Board refines outdoor‑lighting draft, withdraws initial approval and asks staff to redraft with enforcement language

The New Shoreham Planning Board on Jan. 8 reviewed proposed amendments to the town’s outdoor‑lighting ordinance (section 5‑12), discussed recommended changes from town planners and the solicitor, and asked staff to refine enforcement language and operational details before forwarding a finalized draft to the town council.

Why it matters: Board and staff said stronger lighting rules would protect the island’s night sky, wildlife (including the Great Salt Pond area) and the island’s tourism assets while balancing safety needs for businesses and residents.

Discussion and revisions - Timing window: The board supported substituting a fixed 11 p.m.–6 a.m. window with a relative window that runs from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise, as advised by the town planner and solicitor.

- Motion detectors and timers: Members favored allowing motion sensors and automatic timers (for example, lights that shut off after a short interval of no activity) as a compromise that permits commercial safety lighting while limiting continuous night pollution. The board discussed a 15‑minute automatic shutoff as an enforcement tool.

- Enforcement and jurisdiction: The board discussed whether the lighting standard should be placed in the zoning ordinance or the town code. Staff and counsel advised that locating the rules in the town ordinance (rather than strictly in zoning) could broaden enforcement options; the board requested staff to confirm enforcement mechanism and to coordinate with the police on how violations would be handled as civil matters.

- Commercial district exceptions: Members asked staff to ensure the draft explicitly allows sensor‑activated lighting for commercial districts where businesses require safe, customer‑oriented lighting.

Vote and procedural outcome The board initially took a voice vote in favor of a motion to forward the draft outdoor‑lighting ordinance to the town council, but later the mover withdrew the motion so staff could incorporate the solicitor’s suggestions (relative sunset/sunrise wording), enforcement language, and clearer commercial‑district guidance. The board will revisit a consolidated draft at the February meeting.

Next steps Staff will: 1) revise the draft to replace the fixed 11PM–6AM language with the sunset/dawn window; 2) clarify enforcement responsibility and process (zoning official, building official or town code enforcement/police); 3) ensure motion sensors/timers are clearly allowed and specify the unoccupied‑property carve‑out discussed by staff; and 4) return a single, redlined ordinance for the board to review in February.

Ending Members emphasized balancing light‑pollution mitigation with public safety and commercial needs and asked that the revised draft make permitting and enforcement clear to businesses and residents.