What is a Dark Sky Ordinance?
Dark Sky Ordinances are enacted to protect a community’s night skies from light pollution or urban glow which interferes with being able to see, at night, the starry beauty of deep, dark night skies. Dark Sky Ordinances typically provide that outdoor lights, at night, should shine downward. Other typical provisions: • Lights should be turned off when not necessary. • Safety and security lighting to be provided with lights low to the ground as possible. • Grandfathering-in and phase-in times for non-conforming lighting. • Exceptions for police/fire emergency lighting, holiday lighting. Carefree, Flagstaff, and Tucson have Dark Sky Ordinances. Yavapai County, Wickenburg’s immediate neighbor to the north, also has a Dark Sky Ordinance.
