Islip reconsiders 'dark sky' rules over safety concerns

Can a town curb outdoor lighting and still keep residents safe?

Three weeks after adopting sweeping "dark sky" restrictions, Islip is considering amending them in response to that question.

Advocates of "dark sky" rules - which have been adopted by eight Long Island towns - emphatically say yes, arguing no correlation has been proved between lighting and crime, and no spike in crime has been documented in towns that have adopted the rules.

"It's good for Islip," said Richard Amper, executive director of the Long Island Pine Barrens Society, one of the environmental advocates rallying behind the new code. "There's nothing defective about it. It ought to stay in place."

"Dark sky" regulations aim to reduce glare and light pollution, which, proponents say, hurt human health and the environment, and impede views of the stars at night.

Research on the relationship between lighting and crime is inconclusive, experts say, but one thing is certain: Brighter lights make people feel safer.

That's important, said Islip Supervisor Philip Nolan, who voted for the rules and said he supports their objectives. Nevertheless, he said some amendments are necessary and the town is working on them.

Islip's rules include specifications for parking lots, ATMs and service stations. Broadly speaking, they encourage the use of motion sensors and timers, and require light to be pointed downward and shielded from the sky.

Most of the restrictions apply to new construction and renovation and are to be phased in over 10 years for existing properties.

A few are immediate: Homeowners must replace spotlights, where possible, with bulbs of 100 watts or less, and angle them no higher than 45 degrees from vertical. Businesses that close at 9 p.m. must turn off all outdoor lights by 11 p.m.

"I think that's ridiculous," said Leonard Tucker, president of the Brentwood Association of Concerned Citizens, who opposes any restrictions on residential lights. "Lighting is an essential part of protecting your property. As long as it's not intrusive to my neighbors, it shouldn't be a problem."

Riverhead Town and Suffolk police officials say that while they have no conclusive data, they have noted no significant uptick in crime in communities that have adopted similar rules.

Dark-sky-friendly light fixtures, which increase visibility by eliminating blinding glare, might even increase security, noted East Hampton Village police Chief Gerald Larsen.

Islip's rules passed unanimously after a public hearing in which no one raised concerns. Town officials said they later received calls from a business owner, two residents and Assemb. Phil Ramos (D-Central Islip), who said his office fielded complaints from "a few people in Brentwood and Central Islip."

Jerry Wolkoff, owner of the 24-hour Heartland Golf Park in Deer Park, said the rules would put him out of business.

Republican Councilwoman Trish Bergin Weichbrodt, who sponsored the resolution, said she has received positive feedback. She said Nolan, a Democrat, had not detailed amendments he is considering, but that she would hear them out.