The Pinehurst Hot Mess: “Light Pollution”

 

Apparently, the next item on the Village of Pinehurst’s cram-it-down-their-throats agenda is a crackdown on something called “light pollution.”

I saw the draft ordinance in a recent council agenda packet and had to do some research.  I mean, HOW does light possibly pollute?

“Light pollution” is a term dreamed up by the radical environmental left.  Examples include: leaving lights on in your house for too long, turning on too many lights in your house, too many security lights in your yard, et cetera et cetera.

Village Hall is serious about this, people.  This is not one of my pranks, jokes, or whatever.  The proposed ordinance dictates how many exterior lights you can have, where they’re pointed, and how long you can leave them on.

Apparently, some little old cranky Yankees got mad about how bright the lights are at their neighbors’ house.  So, instead of going to talk to the neighbors, they approached village council with a demand for an ordinance. First, kids outside after dark.  Then, vacation rentals.  Now, exterior lighting.  Where did this fad of running to government to ban your pet peeves come from?

A bewildered member of the planning & zoning staff spoke to the council when this was first introduced.  He said he was at a loss as to how this would be enforced.  Lumens at the property line, perhaps?

Our cops already have meters to detect decibel levels when dealing with noise complaints. They have chip readers for IDing stray dogs.  And now they are likely to get light meters to carry around.  All of this change to soothe a handful of cranky Yankees?  When will actual police work get done?

I am still a big fan of talking out problems with your neighbors.  (Of course, being a large dude almost always gets me what I want.) If you’re intimidated by or uncomfortable with your neighbors, call the police and complain.

This madness of going to the council for an ordinance every time somethings gets on your nerves has to be tamped down or even stopped.  It’s turning local government into one large, hellish HOA.