Better to curse the P&Z than sit in the dark
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if they were really concerned about avian slaughter they’d be protesting in the hills and on the ocean
Next up: a ban on outdoor residential lighting — “if it saves just one robin, one bug …”
During earlier discussions of the new set of rules being written by town planning officials and an outside consultant, the issue that has driven the most comments so far from local business owners and residents is the proposed prohibition on landscape lighting. So far, the rewrite would "grandfather" in existing lighting displays after the passage of the new ordinances.
Numerous home-owners and businesses light up stately trees, attractive rock formations, water features or other landscaping elements on their properties at night, according to comments from residents and officials. Whether that practice should be curtailed or modified in future has prompted a number of comments submitted in writing to Town Hall.
Watch out for this subterfuge:
Planning & Zoning Commission Chairwoman Margarita Alban sent a memo to those who have submitted comments, telling them, "We do not intend to make people tear out their installations. As you may recall, legally nonconforming uses are protected by the law."
Continuing, she said, "There is significant impetus behind the dark skies initiative and energy conservation from state and local groups."
Ignoring, for now, that Albin uses the racist, now-banned term “grandfathered”, proving that she’s tone-deaf (also banned), a nonconforming use may not be expanded, nor replaced, so look for an entirely new permitting process soon for those who wish to redesign their current landscaping, and as for new houses, it’s the black hole for you.
The dark-sky initiative is also gaining support from environmentalists.
"I am concerned about migratory bird and insect impact so I am a total fan of these efforts (to diminish nighttime lighting), despite the fact that I love the look of landscape lighting," commented Elizabeth Dempsey. a member of the Greenwich Sustainability Committee, which advises town leaders on environmental issues.
In addition to killing birds, did you know that nighttime lighting is also racist? The Dark Skies Movement says it is, and if they say it, I believe it, and that settles it.
The following statement was approved by the IDA Board of Directors on June 11, 2020.
Black lives matter.
The brutal killing of George Floyd, the racist reaction to black birder, Christian Cooper in Central Park, the recent deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and an uncountable number of harmful and deadly acts of violence against Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) has led IDA to reflect and ask, what does equity look like in the dark sky movement? And why does it matter?
It matters because responsible lighting and access to the night and its star-filled sky is a human right. Around the world, light pollution is destroying ancient traditions and knowledge systems. Overlighting in areas where communities of color are concentrated poses a significant threat. To achieve global success in the work to protect the night, underrepresented voices must be elevated in the solutions to mitigate light pollution, and in the reclamation of cultural connections to the night. The dark sky movement must be safe, relevant, and inclusive of all people of color. We acknowledge that we have fallen short.
