The county of Los Angeles, the largest county in the USA, has an existing light pollution control ordinance which created the “Rural Outdoor Lighting District” Ordinance (ROLD). The ordinance is based on recommendations by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA).  Unfortunately, it has been neither updated nor actively enforced since 2012. The purpose of this petition is to promote dark skies and energy conservation by petitioning the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to enforce, update, and enhance the ROLD.

Enforcement:

1.    Allocate sufficient resources to ensure both proactive and timely reactive enforcement of the existing ROLD ordinance.

2.    Annual Reminder of the ROLD Ordinance via mailers contained in property tax bills to property-owners covered by the ROLD.

Update and Enhance the ROLD ordinance:

1.    Update ROLD to reflect current IDA technical standards that account for new lighting technologies.

2.    Establishment of a “buffer zone” of a 20-miles from ROLD boundaries to prevent light pollution “spillover” from areas not covered by the ROLD.

3.    Substitution of energy conserving motion detector lighting for all existing non-essential nighttime residential lighting.  Such lighting should be turned off at 10:00 PM unless controlled by motion-sensors with a 10-minute shutoff for both ROLD and non-ROLD areas.

4.    Substitution of IDA approved lighting fixtures for non-conforming outdoor lighting in all areas of Los Angeles County as they are replaced or upgraded.