04/04/2024

Public Officials Balance Safety Concerns, Light Pollution in Athens

Specific city codes address light pollution

Safety and lighting concerns on campus can potentially conflict with concerns over light pollution and environmental harm. Athens city officials and Ohio University staff currently work to balance these factors in decision-making about lighting on and off campus.

There are specific codes that reference lighting requirements and light pollution, City Planner Meghan Jennings said.

One subsection of the Athens City Code states that adequate lighting needs to be placed along streets where the city planning commissions see fit while adhering to light pollution standards, including appropriate lamps and reflectors to minimize light pollution. Another subsection gives guidelines on technical requirements to reduce light pollution, including restrictions on light glare and how much illumination can be permitted.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Post.