner Reanna Meighan said light pollution is defined as “any artificial light emitted into the atmosphere, either directly or indirectly, which may have a destructive effect on natural cycles and inhibit the observation of our stars and planets.”Light pollution also impacts “the circadian rhythms of a majority of organisms, including humans,” she continued.Requiring “fully shielded’ lighting and use of “warm” bulbs that emit yellow light are among the ordinance’s draft measures.Mark Wilson, vice president of Astronomers of Humboldt, referred to a recommended limit on “color temperature” set by the International Dark Sky Association (DSA) and a scientific paper.The DSA’s recommended limit is 2,700 kelvin while the ordinance’s standard for warm lighting is 3,000 kelvin or less.Sylvia van Royen of Humboldt Waterkeeper recommended using the DSA’s “municipal code template” for regulating light, with lumens, candelas or watts as units of measurement.Meighan said the template was reviewed but “it was very technical” and “we decided to suggest something that would be more standard and straightforward for the general public to understand.”Keep Reading
