Doylestown Supervisors Ask Planner To Draft Dark Sky Ordinance

DOYLESTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — The board of supervisors this week asked its planner to draw up a dark sky ordinance that would add a layer of protection for migratory birds and insect life.

The supervisors took action after hearing a presentation from Environmental Advisory Council member Erich Neal on the benefits of going dark at night by regulating artificial light pollution.

“The artificial light around us is harmful to us. And it is probably the only pollution form that we have control over,” he told the supervisors. “We can’t do anything about water pollution. We can’t do anything about air pollution. This is something we can do and this is something local,” he said.

Neal told the supervisors that the main harm resulting from artificial light pollution is to insect and bird life.

“We may think, ‘Well, they are just insects. What harm is happening?’ said Neal.

"What’s happening is that these insects are flying around these lights year after year, night after night and when they are flying around these lights the are not gathering food, they are not propagating, they are not building nests," said Neal.

"And insect life has been dropping around the world and most particularly where humans are and most particularly in places that are well lit. They are attracted to the light and it doesn’t matter if it’s dim or bright they are attracted to the light and they will use that light to fly around and exhaust themselves. "

There's also the impact to the migrating birds themselves, which is much better known in the sense of the birds getting lost, getting disoriented and becoming more visibility to their predators, said Neal. "This is what’s happening because we’re killing the insects and the birds.”

Neal asked the township to look at its ordinances and consider changes. “The ordinances right now encourage lighting in the township. We need to discourage lighting,” he said.

Supervisor Barbara Lyons said her only concern would be the potential cost to township homeowners and developers.

“We have to be cognizant of folks having to spend money to comply. But I think it’s something we should do.”

Supervisor Dan Wood raised the issue of security lighting and what ideas or solutions are out there to address the issue.

Neal responded to Wood’s concerns by saying that crimes occur where there is light. “They don’t occur where it’s dark,” he said. “Lighting a street doesn’t prevent crime. There are studies out there that show the lighting or non-lighting of a street makes practically no difference in the crime rate.”

Where lighting is needed for safety purposes, Neal said that can be set up with motion sensors, which he noted are better at preventing crime because the criminal is alerted that someone is watching."

Officials at the meeting, including Neal, noted that this week's presentation is just a starting point in the discussion and that the topic will be examined thoroughly by the township's various commissions before coming back to the supervisors for consideration.