Carpinteria City Council declares International Dark Sky Week

By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

In a move to urge Carpinterians to learn about night-sky friendly lighting, reduce light pollution, and “look up and experience the wonder of the star-filled night,” the Carpinteria City Council has proclaimed the week of April 15-22 as International Dark Sky Week.

The council issued the proclamation at its March 27 meeting.

In response to the proclamation and public comment, Mayor Al Clark requested that staff look into initiation of a night-sky ordinance.

A staff memo about the ordinance appeared on the council’s April 10 agenda.

The memo provides background information and analysis on current city night-sky policies, regulations and procedures.

“We conclude that while there remains a place for updated lighting policies and regulations, the city’s current policies, regulations, guidelines and practices are adequate to ensure night-sky friendly lighting is implemented through development permitting processes,” staff said.

Staff defines night-sky friendly lighting as being fully shielded, of low intensity, low glare design, minimum height and hooded to direct light downward, thereby preventing spillover onto adjacent parcels or sensitive areas.

The process underway to comprehensively update the city’s General Plan/Local Coastal Plan and Zoning Code represents an opportunity to re-evaluate night-sky- friendly lighting policies and regulations.

The city’s General Plan/Coastal Land Use Plan puts forth various policies to address night sky light pollution. There are general citywide lighting policies, but also specific policies relating to neighborhood subareas, commercial areas and environmentally sensitive habitats. There are also regulations in the city’s Municipal Code and Creeks Preservation Program concerning lighting that apply only to particular zone districts, types of development and/or geographical areas.

The Community Development Department implements these policies and regulations through the review process for planning and building permits.

Applicants are advised early in the process to select night-sky friendly fixtures,

TRAFFIC, CRIME AND FIRE BLOTTER

Head-on collision on State Route 1

A head-on collision took place Thursday morning on State Route 1, one mile west of the Highway 101 interchange. Santa Barbara County firefighters responded at 5:41 a.m. to the scene where three cars collided.

There were two injured patients. One was in critical condition and was flown to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital via Calstar, said Capt. Scott Safechuck, public information officer for County Fire.

State Route 1 was down to one lane on Las Cruces Grade with units on scene.

— Katherine Zehnder