Taos County moves on dark‑sky recognition and drafts ordinance; proclamation adopted
Loading...
Summary
Commissioners heard a proposal to pursue Dark Sky Park certification for Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, received details on a county dark-sky ordinance draft (Kelvin limits, curfews, nonconforming-light rules), and adopted a proclamation for International Dark Sky Week (Apr. 13–20, 2026).
Commissioners on April 7 heard a presentation from Gina Pearson, a council member of Dark Sky New Mexico and a former federal land manager, on pursuing international Dark Sky Park certification for the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Pearson said certification is nonregulatory recognition intended to showcase and protect night skies, expand astrotourism opportunities and support coordinated education and stewardship across jurisdictions.
Pearson described benefits including international recognition, increased tourism potential, and opportunities for programming and partner-driven education. She emphasized technical recommendations such as properly shielded fixtures, timers or sensors that reduce overnight output, and lower color temperatures (warm lighting below roughly 3,000 K) to limit blue‑light impacts on human and wildlife health.
Rachel (county planning staff) updated the commission on a draft Taos County dark‑skies ordinance being developed with the working group. Proposed provisions discussed at the meeting include a preferred maximum of about 2,700 K for most exterior lighting, allowances up to 4,000 K for certain security or large‑lot lighting (e.g., parking lots), curfew hours requiring nonresidential lights to be off by 11 p.m. (or one hour after close of business), timers that can reduce output to 33% from 11 p.m.–6 a.m., pole-height limits (25 feet), and conversion requirements for nonconforming lights when they are replaced or pose safety risks.
The commission also read and adopted a proclamation recognizing April 13–20, 2026, as International Dark Sky Week in Taos County, noting the monument’s application effort and local partners including UNM Taos’s Cielo Centro. Commissioners and members of the public urged continued outreach to businesses, tribes and law enforcement to balance safety and enforcement needs.
Staff said the full Dark Sky Park application will be prepared this fall and that additional night-sky quality data is still being collected. Rachel and Pearson said the certification would not itself impose legal restrictions but would encourage coordinated ordinance changes and voluntary best practices across jurisdictions.
