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WORKING TOGETHER: Lighting Compliance
Light pollution is recognized as an issue in the Morongo Basin. Twentynine Palms, Yucca Valley, and the County of San Bernardino each have ordinances that seek to support community standards on appropriate outdoor lighting. The MBCA Best Lighting Committee is currently reviewing these ordinances for effectiveness. However, they do all contain tools to assist you when confronted with a lighting problem in your area.
When there’s a problem
Review the outdoor lighting ordinance for your area and familiarize yourself with the requirements. If there is a problem lighting situation in your neighborhood, prepare yourself with information on the ordinance, good lighting principles, and resources, and talk to the responsible party yourself—they may not even realize they’re causing a problem!* Offer to help them remedy the situation. If they are not interested in correcting the problem you may have to lodge a complaint with Code Enforcement (see below).
If you can’t get effective action from Code Enforcement, it’s time to talk to your elected representative. Be a squeaky wheel: Light pollution has not been a high enforcement priority, and our officials need to hear that residents care about this issue and want results!
Most importantly, find out how you can participate with MBCA’s Best Lighting Committee-working together to keep the stars in the Morongo Basin night sky!
Local Lighting Ordinances
Yucca Valley, Twentynine Palms, and the County of San Bernardino each have an outdoor lighting ordinance. For more information, to find copies of an ordinance, or to file a complaint contact your local Code Enforcement. Be persistent in insisting that ordinance and enforcement information be readily available to the public!
To view your local ordinance and find out more about enforcement and resources in your area:
*See “How to talk to your neighbor who has a bad light” – an excellent aid from the International Dark Sky Association!
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