Page, do you want to be in the dark or light?
On Wednesday, Aug. 30, at 5:30 p.m., Page City Council will be holding a public hearing and it is important that your voice is heard. This will be the last chance for you to voice your comments and concerns regarding the proposed Dark Sky Ordinance prior to council voting on this at the council meeting right after the public hearing.
Public Safety should be a concern for all residents of Page.  

The proposed Dark Sky lighting code places limitations on the number of lights allowed and when they can be turned on at public, commercial and residential buildings. The changes call for lights to be off by 10 p.m., which will create dark zones that can hide hazards, creating trip and fall accidents as well as allow for unlawful behavior to occur in the cover of darkness. We need to work together to develop a code that keeps our residents and visitors safe while preserving Pages unique environment. The code also will make our streets darker, which will decrease visibility for those walking or riding bikes, especially the tourists that move up and down Lake Powell Boulevard at night. The safety concerns are real and we know that Page already has vandalism issues at Golliard Park, Coconino Community College and within our neighborhoods, and making Page darker will not help with crime, vandalism or public safety.

Budget
The plan calls for all existing light fixtures to be replaced or modified to meet the new code within seven years and the city of Page has not addressed the cost concerns. It is estimated that it will be more than $2 million to make all the street lights compliant. There appears to be much better uses for $2 million that will add to the quality of life for the residents of Page such as street improvements, water park/recreation facility or improved infrastructure.
The current lighting ordinance already takes the adequate precautions to protect the dark sky, light must be shielded and pointing down. The solution to the lighting code is simple. Add LED to the current code. At night, Page is a soft orange glow unless the ball field lights are on. If the ball field lights are on, that means we are getting together as a community.
I encourage everyone to come to the public hearing Wednesday, Aug. 30, at 5:30 to voice your comments or concerns and to also hear how this code change will impact your home, business and community. If you cannot attend the meeting, please forward your thoughts and concerns to the City Clerk cityclerk@cityofpage.org to be forwarded to council.