BOS to mull ‘dark sky’ ordinance
The Yuma County Board of Supervisors will discuss the possibility of adopting a “dark sky” ordinance during its meeting Wednesday, moved from Monday due to the Presidents Day holiday.
Such an ordinance was last considered by the county in 2006, but the Planning and Zoning Commission voted not to advance the proposal to the county supervisors for consideration, out of concern for private property rights.
The same year a voterapproved initiative, Prop 207, amended state statutes to require government to reimburse property owners if regulations lowered the value of their land.
Since then a few darksky laws have been adopted or updated in Arizona, but the more restrictive ones adopted prior to that might not have been possible, according to a staff report.
These regulations set lighting standards that attempt to prevent bulbs from bleeding illumination upward and which make it harder to see stars and other objects in the night sky.
The matter is being reopened at the request of Supervisor Darren Simmons, whose District 2 includes the Foothills, Wellton, Martinez Lake and areas to the north and east, covering the vast majority of the county’s territory.
County staff is recommending the board forward the proposed 2006 ordinance, with any suggested changes, to the planning commission for possible initiation as a text amendment.
The meeting will start 9 a.m. Wednesday in the Board of Supervisors’ auditorium at 198 S. Main St., Yuma. Other agenda items include:
• An agreement transferring administrative oversight of the Election Services Division from the County Administrator’s Office to the County Recorder’s Office. This will be covered in more detail in a Tuesday article in the Yuma Sun.
• An intergovernmental agreement between the county and the cities and towns within it for participation in 4FrontED, which would promote bi-national economic development in the border region. The other participating jurisdictions are Imperial County, Calif., San Luis Rio Colorado, Son., and Mexicali, Baja California.
• An auction for a county-owned excess parcel at 12107 E. Sandra Ave. in the Foothills. The minimum bid on the 11,564 squarefoot lot is $54,000.
• A report on proposed bills affecting county government in the state Legislature and update on a talking points memo being prepared for an upcoming trip to meet with federal representatives during the National Association of Counties convention in Washington D.C. early next month.
• A zoning reversion case for a 6-acre property at the southeast corner of Avenue A and County 17th Street, currently zoned Suburban Site Built-2 acre minimum. The owners have requested a two-year extension; otherwise the board could return it to its former Residential Area-10 acre minimum zoning.
• A recognition of longtime Housing Director Gloria Mallek upon her retirement.
The meeting will be broadcast on the county’s cable channel, Yuma77, and webcast and available for later viewing at www. yumacountyaz.gov and the Yuma County Government Facebook page. Spanish subtitles are shown on rebroadcasts.