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PTR members back dark-sky language; ask for legal review of proposed lighting ordinance
Summary
PTR committee members told staff to include dark‑sky language in the general plan and discussed a proposed lighting ordinance. Members asked staff to seek a legal opinion on enforceability for existing lighting and to forward the ordinance to planning commission for review.
WOODLAND HILLS, Utah — Members of the Woodland Hills Parks, Trails and Recreation committee on Sept. 30 said they support including dark‑sky provisions in the city’s general plan and reviewed a draft lighting ordinance that would amend city standards.
Committee members told staff to share the committee’s support for dark‑sky language with the planning commission and city council. The group discussed several legal and enforcement issues: whether an ombudsman’s written opinion amounts to a binding legal opinion the city can rely on, whether the city can enforce new lighting rules against existing homes, and how the code should handle flag lighting and nightly time restrictions for city property.
Daniel (staff) said he sent an ombudsman opinion to city staff and had also forwarded it to the mayor and some council members; committee members asked him to send it to the city attorney for review. Committee members identified a proposed time‑of‑lights restriction for city property (lights off at 11 p.m.) in the draft and discussed whether the city should try to enforce limits for existing residential lighting or limit enforcement to new construction and substantial remodels. One committee member said Utah code governs flagpole lighting and the ordinance text was being simplified to avoid redundancy.
There was broad committee support for adding dark‑sky language to the version that goes before planning commission and the council. Members emphasized that planning commission will hold public hearings and that council action would follow. Daniel and other members said they expect to seek a formal legal opinion from the city attorney before moving the ordinance forward to planning.
Next steps: staff will circulate the proposed ordinance and ombudsman opinion to the city attorney for legal review and will seek planning commission placement as soon as the legal question is resolved. Committee members requested that the version sent to planning include the dark‑sky language both committees supported.
