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Dark Sky
Partners LLC (DSP) offers assistance in the development of outdoor lighting
codes to help assure technical accuracy, enforceability, and
effectiveness.
Please Contact DSP
to discuss specific plans and budgets for services.
Services
DSP offers
the following code development services:
Facilitation
of public meetings to gather input from the community on issues and
concerns related to outdoor lighting and the mitigation of light pollution
Background
presentations to local organizations concerning the general topic of
lighting codes, the pros and cons for the community of their adoption,
including an introduction to the technical aspects of lighting codes
Technical
review of lighting codes
Presentations
concerning the specific details of a proposed ordinance, such as to local
Council or Planning & Zoning Commissions
Technical
training of personnel responsible for implementation and enforcement of the
lighting code
Recommendations
Effective
control of light pollution requires not only technically accurate and
enforceable lighting codes, but education and "buy-in" by the
community. Further, following
adoption of a lighting code, obtaining the desired results requires an
ongoing commitment by the community and the jurisdiction to allocate the
resources necessary for implementation and enforcement.
Therefore,
DSP highly recommends that communities lay the groundwork necessary to
ultimately achieve the goals of light pollution control. This groundwork should include education
(of both citizens and businesses) about the problems and solutions of light
pollution, the additional benefits that arise from light pollution
reduction such as improved visibility and security and energy savings. Though this background work requires time
and expense, it is vital to the ultimate success of the effort.
As the
process moves to the development of the lighting code itself, DSP highly
recommends ongoing consultation with and participation of community members
and the local jurisdiction at all levels, most particularly those
responsible for adopting, interpreting, implementing and enforcing the
code, including local elected or appointed officials, civil planners, codes
enforcement staff, and legal staff.
In most
communities the process should include the following:
Education
about the problems of light pollution and solutions available through
lighting codes;
Community
meetings to gather input from citizens and businesses about their concerns
about light pollution and the proposed lighting code;
Development
of a technically accurate, practical and enforceable lighting code
specifically tailored to address the concerns of the community;
Technical
training of those responsible for implementation and enforcement of the
code;
Amendment
of the lighting code on a regular basis after adoption to address
unforeseen consequences or difficulties of the original code and to address
changes in technology and lighting design practices.
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