City of Groveland's Dark Sky Initiative

City of Groveland's Dark Sky Initiative

Award of Excellence

2023 APA Florida Project Awards - Implementation

About this project

In January 2020, the city began its Dark Sky Initiative with a goal of becoming the first IDA certified Dark Sky Community in Florida. Dark sky lighting helps to limit excessive lighting and light trespass, which results in light pollution. Light pollution causes negative effects on the environment, including disrupting animal migration patterns, habitat degradation, and rising CO2 emissions. While both humans and animals rely on the natural cycle of day and night, many modern LEDs have surpassed the brightest natural light in the sky, the moon, disrupting sleep cycles and obstructing the night sky.

In August 2022, after extensive research, planning, and community engagement, the City Council of Groveland adopted a robust Dark Sky Lighting ordinance. The ordinance requires all new developments to be IDA compliant, and all city-owned lighting to be compliant within five years. Residents have ten years to retrofit exterior lighting. Groveland has received conditional approval of its application to the IDA Places program to obtain the Community certification with final approval scheduled for June 1, 2023. The goal of the city’s Dark Sky Lighting Initiative is to become a complete dark sky community to reduce the effects of light pollution on wildlife, habitat, and neighboring communities and to connect residents to the night sky. The program also seeks to educate and encourage other local governments to join the effort by adopting similar policies for dark sky lighting. For example, the city is currently working to finalize a Joint Planning Agreement with Lake County to include new dark sky lighting requirements in their land development code.

The success of this program is measured by the following accomplishments: 1) Development of a comprehensive dark sky lighting ordinance following extensive research of two dozen municipal dark sky ordinances, 2) Review and approval of the city’s dark sky lighting ordinance by the IDA, 3) Unanimous adoption of the ordinance by City Council, 4) Community outreach programs and partnerships, including virtual workshops, tabling at farmers markets, Sky Quality Meter (SQM) training sessions, and working with local retailers to stock Dark Sky lights and fixtures, 5) Hosting an annual Star Party to spread awareness and to educate the public, 6) Completion of a city-wide inventory of existing lighting to be retrofitted over the next five years 7) Working with utility providers Duke Energy and SECO Energy to provide dark sky lighting to new development projects.

The city has received tremendous community support for this program. The Dark Sky Initiative is one of the most popular topics on the city’s social media pages. Residents express sincere interest in this effort due to its environmental stewardship focus. The city has hosted a series of community outreach programs and continues to educate residents about the Dark Sky mission.