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Help preserve Irvington’s starry nights as well as the nighttime environment that is so important to our quality of life, the villages historic charm and its wildlife. It is important to raise awareness about light pollution and advocating for environmentally responsible outdoor lighting.
In recent years, cities, towns and small communities across the world have taken part in a radical revolution of our lightbulbs. Traditional orange- tinged high pressure sodium bulbs are being swapped for more energy-efficient, whiter and brighter LED (light-emitting diode) lights. But the rise of LED’s is also illuminating new problems for our night sky, as well as our health.
Satellite data shows that our night skies are 25% brighter than they were just ten years ago. The culprit is light pollution- a catchall term for the negative effects of poorly designed or excessive artificial light at night. And it’s not just our view of the stars that’s at stake. Light pollution is:
a serious quality of life issue for many, interfering with their sleep and enjoyment of their own property
eroding the village's historic character
harmful to birds, pollinating insects, plants, fish, turtles, geese and other wildlife
a waste of energy
potentially harmful to human health
Common types of LED lights contain higher proportions of bluer wavelengths which can affect people’s nighttime patterns. They disrupt our circadian rhythms, lower the performance of our immune systems and increase the occurrence of certain diseases, including cancer.
Glare from unshielded lighting is a public health hazard, especially the older you become. Glare light scattering in the eye causes loss of contrast, sometimes blinds you temporarily and leads to unsafe driving conditions. Glare also prevents us from seeing what is lurking in the shadows therefore compromising our safety and security as well.
Light pollution can get better with LEDs but there has to be a lot of attention paid to the design. Residents need to be educated on solutions from buying a certain type of LED light to making changes that block the glare for the village and individual homes.
"Dark Skies does not mean dark ground."
Learn more about DarkSky.org
Village Code
Village Code
1) Residential outdoor lighting (Zoning Code)
1) Residential outdoor lighting (Zoning Code)
Village Code § 224-35 (Outdoor lighting) covers lights illuminating the grounds/exterior of a residence (including pools, tennis/paddleball courts, etc.). Key rules:
Lighting must be arranged and shaded to reflect light away from adjoining premises and minimize glare.
Recreational-facility lights (e.g., courts) may not be operated between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
2) “Light trespass and glare” as a nuisance (General Code)
2) “Light trespass and glare” as a nuisance (General Code)
Village Code § 148-16 (Light trespass and glare) makes it a nuisance/violation if your outdoor lighting creates:
Light trespass above measurable thresholds at/over property lines:
0.1 footcandle at or beyond a property line abutting a residential parcel or right-of-way (with a narrow driveway/walkway safety exception)
0.3 footcandle at or beyond a property line abutting a nonresidential property (also with the driveway/walkway safety exception)
Glare: light visible from neighboring property/roadway at enough intensity to cause discomfort, annoyance, or impaired visibility.
If the Village finds nuisance lighting, it can require re-aiming, re-lamping (lower output), shielding/retrofitting, relocating, or replacing fixtures to eliminate glare/trespass.
Penalties can run $50/day after the correction period set by the Code Enforcement Officer.
3) When site plan / development standards apply (often broader “dark-sky” specs)
3) When site plan / development standards apply (often broader “dark-sky” specs)
For projects that go through Planning Board/site plan approval, Irvington’s standards include:
Dark-sky compliant, full cutoff fixtures, with shields as needed to reduce trespass/glare
Designed to the minimum needed for safety and generally not exceeding 5 footcandles
Property-line limits consistent with the nuisance thresholds (0.1 fc residential/right-of-way; 0.3 fc nonresidential)
Certain exceptions (e.g., low-voltage landscape lighting aimed away; vacancy sensors that shut off within ~15 minutes).
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