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Cody council approves commercial outdoor lighting rules aimed at protecting dark skies
Summary
Council adopted new outdoor lighting ordinances for commercial zones that set shielding, color temperature and light-level limits and include exemptions where federal regulations supersede local code.
The City of Cody council approved a set of ordinances establishing outdoor lighting purpose, applicability, exemptions and standards for commercial zones, measures staff said are intended to implement community input in the city master plan to protect night skies.
Staff described the package—developed by the planning and zoning task force—as applying to commercial zoning districts (D‑1 through D‑4 and industrial zones) and not to residential zones. Kopicki explained the regulations do not require existing fixtures to be retrofitted; the rules apply to new development and new construction and grandfather existing lighting.
The standards include requirements for fully shielded/downcast fixtures, a limit of 0.1 foot-candles at the property line, a maximum correlated color temperature of 3,000 Kelvin and a maximum fixture output of 1,000 lumens, according to staff presentation. The ordinance also includes an exemptions section that recognizes federal or state requirements—examples discussed in the meeting included FAA requirements near the airport—and allows those to override local rules when applicable.
Councilors asked whether federal rules might conflict with the proposals. Kopicki replied the FAA can impose requirements around the Yellowstone Regional Airport and the city consults the airport when necessary; he said he was not aware of any current conflicts with the proposed code.
The council approved the ordinances on voice votes; the transcript records at least one dissent in the proceeding on the package, but the ordinances carried.
Ending: Staff will implement the standards as part of site-plan and building-permit reviews for commercial properties; existing commercial lighting is grandfathered and changes are expected to apply to new development.
