Light Pollution

IMO, after listening to the many arguments for and against light ordinances, it will be difficult at best to come up with one which works.

Phooey. Lots of communities have done it. Sanibel has two lighting ordinances, one for turtles and one for the type of situation Skunky is describing. Check this out:

http://www.darkskysociety.org/

The problem is not crafting workable ordinances. Walton County always acts as if they are reinventing the wheel. The problem is the political will and the "anything goes" mentality. What, my lights are keeping you awake at night? Well, gee, too bad. It's my property and my lights and I can do whatever I want.

There should not be that many fireworks at the meeting. It should just be passed, because if it isn't, there is gonna be a problem with the take permit.
But SJ is right, it might be a long meeting. This has been dragging on for ten years already.
I love grilled cheese sandwiches! With hot chocolate, yummy. My daddy used to make that for me.

Oh, and another thing, since the menu got me to thinking about my daddy. Why should we need an educational campaign to teach people to be considerate of others? Isn't that something we were supposed to learn growing up??
(And by others, I don't mean only our nect door neighbors. I mean other life forms as well.)

You would definitely make money, especially if you had hot chocolate with marshmallows. However, it probably would require a vending permit if it was allowed at all. ;-)

I say be daring and sell beer. Or better yet, margaritas.

I say be daring and sell beer. Or better yet, margaritas.

We can get the commisioners dargarita'd-up and we can get anything we want passed!

Why do they need light meters? Why not specify bulb lumens/wattage and be done with it. It's going to take a lot of 30 watt bulbs to create the Encounters of a 3rd kind experience skunky's got going.

Turn the exterior lights off on all the Tom Thumbs, and light pollution on 30A shoud be reduced by 50%.

Why do they need light meters? Why not specify bulb lumens/wattage and be done with it. It's going to take a lot of 30 watt bulbs to create the Encounters of a 3rd kind experience skunky's got going.

because some don't share your reasoning. bigger is better mister, in so many ways. and the average decorative lawn spotlight is 60W.

Oh, and another thing, since the menu got me to thinking about my daddy. Why should we need an educational campaign to teach people to be considerate of others? Isn't that something we were supposed to learn growing up??
(And by others, I don't mean only our nect door neighbors. I mean other life forms as well.)

Why do we need education and awareness campaigns? Because people stopped teaching LIFE BASICS 101 long ago. Most people think trash is something that garbage people are paid to pick up. Most parents are too busy working, to teach their kids how to live outside of the business world.

Turn the exterior lights off on all the Tom Thumbs, and light pollution on 30A shoud be reduced by 50%.

So true. Ever been out on a boat in the Gulf at night? Even from two miles out, the best way to know where Seagrove is located, is to look for the lights at Tom Thumb. All other light pales in comparison.

One of the objections to requiring max wattage bulbs was liability. If a property owner which invites guests in, isn't providing a "safe" environment, and someone is injured or damaged, big lawsuits will be won, and the County will likely be included in all lawsuits which limited the lighting, if the damage was due to the limits of lighting, by the County.

does it look like the other side of this?

big lit up birthday cake.

big lit up birthday cake.

Omg...is that the view from your dock????? Total Disneyland.

Omg...is that the view from your dock????? Total Disneyland.

Is it? When I got home from work last night I discovered more lights had been put up on the street uplighting trees

Hey, I recognize that house. Skunky, you can always stealth up on that property from the water, unscrew the lightbulbs, and stealth back home.

For what it's worth, I don't think a chat with the owner will make any progress. However, some photos of the lights would be great evidence to present to the BCC with your rant, on Tuesday. Meeting starts at 4pm - South Walton Court House annex.

Miss Kitty, you recognized the view. The lights are a recent addition. I do intend to talk to the homeowner, because it's appropriate to tell someone that they are unintentionally producing light polllution which is causing problems for neighbors. Skunkape, if that fails, we can mount a counter attack from across the water. And Smiling Joe, maybe your camera could produce a much more
compelling image of the offfending property than my pocket camera.

tripod, baby. Tripod. My fancy camera broke last year, so I solely use my pocket cam.

Miss Kitty, you recognized the view. The lights are a recent addition. I do intend to talk to the homeowner, because it's appropriate to tell someone that they are unintentionally producing light polllution which is causing problems for neighbors. Skunkape, if that fails, we can mount a counter attack from across the water. And Smiling Joe, maybe your camera could produce a much more
compelling image of the offfending property than my pocket camera.

Trying to talk can't hurt, but I am guessing there will be some 'bunker mentality' encountered as the glowing property has a freshly erected estate style gated entry. To open the electric gate one must negotiate the keypad which is both uplit and illuminated by its own LED

If you need gate entry, I can get bypass the code for you.

FYI, y'all - the Tuesday Dec 9th BCC meeting is in DEFUNIAK SPRINGS.

An ordinance for everything

While I am not in love with some of the landscape lighting in SoWal- Alys Beach comes to mind- how many rules do we need to be enforced by agents of the county? One persons light pollution is anothers property beautification. Where the light affects wildlife on the beach, that is a legit issue. Otherwise, it is a matter of taste. Or lack of. Maybe more gated communities that regulate EVERYTHING are the solution for those who can not tolerate, or negotiate with, their neighbors.

Skunky, talk to John R about renting a professional theatre style spot light. A couple of nights of that glaring through the windows ought to get the point across.

Gift wrap a timer

Merry Christmas from your neighbors! A nice landscape light timer preset to go off at 10:00 PM- Now it can be dark and quiet in Grayton.

Lighting Ordinance is still in the works for WalCo. Enforcement will be the biggest obstacle (IMO).

They already passed one lighting ordinance a year or so ago. Did that one get repealed?

I am talking about a private residence. It looks like they did some landscaping and couldn't be content enjoying the fruits of their labor during daylight hours. All night long, and maybe all day too for all I know, the lot is illuminated by ground lights aimed skyward It kills the night sky. Also, since the lights went on I no longer hear the owls that used to congregate in the woods along Western Lake-I am not sure of cause and effect, however.

How much of the sky above their property belongs to them? I thought that south Walton was slam full of developments controlled by HOAs that were put forth to tell others what they could and could not do on their own property. Maybe you can put together a massive HOA that actually controls what everyone south of Choctawhatchee Bay does with their privately owned property. Or you could move to a place that has regulations in place that control these sort of things. Owls eat small puppies also. So what is it that you have against puppies?

How much of the sky above their property belongs to them? I thought that south Walton was slam full of developments controlled by HOAs that were put forth to tell others what they could and could not do on their own property. Maybe you can put together a massive HOA that actually controls what everyone south of Choctawhatchee Bay does with their privately owned property. Or you could move to a place that has regulations in place that control these sort of things. Owls eat small puppies also. So what is it that you have against puppies?

:roll:
Owls also represent wise thought. Why do you feel so comfortable operating without them?

Maybe you can put together a massive HOA that actually controls what everyone south of Choctawhatchee Bay does with their privately owned property.

It's a total mystery to me how anyone can think that private property rights include the right to do completely as you please without regard for your neighbors. As far as I am concerned, your rights stop when your impacts leave your property and spill over onto mine. What you do that stays within the confines of your property lines is your business, but once it crosses the line, it is no longer just your business alone, as if the rest of the world didn't exist.

Actually, that massive HOA already exists. It's called the comprehensive plan and the land development code.