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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | AUGUST 2017 23 Architectural review Committee One of the advantages of living in the San Gorgonio Pass is being far enough away from the city lights of the L.A. Basin to see the wonders of the night sky. Among the greatest of those wonders is the Perseid meteor shower, which is expected to peak from Aug. 9 to 13, and should continue to be visible through Aug. 24. A big reason we can enjoy our night sky in Four Seasons is because the city of Beaumont has adopted an outdoor lighting ordinance to minimize light pollution. The ordinance, which is also part of Four Seasons architectural guidelines, is "intended to reduce and minimize lighting practices which cause unnecessary illumination of adjacent properties, correct problems of glare and trespass, and reduce energy use." The dark sky ordinance recognizes that modern society requires outdoor lighting for a variety of needs, but advocates that any required lighting be used wisely. To minimize the effects of light pollution, lighting should: • Only be on when needed • Only light the area that needs it • Be no brighter than necessary • Minimize blue light emissions • Be fully shielded (pointing downward) The International Dark Sky Association (darksky.org) estimates that about 35 percent of light is wasted by poorly aimed outdoor lighting, wasting about $3 billion per year worth of energy, or about $10 per year for every man, woman and child in the U. S. That wasted energy also pumps about 15 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year, the same amount as emissions from three million cars. So, how do you comply with the Outdoor Lighting Ordinance? The most important thing to keep in mind is that all lighting fixtures must be fully shielded or, in other words, constructed in such a way that light rays are only emitted at angles below a horizontal plane passing through the lowest point on the fixture from which they are emitted. The entire light fixture, not just the lamp, must conform to these requirements regardless of its location on the structure or property. The only exceptions to this rule are low-voltage-24v or less-landscaping lighting. The object of this requirement is to avoid light trespass, which is defined as, "any artificial light or glare from a fixture onto a neighboring property that interferes with the viewing of the night sky, or eliminates the ability to have darkness on the adjacent property, or shines into neighboring windows, properties, or structures." In Four Seasons, it is the homeowner's responsibility to comply with Beaumont's Outdoor Lighting Ordinance, keeping in mind that the issuance of an approval letter by the Architectural Review Committee doesn't indicate the approval or acceptance of any non- conforming lighting fixtures. Regardless of how handy you may be with do-it-yourself projects, the city of Beaumont requires you get a building permit before you install that outdoor lighting fixture from Home Depot. After all, you don't want to ruin your neighbor's view of a meteor shower, do you? ~ Carol Teague

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