Bright Skies Notice of Motion

Brian has a notice of motion coming to the September 10th council meeting asking administration to develop a policy and guidelines to address light pollution in the city of Calgary.

You can download a PDF copy of this notice of motion here, or here is the full text:

RE: Bright Skies
Alderman Pincott
2012 09 10

WHEREAS, light, and its impact upon the urban environment, neighbours and the night sky, has been identified as a major concern;

AND WHEREAS, City Council has previously adopted the Bird Friendly Lighting Guidelines and Downtown Lighting Guidelines in 2011;

AND WHEREAS, the City of Calgary also undertook an extensive program of re-lamping streetlights, thereby reducing light pollution and operating costs;

AND WHEREAS, light pollution knows no boundaries, with its effects persisting up to 200km from its source;

AND WHEREAS, located just outside the City of Calgary boundary is the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory, home of one of the three largest telescopes in Canada;

AND WHEREAS, The MD of Foothills, in 2009, adopted their own Dark Sky Bylaw to help preserve the night sky and reduce inefficient lighting and light loss;

AND WHEREAS, the Illuminating Engineering Society released their outdoor lighting guidelines in 2011 to address the issue of light pollution;

AND WHEREAS, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Calgary Centre, has created their “Responsible Lighting” guidelines

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that administration be directed to develop policy and guidelines for lighting within the City of Calgary that will address issues of light pollution, light trespass and light egress, to return to Council through SPC on PUD no later than February, 2013.