A committee of citizens dedicated to preserving dark skies for Fountain Hills has asked the Town Council to consider an update to its Zoning Ordinance as it relates to commercial lighting regulations.

Staff has already drafted proposed changes to the lighting regulations and at its Oct. 15 meeting the council cleared the way for the suggestions move through the review process.

In a letter sent to the council in September, the Fountain Hills Dark Skies Committee states, “The current Zoning Ordinance was fine for the past and protected our dark skies. Now it needs an update to account for new technologies like popular LED lighting. Most LED lighting is very damaging to dark skies, yet options exist to purchase LED lighting that is acceptable.

“We should update the ordinance to include guidelines for the new technologies and by doing so, we can gain a Dark Skies label, which has additional benefit.”

The committee, chaired by resident Nancy Bill, said it would assist with community education and awareness after the ordinance is updated.

“It’s critical that people know that we’re not advocating no lighting or inadequate lighting, but rather smart lighting that ensures safety, yet does not pollute our skies,” Joe Bill told The Times.

According to the committee, Fountain Hills is in a good position to be the only community in Maricopa County to potentially achieve designation as a Dark Sky Community.

Sedona and Flagstaff are the only other Arizona cities with a Dark Sky designation.

In spite of being part of the brightly lit Phoenix metro area, Fountain Hills lies in a somewhat protected area that could allow it to achieve dark sky status.

The town is buffered by much of the Phoenix area lighting from the McDowell Mountains. It is also surrounded on other sides by vast areas of relatively undeveloped land including McDowell Mountain Regional Park, the Fort McDowell and Salt River Indian communities and Tonto National Forest.

In its report to the council the committee also notes that early community leaders had foresight to pursue conservative, common sense lighting ordinances.

Former town mayors Jerry Miles and Jay Schlum have stated their support for the dark sky initiative and both are members of the committee.

“We have become aware that thorough relatively minor amendments to the (Town Code) pertaining to outdoor lighting control, the Town of Fountain Hills may qualify as a Dark Sky community pursuant to the International Dark Sky Association,” Miles and Schlum stated in a letter to the council.

“Such a designation would provide one more step in our objective to make our community a desirable location for new residents and new businesses.”

The Fountain Hills Astronomy Club is also an enthusiastic supporter of the dark sky initiative. Ted Blank, a co-founder of the Astronomy Club, also wrote to the council.

“Our town is blessed with some of the darkest skies of any community this close to a major metropolitan area,” Blank said.

“Our dark skies are a resource that we may pass down to our children and to future residents of Fountain Hills, but only if we are vigilant about maintaining them, since once gone they cannot be recovered.

“Our dark skies provide another reason to distinguish Fountain Hills as a destination town.”

Bill said the committee would take the lead in seeking the Dark Sky designation if/when the council approves the amendments.

The proposed changes to the ordinance will be subject to a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission, which will make a recommendation to the Town Council.

The council will also hold a public hearing prior to deciding on the changes.