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Staff recommends code changes and Lights Out expansion to reduce bird–building collisions
Summary
Watershed Protection staff presented recommendations for bird‑friendly building materials and lighting controls, proposing a code amendment to require bird‑safe materials for large commercial and multifamily buildings and expanded Lights Out measures; staff sought commission feedback before taking a formal proposal to city manager and council.
Leslie Lilly of the Watershed Protection Department presented staff recommendations in response to a City Council resolution directing work on bird‑friendly design and Lights Out measures. The presentation reviewed the extent of bird collisions with glass and the role of light pollution in attracting migrants into urban areas at night.
Lilly and intern Lily Raresich highlighted three complementary strategies: (1) reduce or treat glazing with patterns or frits to lower material “threat factors,” (2) adopt dark‑sky and timed lighting controls to reduce nighttime attraction, and (3) launch an education campaign for residents and property owners. “Birds have difficulty perceiving glass,” Lilly said, and “that problem is exacerbated by light pollution.”
What staff proposes: Watershed staff proposed a…
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