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Charles Town moves to allow LEDs under 3,000K and require shielded, downcast fixtures
Summary
In an initial consensus, commissioners signaled they will permit LED fixtures provided color temperature is limited (around 3,000K) and will add an enforceable requirement that street and parking lights be shielded and downcast to reduce glare and light pollution; staff will revise code language to remove a strict metal‑halide specification.
The planning commission’s second work session topic on Oct. 28 focused on proposed lighting standards, including fixture design, spacing and allowable lighting technologies. Staff (S3) outlined three key issues — design, distance and lighting materials — and raised whether the city should require a uniform pole style, minimum spacing and a specified bulb type.
A working consensus emerged in the discussion: commissioners agreed to permit LED fixtures so long as color temperature is limited to approximately 3,000 Kelvin and to require fixtures be shielded and downcast to limit glare and skyglow. "So we just wanna make 2 changes, which is allow the LED and then require that the lights be down," a commission member (S1) stated; staff and other commissioners referenced American Medical Association guidance favoring warmer color temperatures when discussing potential human and wildlife impacts.
