Sea-turtle experts and volunteers urge swift adoption of Glynn County beachfront lighting standards
Summary
State and local sea-turtle experts and volunteers strongly supported updates to Glynn County’s beachfront lighting ordinance, citing modern lighting science and urgency to prevent nest misorientations; speakers offered volunteer monitoring and outreach but commissioners deferred formal action for further public review.
At Glynn County’s Nov. 17 joint planning-commission meeting, multiple wildlife experts and volunteer project leaders urged rapid adoption of an updated beachfront lighting ordinance designed to reduce sea-turtle misorientation and protect nesting habitat.
Mark Dodd, a wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, said the new draft updates a 30– to 40–year-old beachfront lighting rule based on modern lighting science and sea-turtle biology, and he said the revision ‘‘addresses issues related to reducing uplighting’’ and light quality on beachfront properties. "We certainly learned some things about the sea turtle biology since then," Dodd said, and the draft reflects those findings.
Ridley, director of the Saint Simons Island Sea Turtle Project, told commissioners the community has worked for years on the rewrite and urged immediate implementation: "We cannot afford to keep adding on additional delays... We wanna get it right, but we need this beachfront lighting ordinance in place this summer." Ridley offered to help with outreach, education and monitoring once the ordinance is passed.
Local volunteers and stakeholders echoed support. Judith Nichols, a long-term volunteer with the Saint Simons Island Sea Turtle Project, thanked staff for revisions and said the update brings the county into alignment with other barrier islands along Georgia’s coast.
County staff and commissioners acknowledged the biological concerns but noted implementation questions remain, including the effective date and potential phased compliance to allow property owners time to retrofitting lighting. One attendee asked whether the ordinance would force beachfront property owners into ‘‘complete darkness’’ overnight; staff said some sections could be given later effective dates to allow a grace period while outreach and partner coordination occur.
Why it matters: Glynn County’s beachfront lighting rules affect nesting loggerhead turtles and local tourism. Conservation groups argue that updated, science-based lighting standards reduce misorientations and lost nests; residents flagged cost, safety and enforcement questions that staff said could be addressed with phased effective dates and public education.
Next steps: The commissions deferred action on the ordinance packages; staff proposed town halls in December and January to discuss the drafts and potential implementation timelines.
