Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution commits the City of Madison to principles of responsible outdoor lighting and to apply for designation as an International Dark Sky Community through the International Dark-Sky Association. The resolution does not change any enforcement actions related to outdoor lighting. The application cost for the designation is $250 and the annual membership is $35. These costs will be absorbed within the Common Council’s 2022 operating budget. No appropriation is required.
Title
City of Madison Commits to the Five Principles of Responsible Outdoor Lighting
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WHEREAS, light pollution is defined by the International Dark-Sky Association as any adverse impact or effect attributable to the use of artificial light at night, including but not limited to skyglow, spill light, and impaired nighttime visibility; and,
WHEREAS, light pollution can negatively influence natural ecosystems, human health, and energy sustainability; and,
WHEREAS, light pollution can disrupt migration patterns in birds and other animals; and,
WHEREAS, Madison lies along the Mississippi Flyway migratory bird path; and,
WHEREAS, light pollution can disrupt the circadian rhythm in humans and animals that regulates the wake-sleep cycle; and,
WHEREAS, light pollution obscures our ability to observe the night sky and its constellations; and,
WHEREAS, outdoor lighting should be designed to minimize its impact on the environment; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Madison is committed to fostering environmental, economic, and social resilience and created the Madison Sustainability Plan in 2011; and,
WHEREAS, the Madison Sustainability Plan includes a focus on natural systems with a commitment that "Madison will create a state of balance between the natural and built environments wherein human, plant and animal communities live in harmony"; and,
WHEREAS, in 2004, the City’s exterior lighting ordinance, which regulates residential and commercial lighting, ...
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