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Pitkin County commissioners consider land use code change for lighting

Group looks to get county a dark sky designation

A photo taken atop Aspen Mountain showing light pollution.
Anne Driggers/Courtesy photo

Pitkin County commissioners are considering an ordinance to amend the 2006 Pitkin County land use code in regard to preserving its night sky and rural character.

“I think we’ve all started to notice that our skies are getting a little bit brighter, which typically have been quite dark in the past,” said Martha Ferguson, a Snowmass Capitol Creek Caucus Board member. She spearheaded the WildSky Old Snowmass subcommittee of the caucus to proceed with addressing light pollution in her caucus area.

“A lot of people moving in, a lot of people liking their nighttime lighting and maybe not understanding that a lot of times they’re creating light pollution, which is not so good for many reasons,” Ferguson added.



She said dark sky regulations go hand in hand with protecting wildlife, the environment, and everything that relies on dark and light cycles on the planet.

In Colorado, there are 12 certified national parks and monuments by Dark Sky International, and there are six certified communities. The most recent was Paonia, which just got its certification a month ago. She said Pitkin County could be the next.




Upcoming and existing dark sky locations in Colorado. A colored-coded legend was not available.
Pitkin County/Courtesy image

“Unshielded light can cause both astronomical and ecological light pollution,” a presentation from Ferguson stated during a Wednesday BOCC meeting. “Tall, lighted structures are collision hazards for planes. Sky glow from cities disrupt distant ecosystems. And shielded lights reduce astronomical light pollution but may still cause ecological light pollution.”

The amendments will require nighttime lighting reductions from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., with exemptions including photocells with timers and motion sensors.

In certain zones, driveway lighting is required to be on a motion sensor. Since motion sensors with timers set to five minutes or less are exempt from the curfew, driveway lighting is exempt from curfew.

Prohibited lighting includes lighting intended to illuminate a building facade or landscape; lighting that illuminates the river; lighting that may be confused with warning, emergency, or traffic signals; lighting of construction sites; colored lights; blinking, flashing, and changing intensity lights.

For seasonal lighting, residential will be allowed from Nov. 15 to Jan. 30, and nonresidential will be allowed from Nov. 15 to March 1.

Light pollution readings in Old Snowmass.
Pitkin County/Courtesy image

The amendment acknowledges some exterior lighting is necessary for the safety and enjoyment of people at night. Working with lighting designers at Clanton Associates, a framework was developed to give flexibility within limits. This framework includes light trespass limitations, fixture requirements, lighting controls, and a total lumen limit per structure, meeting documents stated.

The amendment also has specific lighting standards for lighting historically designated properties, Pitkin County Open Space and Trails properties, the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, and the SKI-RECREATION Zone District.

The application was referred to several area caucuses, the cities of Aspen, Snowmass, Basalt; and Carbondale, Eagle, and Garfield counties; Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Dark Sky International, U.S. Green Building Council, American Institute of Architects, WildSky Old Snowmass, Aspen Skiing Company, Open Space and Trails, the Historic Preservation officer, the county engineer, the interim county attorney, local lighting designers, and local landscape architects.

Comments were received from the Castle Creek Caucus, the Upper Snowmass Caucus, DarkSky International, WildSky Old Snowmass, Enlighten Design Studio, BlueGreen Landscape Architecture, Aspen Skiing Company, Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, Open Space and Trails, and private citizens.

The current Lighting Code was adopted in 1999. The technology is outdated, and the language ambiguous and subjective, according to meeting documents. It also no longer fits the community’s needs, as evidenced by the volume of lighting complaints received and the difficulty resolving them.

Blinding light can kill birds, bees, moths, and other wildlife.
Pitkin County/Courtesy image

The amendment was heard by the Pitkin County Planning Commission, and the BOCC reviewed the Planning Commission’s recommendations during the first reading. The BOCC passed the amendment on first reading 5-0.

In the meantime, Commissioner Greg Poschman said that there is a “PR issue,” and that a PR effort needs to be made with citizens in the community who live in brightly-lit homes.

“Whether the light source is on a sconce on the outside wall or inside a window, it’s still going outside the house and affecting other people’s property and quality of life, as well as the environment, the birds, the insects — all of these things,” he said. “So, I think we have a solid argument here, but I think it’s going to be real public outreach for people to get on board.”

A public hearing and second reading will take place on Jan. 22, 2025.