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Franklin Township Environmental Commission backs Dark Sky Week proclamation after presentation on light pollution
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Summary
After a presentation from a Dark Sky advocate, the commission voted to recommend an International Dark Sky Week proclamation to the township council and discussed using a New Jersey model lighting ordinance to tighten local rules on glare and light trespass.
Ron Uriosti, an advocate ambassador for Dark Sky International and a member of the Franklin Township Astronomy Club, told commissioners that light pollution is more than an aesthetic loss: it disrupts human circadian rhythms, damages wildlife and wastes energy.
"It's not about making things darker. It's about using light better," Uriosti said, urging the commission to adopt the five lighting principles Dark Sky recommends: useful, targeted, low‑level, controlled and warm‑colored lighting.
Uriosti explained common forms of light pollution — glare, trespass, sky glow and circadian‑disrupting light — and pointed commissioners to a New Jersey model lighting ordinance prepared with input from Dark Sky New Jersey. He cited local sites for context, saying even the township's darkest parks register measurable sky glow from regional population centers.
Commission members asked about enforcement, commercial and highway lighting, and the interaction of local rules with the Department of Transportation and state policy. Uriosti said many technical decisions are multijurisdictional but recommended a stepwise local approach: amend the township's residential standards to require full cut‑off fixtures, warmer color temperatures and use of timers or motion sensors when feasible.
After discussion the commission considered a draft proclamation recognizing International Dark Sky Week (April 13–20) and a motion to recommend that proclamation be placed on the township council's agenda. The commission moved the recommendation and voted verbally in favor.
The commission also discussed outreach activities tied to Dark Sky Week, including a proposed hike and education event at the John Clyde Memorial Native Grasslands Preserve on April 19 and a sample resolution the astronomy club prepared for council consideration.
Next steps: the commission will forward the proclamation to the township council for placement on an upcoming agenda and may return with suggested ordinance language tied to the model templates Uriosti shared.
