Dear Action Line: Recently, we were gifted with the return of a once-every-80,000-years comet. From the college mesa, as I scanned the horizon, my eyes were constantly assaulted by some very bright lights from our beloved city. I finally figured out they were coming from the high school football field. Does Durango have a dark sky policy? Are these field lights complying? After locating and observing the comet I drove to the school, and the lights look to be aimed down. So, can you explain why I saw the light? – B. Medown Scotty
Dear Medown: Action Line missed it and is now patiently awaiting Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS’s return in … let’s see … that’ll be the year 82024. October, right? Action Line is scrolling, but can’t find that year on the phone calendar to leave a reminder. Let’s see … 2533 … 2534. Seriously, try it, our phone calendars really do go that far!
There. Action Line just left a reminder to “vent plasma” on Aug. 12, 2533 at 5 p.m. Wonder what Future Action Line will make of that?!
So, about the lights: Back around 2005, the city of Durango adopted a dark sky ordinance that regulates outdoor lighting. The components of this, listed in the city’s Land Use and Development Code (Division 4-3-2, Sections 1-8), include lots of nitty-gritty details from which Action Line will spare you.
Sky gazers, and anyone who wishes for a more primordial or at least pre-industrial-era sky, are appreciative of the code stipulations.
In a nutshell, the city’s lighting codes discuss luminaires, mounting heights, lamp lumens, lighting zones and other highly technical stuff. It discusses impacts such as “disturbing the biological cycles of flora and fauna and/or detracting from human enjoyment and appreciation of the natural environment.” That’s for Lighting Zone 0, where “No Ambient Lighting” is allowed. LZ4 (High Ambient Lighting) is the zone where you’d find a stadium, and a “specialty lighting permit” is required there.
“Those lights are obviously not totally shielded from shining up a bit,” said Charlie Hakes, senior lecturer of physics and engineering at Fort Lewis College and a Herald astronomy columnist. “That is actually quite a challenge for any stadium, but I have seen pictures of how it could be done. We regularly have problems with the rooftop observatory (at Sitter Family Hall on campus) and the lights from the softball fields. I don’t mind as much when there is actually a game going on, but it looks to me like those lights are often on when there are no games.”
As far as a grandfather clause, Hakes asked: “If you were dumping toxic waste into the Animas, would that be grandfathered?”
Action Line pointed out that nobody dies from light pollution, and Hakes responded that although no humans will die, “Just don’t ask the migratory birds about light pollution. Or those unimportant insects like bees.”
City of Durango spokesman Tom Sluis confirmed that the stadium lights were installed before the dark sky ordinance, “back in the days where brash Durango wanted neighboring states to know when the Demons were playing. Because, football. Foot-ball! Brighter is better!! Today’s Durango is a bit different. It’s more demure, more mindful.”
Therefore, Sluis said, the new lights at the city-run Chapman Hill Ski Area will be dark sky compliant.
“We thought about putting in non-dark sky compliant lights at Chapman that would pretty much burn your eyeballs out if you looked at them, along with searchlights pointed at the night sky, lasers, fog machines and nightly bonfires, maybe some primal screaming on loudspeakers, but then the secret would be out.”
Good point. And neighbors love primal screaming, but there’s also that pesky noise ordinance.
Wait, we interrupt this column with a special news bulletin: There’s an agenda item about “dark sky standards” on the City’s Council’s meeting Tuesday. The gist is that the city government wants to help certify Durango as an “International Dark Sky Community,” and has prepared an update of lighting regulations. One goal is to make it “easier for staff and the community to understand, measure and enforce the standards.” Here's the meeting agenda; check out pages 206-245: http://bit.ly/3YNZEBn.
Now back to the column.
Upon further pondering, here’s a final thought: Maybe the comet hasn’t disappeared to us forever. Maybe someday, maybe long before 82024, we’ll just be able to go space truckin’ up to the Oort Cloud any time we want and cruise alongside the comet for an up-close view.
Email questions and suggestions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. FYI: If you do decide to scroll forward to 2533 or beyond, you will learn that it’s a pain to scroll all the way back. So either you want to find a way to avoid scrolling, or maybe just take Action Line’s word for this.
