“A key take-away from that event for county and city officials was the need to update lighting ordinances,” said Ryan.
For District 3 Coconino County Supervisor Matt Ryan, there were significant times in the past couple of decades that prompted additional vigilance and action in protecting dark skies. Often it was working together with local partners and astronomers.
Around the year 2000, the Arizona Department of Transportation was speaking to Flagstaff leaders about what they were doing with the intersection of Interstate 17 and Interstate 40. “They blew out our skies with lighting. It wasn’t necessary,” he said. This led to studies conducted by ADOT in a few corridors in the state.
More recently, Ryan recalls an astronomer’s conference hosted locally where astronomers drew regional leaders’ attention to bright city lights and shifts in technology that made twinkling stars disappear.
“It was one of those key moments when Coconino County and the City of Flagstaff through the Flagstaff Metropolitan Planning Organization (FMPO) jumped in together saying, ‘We need to protect our dark skies!’” he said.
As a result, a working group was put together including local astronomers to take a look at streetlights and discuss how LED lighting and shifts in technology were washing out the dark skies. “A key take-away from that event for county and city officials was the need to update lighting ordinances,” said Ryan.
Flagstaff’s dark skies demanded attention again when development pressures increased in the county west of Flagstaff and toward Belmont, and discussions centered around the county’s acquisition of Rogers Lake. “There was concern that light was trespassing more and more as growth was occurring in the area,” he said. “It became obvious we needed to look at the mission of the Naval Observatory and Camp Navajo as we considered acquiring land in the area.”
Responding to concerns, the U.S. Department of Defense granted Coconino County funding for a Joint Land Use Study (JLUS), to help local jurisdictions and agencies and the DOD facilities at the U.S. Naval Observatory and Camp Navajo plan for compatible development. A critical recommendation arising from this study was to more effectively monitor the replacement of legacy lighting in the region, to ensure upgraded lighting was brought into compliance with dark sky standards.
“We were able to get a shared ‘Dark Sky Specialist’ position into the city and county budgets. That person has been able to work with corporate entities to move their lighting into compliance with our ordinances,” said Ryan.
Through the years, with vigilance and awareness, Coconino County has been a key dark skies champion, working with other government entities, businesses and organizations to keep skies dark. “Our community has always been very sensitive about setting dark skies as a priority. We see this interest building. And with each of our regional and comprehensive plans, the dark skies value is built in.”
Ryan says champions continue to show up. “Our staff has worked with home supply stores in identifying dark-skies friendly lighting; Coconino Community College is taking a look at what they can do; and neighboring communities like Williams and Sedona are recognizing their own dark skies.”
Through meetings, discussions and presentations from astronomers, dark skies champions have been connecting, like bright stars in a constellation, to form a bigger picture of protection.
For Coconino County’s legacy of dark skies support and track record of working with others to make a broader impact, the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition applauds Coconino County as November’s Dark Skies Champion. FBN