Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Dark Sky topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident urges council to balance dark‑sky rules with neighborhood safety after streetlight citation
Summary
A resident said the town’s dark‑sky ordinance lacks explicit consideration of neighborhood safety and signaled intent to propose an amendment after receiving a citation for a streetlight on his property; councilors and staff said planning commission handles sensitive‑lands or lighting code matters and that residents can propose amendments.
George Rodinos told the Town Council during open forum on Aug. 19 he had received a citation concerning a streetlight on his property and urged the council to revisit the town’s dark‑sky ordinance to ensure it balances sky preservation with resident safety.
Rodinos said he intends to comply with the citation while preparing a proposal to amend the ordinance so it better addresses safety and security needs at night. He noted other jurisdictions had language he felt struck a better balance between dark‑sky protection and surface‑level public safety.
Council members and staff responded that specific ordinance changes or sensitive‑lands questions typically start with the planning commission; staff encouraged Mr. Rodinos to submit a proposed amendment or request that planning commission place the topic on a future agenda. Councilors reiterated that residents can request ordinance amendments and that any proposal would be considered through the public‑hearing process.
The exchange was part of open forum and not a formal code change. Staff noted the town’s dark‑sky ordinance contains lighting standards elsewhere in the code and that any clarification or amendment should come through the established planning process so it can be publicly discussed and mapped to compliance obligations.
