In a 3-2 vote Tuesday, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors adopted regulations aimed at reducing light pollution.The rules limit lighting that can be used outdoors in the unincorporated county in an attempt to halt light from beaming into neighboring homes and polluting the night sky.During a presentation, county planner Reanne Meighan said the ordinance is not attempting to prohibit outdoor lighting — rather, it aims to minimize unnecessary lighting and reduce light pollution, which inhibits the observation of stars and harms the circadian rhythm of humans and creatures alike.To do so, the regulations require outdoor lighting to be directed downward. Fixtures must be fully shielded, though there’s an exception if they contain a warmer lightbulb.The maximum lumens for outdoor bulbs are 1,100 for residential and 3,200 for commercial/industrial property, a slight tweak from an early draft.A central piece of the ordinance is adding a way to address light pollution from neighbors. It adds to the code a method to prevent light trespass, and requires lights to only be illuminated when they’re actively being used or for safety purposes. The ordinance has a number of exemptions for certain lights.Dark sky enjoyers spoke in support.Mark Wilson, vice president of the Astronomers of Humboldt, said, “It’s going to put Humboldt County in the forefront protecting the night skies, not only in the state, but nationally and internationally,” and called for the county to adopt a plan to gradually transform the government’s own bulbs to meet the requirements.Environmental organizations also applauded the effort.“The warm color temperature is really critical for migrating birds, in particular, which our region is so famous for,” said Jen Kalt, director of Humboldt Waterkeeper, during public comment. Humboldt Waterkeeper called for a few tweaks, like not allowing translucent shields on the warmer bulbs.The ordinance, which is relatively concise, can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/26ny66ndKeep Reading
