The Bluff Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 2 voted unanimously to forward a draft energy ordinance and associated dark-sky provisions to Town Council for public hearing, and the commission added a clarifying sentence exempting certain solar pathway lights.

Commissioner Brian Whitney summarized that the commission had already worked extensively on the draft and recommended it for a council hearing. During the meeting, Commissioners raised a concern that the dark-sky language did not explicitly address small solar-powered pathway lights and could be interpreted to prohibit low-profile, downward-facing solar fixtures commonly used for sidewalks and patios.

To resolve the concern, commissioners agreed on a clarifying sentence to add to the draft: downward-facing solar-powered lights used for lighting outdoor paths and patios are exempt from the dark-sky restriction. The addition was discussed as a narrowly tailored exemption; commissioners emphasized fixtures must be downward-facing and intended for low-level path/patio lighting to avoid broader loopholes.

A motion to forward the package to Town Council for public hearing passed unanimously. Commissioners said that any additional public or editorial comments submitted before the council hearing will be folded into the packet; staff noted scheduling deadlines for packets and asked for submissions in advance of the Oct. 15 cutoff where applicable.

The commission’s action is a referral: Town Council will hold the public hearing and consider adopting the ordinance language, including the commission’s clarified language on solar-powered path lighting.