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Dark-sky advocates urge stronger lighting rules, ask council to defer
Summary
Proponents of reduced light pollution told the Awendaw council that the draft lighting ordinance (2026-06) lacks needed detail and recommended deferral, hooded low-Kelvin fixtures, lumen limits and clearer definitions to protect the town’s night sky.
Speakers supporting a dark-sky initiative urged Awendaw council members to tighten the town’s draft lighting ordinance (2026-06) and to defer action until additional detail is added.
Charles, a resident who spoke at the hearing, said the "value of nighttime dark sky has only recently begun to be understood" and criticized the draft as insufficiently detailed on measures to control light pollution and trespass. He recommended rules that emphasize hooded fixtures, low Kelvin temperatures (2,700–3,000K), specific lumen caps for landscape lighting and clearer language distinguishing "light pollution" from "light trespass."
Charles pointed to common dark-sky practices — hooded, directional fixtures and low-lumen outputs — and said municipalities with dark-sky programs typically allow limited landscape and downlighting but restrict facade and group-tree uplighting. He recommended that the council defer the ordinance for more study and to better define standards.
Council recorded two written comments submitted via the town website (one opposed and one in favor) and included them in the meeting packet. The public hearing closed with no final vote recorded on ordinance 2026-06.
