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City planning staff: Dark sky lighting rules are in planning department, likely to move via comprehensive plan
Summary
Commission members were told a proposed Dark Skies lighting policy is being drafted in the planning department and will likely be folded into the city's comprehensive plan before going to the city council; commissioners discussed sequencing the lighting policy and a possible tree ordinance so staff capacity is not exceeded.
City planning staff told the Green Space Advisory Commission that a proposed Dark Skies lighting policy is in active drafting and will likely be considered as part of the city's comprehensive-plan process before being sent to the City Council. "Dark Sky's is currently in the planning department right now," a planning staff member said during the commission's meeting, adding that a draft memo is being prepared.
Commissioners said they want to avoid overwhelming staff and discussed timing for a separate tree ordinance, should the commission pursue one. The commission was advised it can begin drafting policy work now, but that ordinance proposals typically require staff research and review and can take months to progress through the approval process.
Why it matters: lighting and tree ordinances change what property owners may install and how public and private spaces are managed; commissioners said those changes could require substantial staff time. A planning staff member indicated the Dark Sk ies proposal is being worked on now and likely will be incorporated into the comprehensive-plan review before any council hearing.
Commissioners asked about sequencing and staff capacity. One member asked whether it was feasible to draft a tree ordinance while dark-skies work is already in the planning department; a planning staff member replied that both efforts could start now but cautioned that the timing to move from drafting to formal review varies and that the two items may not land on a staff desk simultaneously.
The meeting included calendar references for forthcoming steps: participants mentioned an August council meeting date tied to the comprehensive-plan process. Commissioners were encouraged to proceed with research and drafting, and to coordinate with planning staff to gauge realistic timelines.
No formal motion or vote on an ordinance was taken at the meeting; commissioners instructed staff and volunteers to continue drafting and to coordinate schedules with the planning department.
