Girl Scouts and bird advocates ask Sunnyvale planners to study a dark‑sky ordinance

Members of Sunnyvale Girl Scout Troop 60506 and local environmental advocates urged the Planning Commission during oral communications April 28 to study and adopt a dark‑sky lighting ordinance that would limit light trespass and encourage shielded, warmer‑temperature lighting.

The Troop introduced the topic during the meeting’s oral communications section. "We are Sunnyvale Girl Scout Troop 60506, and we are here today to make a difference for our night skies," the group said, asking the commission to consider a dark‑sky ordinance that would require shielded fixtures, lower color temperatures and timed lighting to protect wildlife and human circadian rhythms.

Rainey Fisher, representing the Environmental Action Committee of the Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance, said she has experienced bright light from nearby office campuses and asked the commission to "please push for a lighting ordinance on existing buildings, not just future buildings." Fisher described ongoing light‑trespass concerns from large office developments and urged the city to include retrofit or operational measures for existing nonresidential buildings.

Speakers emphasized ecological and public‑health rationales — reduced bird and insect attraction to lights, improved human sleep health and the community benefits of restoring night skies — and offered to assist staff in drafting study language. The commission did not take formal action on the request; commissioners and staff thanked speakers and noted the city’s existing work on other environmental and parks projects.