As Malibu City Council Member Lou La Monte put it at a council meeting earlier this year: “We’ve waited since the dawn of time for this.”
A little more than five years after its inception, the city’s Dark Sky Ordinance goes into effect on Monday, Oct. 15. The ordinance aims to reduce light pollution in the area “to protect wildlife, habitats and Malibu’s rural coastal village character,” according to a shared City of Malibu statement.
“In Malibu, we are blessed to live surrounded by nature, and our dark, starry skies are a big part of that,” Mayor Rick Mullen said in the statement. “I am proud that we passed this innovative legislation that will protect that heritage for generations to come.”
The ordinance was originally set to take effect on Aug. 1, but city council voted to push the date back in order to give locals more time to adjust and come into compliance.
Residents and businesses, however, aren’t expected to come into compliance by Monday; rather, the date serves as a countdown for when they need to do so. The timeline is as follows:
- Gas stations by Oct. 15, 2019
- All other commercial zones by Oct. 15, 2020
- Private residences and other zones by Oct. 15, 2021
According to the city, requirements include fully shielded outdoor light fixtures with a maximum temperature of 3000 Kelvin and additional lighting requirements based on zoning.
For more information, visit malibucity.org/705/dark-sky-ordinance. The city’s Planning Department will also be holding special public hours on Thursdays from 9-11 a.m. through Oct. 25 to address the requirements and offer guidance.