DEPARTMENT: Office of Sustainability
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Douglas Melnick
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Briefing on SA Tomorrow Sustainability Plan’s Dark Sky Strategy
SUMMARY:
The Office of Sustainability Department will provide a briefing on the implementation of the Dark Sky strategy in the SA Tomorrow Sustainability Plan.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The SA Tomorrow Sustainability Plan is one of the City of San Antonio's SA Tomorrow three growth-related plans adopted by City Council August 11, 2016. The Sustainability Plan addresses how the City’s expected population growth will be balanced with our social, economic, and environmental resources. The Sustainability Plan articulates the City’s Sustainability strategy and serves as a roadmap to make our community and municipal operations more sustainable. <http://www.sasustainabilityplan.com>.
A strategy related to the Dark Sky Ordinance, as stated in the Sustainability Plan is as follows:
GB10 Strategy: Working with a broad stakeholder group, study and consider whether to update San Antonio’s Dark Sky Ordinance.
GB10 Description: The current ordinance only applies to areas around military bases. An update to this ordinance, if deemed necessary through a broad stakeholder process, could expand the reach and leverage newer technology to promote energy savings in addition to the other environmental and health benefits associated with dark skies.
The current ordinance adopted December 11, 2008, added Section 35-339.04 “Military Lighting Overlay Districts” to Article III, Division 4 “Overlay Districts” and added Section 35-498 “Violations of Military Light Overlay District Regulations” to Article IV, Division 11 “Enforcement, Violations, and Penalties” The purpose of the ordinance was to establish regulations for outdoor lighting impacting military operations within 5 miles of the perimeter of Camp Bullis/Camp Stanley, Randolph Air Force Base, and Lackland Air Force Base.
Scientific studies have shown that light pollution, the inappropriate or excessive use of artificial light, negatively impacts the environment, human health, military operations, and is wasteful of energy and financial resources.
Components of light pollution include:
•Glare - excessive brightness that causes visual discomfort
•Skyglow - brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas
•Light trespass - light falling where it is not intended or needed
•Clutter - bright, confusing and excessive groupings of light sources
ISSUE:
The Office of Sustainability will provide a briefing on the implementation steps, including working with stakeholders, to evaluate the San Antonio’s Dark Sky Ordinance.
ALTERNATIVES:
This is a briefing for informational purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this briefing.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is a briefing for informational purposes only.