Last week’s city council meeting and public hearing were prime examples of the power of a community (I can’t stress this word enough) actively getting together on an issue.
Council chambers were about as packed as I’ve ever seen them during my time at the Chronicle. The crowd was there to provide input on the proposed lighting ordinance that I imagine many of our readers are intimately aware of now. I saw posters, heard some constructive dialogue and some pretty heated exchanges. But, for the most part, conversation stayed on rails and ended in a positive result. As someone who tends to lean sympathetic when it comes to dark sky policies, I highly appreciated the perspectives on the issue from both schools of thought.
I think what was most refreshing was the fact that the stances of many people, no matter their opinion on dark skies, tended to vibe after shedding away the emotional, personal and political investments. Dark sky policies tend to be a hot button issue in small towns, and for obvious reasons.

But it was energizing to see the majority of residents, on both sides of the fence, come together at the end and say, “you know what, I think we can all get on board with this.”
We didn’t reach that conclusion with no small amount of fuss, but reason and “bipartisan” consensus prevailed. Small victories like that are what we need to get this country back on track.
Also, kudos to councilmembers for genuinely attempting to bridge the gap while your feet were held over the fire.
To everyone who was active throughout the whole process — don’t stop there. Your input can be just as influential on any other future Page-related issues you set your sights on.