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Liberty Hill named an International Dark Sky Community, first in Williamson County
Summary
Liberty Hill celebrated certification by Dark Sky International after a multiyear volunteer and city effort that included a 2022 outdoor‑lighting ordinance, more than 1,100 fixture inventories and a commitment to retrofit public lighting by August 2027.
Liberty Hill was formally designated an International Dark Sky Community by Dark Sky International, becoming the first city in Williamson County to receive the certification.
Mayor (unnamed) announced the designation at the July 23 City Council meeting, saying Liberty Hill's new status "reflect[ed] a strong community commitment to preserving the natural beauty of the night sky amid ongoing development." The council read prepared remarks from Cindy Louongo Cassidy, identified in the meeting as board president of Dark Sky Texas, praising the city's leadership.
Local volunteers known as Liberty Hill Save Our Stars and the city collaborated on the effort that began in 2020. Council members and staff said the effort included drafting and adopting an outdoor lighting ordinance in 2022, conducting an inventory of more than 1,100 lights, initiating retrofits at City Hall and parks, and launching a night‑sky friendly business recognition program.
Amber, a remote representative from Dark Sky International, congratulated the city and noted Liberty Hill is among the larger communities to receive the certification, highlighting the outreach and education the community conducted to win designation.
County Commissioner Cynthia Long attended the meeting and congratulated the city, noting River Ranch Community Park as a nearby location for star‑viewing and reporting only minimal storm damage to the park after recent floods.
City leaders said the designation carries implementation work: the city committed to completing retrofits, enforcing lighting standards for new construction, supporting businesses during the transition and conducting ongoing sky‑darkness monitoring. The council took no regulatory action at the meeting beyond the recognition; volunteers and staff posed for photographs and the city announced outreach items including stickers and T‑shirts for the community.
The city described the designation as part of a continuing program of public education and city‑facility retrofits; councilmembers emphasized that work to enforce and implement lighting rules is ongoing.
