[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: FW: Earth Hour...Lighting Ordinance - Dark Sky Ordinance

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Morzel, Lisa


Thanks, David, for your quick response.  I'm glad to hear this is scheduled on staff's future work plan.


Much appreciated!

Lisa 
303-938-8520 home
383-815-6723 cell

"Politics is what we create by what we do, what we hope for, and what we dare to imagine."
Senator Paul Wellstone 1944-2002




From: David
 Driskell
Sent: ýTuesdayý, ýAprilý ý7ý, ý2015 ý10ý:ý43ý ýAM
To: HOTLINE,
Macon Cowles
Cc: Havlick, Spenser,
Jim Toohey, 
Charles Ferro, 
Thacker, Dave, 
Stafford, Edward, 
Maureen Rait





Hi Macon et al,
 
Thanks for the inquiry re: Boulder’s 2003 Lighting Ordinance,
aka the “Dark Sky Ordinance.”  Apologies for the delay in responding.
 
Staff reports that, overall, compliance has been very good. All new commercial and residential developments following adoption of the ordinance have been built to comply,
 and lighting retrofits have been required as part of the renovation of many commercial and residential structures.
 
As we approach the required compliance date of July 15, 2018, we will be doing public outreach to educate the community about what is required. Staff has on their work
 plan to develop and begin implementing an outreach strategy later this year. 

 
Let us know if you have any additional questions.
 
Best,
 
David
    
 


Begin forwarded message:



From: "Cowles, Macon" <CowlesM at bouldercolorado.gov>
Date: April 1, 2015 at 1:42:12 PM EDT
To: spenser havlick <spenser.havlick at Colorado.EDU>, Jim Toohey <jimtoohey at mac.com>
Cc: "Havlick, Spenser" <havlick at colorado.edu>, HOTLINE <HOTLINE at bouldercolorado.gov>, "Driskell, David" <DriskellD at bouldercolorado.gov>
Subject: Re: Earth Hour...Lighting  Ordinance - Dark Sky Ordinance




Jim and Spense, good morning. 

 


I was on the citizen's committee that reviewed and sponsored Boulder's Dark Sky Ordinance that, as Jim noted, was adopted in 2003 and has a 15 year amortization period. The ordinance is found at BRC 9-9-16 available here.
 We had our eyes directed toward dark skies when we studied what was required in order to achieve one of the objectives that is written into the ordinance: to "Provide an environmentally sensitive nighttime environment that includes the ability to view the
 stars against a dark sky so that people can see the Milky Way Galaxy from residential and other appropriate viewing areas."


 


The ordinance was adopted during a sharp staffing reduction attendant on the economic downturn in 2002. Therefore, the planning department did not, so afar as I am aware, launch the education program that had been anticipated for the Dark
 Sky Ordinance (DSO). To the extent that the provisions of the DSO are known, neighbors talking to neighbors can help achieve compliance from legacy fixtures.


 


Since passage of the DSO, sponsors of new construction within the City limits have had to comply with the DSO--something that is reviewed at the Tech Docs stage of development applications, upon submission of the building permit docs, and
 compliance is supposed to be checked by inspectors at final inspections of a project.


 


Jim, whom I know to be an astronomer and a farmer who grows great produce north of Hygiene, asked about the level of compliance of commercial establishments. I am copying David Driskell so that he can route this email for a response from
 the appropriate Planning Staff member. I presume that compliance with new construction since 2003 has been fairly successful. I am aware of some enforcement action for new commercial that escaped the attention of City inspectors an was initially out of compliance--the
 gas station at the SW corner of Valmont and 28th St., for example. Staff can comment further on this.


 


But I don't think we have formulated plans about how to enforce the ordinance after the 15 year amortization period is up. We probably need to remind people that they only have another three years to change out fixtures. Perhaps we should
 do this in conjunction with the development of our commercial smart regs whose purpose is energy savings and carbon reduction.


 


 








Macon Cowles


Boulder City Council Member






1726 Mapleton Ave.







Boulder, Colorado 80304


CowlesM at bouldercolorado.gov


(303) 447-3062


(303) 638-6884








 



On Mar 31, 2015, at 4:09 PM, spenser havlick <spenser.havlick at Colorado.EDU> wrote:

 

Hello  Macon and Tim  and Jim,
  As you Macon  and Tim  can see  Jim  Toohey has asked about the status of Boulder's Outdoor Lighting  Ordinance. I believe both of you are in a better place  to answer the question  than I am. Would either of you be willing  to check on this  and let Mr.
 Toohey  and myself know the degree of compliance that may be underway,please?
    Thanks very much,
          Spense




On Mar 27, 2015, at 10:29 PM, Jim Toohey wrote:


Hi Spense, it's been a while!  I'm glad that Earth Hour is focusing people's attention on energy conservation and climate change, but I'm REALLY glad for a reason not even mentioned in the discussion.  Earth
 Hour is an outstanding opportunity to raise awareness about light pollution!  I'm completely offended that we can see only a small fraction of the night sky's beauty that was visible to our grandparents.  In terms of views, the problem is much more severe
 than the effects of air pollution obscuring the Grand Canyon — and worse, light pollution is everywhere!  You know, a good teaching tool would be a video of the Grand Canyon with the view obscured by the daytime equivalent of the light pollution in a typical
 suburban sky — ouch!  Can you tell me how successfully the City of Boulder has implemented its Outdoor Lighting Ordinance from 2003?  I recall that by 2018, all commercial light-polluting fixtures are to have been replaced.  I welcome your thoughts on the
 subject and would love to support your efforts to move things forward!

Best always,
Jim

† Jim Toohey
Pastor/Architect    
7849 Ute Trail
Hygiene, Colorado 80503
(303) 859-4495