Lighting standards

["Mike Curley" <curley@CYPHER.TURBONET.COM>]

Sam and other Visionaries:  

Aside from the question of whether the park needs some additional lighting, 
several of you have weighed in on the desire for "dark skies."  Sam asked:

<What about it, City staff members, Council Persons and the
>Mayor?  Do you read this list?
<How about informing us of the parameters controlling lighting
<in Moscow's business districts, residential neighborhoods and
<parks?	Sam Scripter	MoscowSam@moscow.com

I will defer to Dale Pernula or Joel Plaskon for specific lighting codes in 
various districts of the city, but I believe the basic answer is that we do not 
have a controlling ordinance (except for electrical standards).  
That is the reason that the Planning and Zoning Commission is reviewing the 
lighting issue this year, and why it has appointed a sub-committee to examine 
how best to approach the issue.  

Part of the process will include public input.  I cannot speak for the 
subcommittee, but I expect that they would welcome others to review materials 
and make suggestions.  Whenever an ordinance is written it is important to have 
it designed and analyzed by all constituencies so that what appears to be an 
answer to one group's problem doesn't create a terrible problem for another.
If you would like to help in some fashion, please contact me and I will contact 
the chair of the subcommittee.

I might add that there are members of the community who have significant 
neighborhood disagreements over the propriety of one form of lighting or 
another, and the issue of "light trespass" (one person's light intruding on the 
property, and peaceful enjoyment thereof, of another) could, and probably 
should, be addressed by a code or ordinance.  

Additionally, some posts have noted that lighting is generally for security and 
"anti-crime" purposes, and that a reduction of lighting might necessarily 
entail an increase in crime.  P & Z has reviewed materials that suggest such is 
not always the case.  While no lighting at all might increase crime, the 
brightest possible lighting doesn't necessarily translate to the least 
crime.  And, as others have pointed out in their posts, the direction of the 
lighting is at least as significant.  Some forms of bulbs direct downward only 
30% of  the light produced.  With "cutoffs," or shades, more than 90% of the 
light can be directed downward, allowing both for a reduction in the total 
illumination needed and allowing us to maintain the "dark sky" many of us seem 
to prefer.  

Several US observatories have closed or significantly cut back their activities 
because they are located too close to cities that produce a glare in the sky.  
Perhaps with an appropriate ordinance we can not only continue to improve our 
quality of life, but also invite the relocation of some of the astronomical 
work?  

Mike Curley