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EAC reconvenes dark‑skies subcommittee, plans March meeting and expert consults
Summary
The EAC’s dark‑skies subcommittee will meet March 6 to define next steps for a dark‑skies ordinance; members debated inviting outside experts to the first meeting, whether bird‑safety concerns should be addressed jointly, and Sunshine Act limits on subcommittee membership.
The Erie Environmental Advisory Council on Feb. 25 discussed reactivating a dark‑skies subcommittee and scheduled a meeting on March 6 to lay out next steps for drafting a dark‑skies ordinance.
Hannah Leleski, neighborhood resource coordinator in planning and zoning, said the first step is to work with the historic preservation planner and to consult with a Pittsburgh official who assisted with that city's dark‑skies ordinance. She asked whether subject‑matter experts should attend the first subcommittee meeting or be brought in after the committee agrees on a scope.
Members named potential experts who could assist in later meetings, including a representative from Carnegie Mellon (physics/astronomy), a Penn State Barend researcher (Dr. Jim Cavio/Gavio — name transcribed in the packet), someone from DCNR, and local birding stakeholders such as Holly Short. The group discussed the overlap between dark‑skies goals and bird‑safety measures; members emphasized that while the dark‑skies ordinance would focus on lighting standards (including city properties as a feasible first step), bird collisions and glassy building concerns are related issues that could be coordinated across initiatives.
Committee members also cautioned about Sunshine Act constraints: if four or more EAC members join a subcommittee, the meeting could constitute a quorum and require public advertisement; the subcommittee was advised to limit membership or open meetings when appropriate.
Several members favored starting with modest, city‑property actions (lighting standards and inventory) that can realistically be implemented first and then broadening to private development guidance and bird‑safety measures later. The March 6 meeting will focus on defining scope, membership and whether to invite experts immediately or after the committee's initial planning.
What happens next: The dark‑skies subcommittee will meet March 6; staff will coordinate invitations to subject‑matter experts if the committee requests them following the initial meeting.
