Save the Night | Be the Solution, Stop Light Pollution
Save the Night | Be the Solution, Stop Light Pollution
At the 2023 Annual Town Meeting on May 8, 2023, a new outdoor lighting bylaw was adopted to replace the existing one. It will become effective January 1, 2024.
This Bylaw was adopted at a Town Meeting in 2005 to eliminate glare that can annoy neighbors and create safety problems, minimize light trespass, reduce the energy and financial costs of outdoor lighting, preserve the rural nature of the island, enhance nighttime enjoyment of property and protect property values, and enhance the enjoyment of the night sky.
Its key provisions are summarized below. Violations are subject to a penalty of $100 each day a violation continues.
Enforcement is largely complaint-based. If you suspect a violation, it can be reported to Nantucket's Lighting Enforcement Officer.
However, please try to talk to the owner/manager of the property first to see if they are willing to make changes without involving him -- they may not even be aware of the bylaw!
Nantucket's Lighting Enforcement Officer:
Marcus Silverstein
508-325-7587, Ext. 7021
The following are prohibited for residential exterior lighting (with certain limited exceptions) if the lighting output is more than 600 lumens (about 40 watts incandescent and 7 watts LED).
Note: The restriction on using lighting for recreational purposes after 10:00 pm (Section 102-4F) has been construed by the Town to not apply to residential pools.
See the bylaw itself (click here) for more detail, including additional restrictions, and contact the Lighting Enforcement Officer with any questions
The following restrictions apply to exterior lighting on commercial properties where the lighting output is more than 600 lumens (about 40 watts incandescent and 7 watts LED).
Some exemptions apply: See Chapter 102
The following restrictions apply to exterior lighting on properties owned by the Town, where the lighting output is more than 600 lumens (about 40 watts incandescent and 7 watts LED). Exemptions apply where a deviation is shown to provide "demonstrable community and/or health, safety, and welfare benefits."
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