HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Read Before Packet - 10/9/2018 - Memorandum From Cassie Archuleta Re: Follow Up - Offer 43014, Kfcg Enhancement: Night Sky InitiativeEnvironmental Services
222 Laporte Ave
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: October 8, 2018
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
THRU: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Jeff Mihelich, Deputy City Manager
Lucinda Smith, Interim Chief Sustainability Officer
Lindsay Ex, Interim Environmental Services Director
FROM: Cassie Archuleta, Air Quality Program Manager
SUBJECT: Follow-Up - Offer 43.14, KFCG Enhancement: Night Sky Initiative
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide follow up regarding questions raised at the October 1,
2018 Council Work Session regarding Offer 43.14, KFCG Enhancement: Night Sky Initiative.
Specifically, questions were raised about the potential for additional partnerships and funding
opportunities.
Bottom Line
The night sky team has identified sky quality monitoring as an important element of measuring the
impact of the City’s Night Sky Initiatives in reducing light pollution. Offer 43.14 was submitted with a
goal of advancing these efforts to a point of allowing data-driven measures for baselines, targets, and
tracking success by acquiring and installing up to 5 sky quality monitors. Two options have been
identified to further advance night sky monitoring efforts, including (1) full or partial funding offer 43.14
or (2) leveraging existing funding as available to incrementally build out the monitoring program over
time.
Background
The City Night Sky Initiative team has been working cross-departmentally and with external partners
towards a Nature in The City objective of a darker night sky. Beyond protecting the night sky, the City’s
Night Sky Initiative leads to energy savings and greenhouse gas reduction. An estimated 30% of
outdoor lighting is inefficient, with lighting being directed skyward, or illuminating unintended areas such
as adjacent homes, businesses or natural areas. Best practices in outdoor lighting uses only the
amount of light needed to light a given task resulting in substantial energy savings.
Over the past 2 years, the team has seen success in education and outreach efforts, code changes and
reviews, building partnerships, and installing one initial sky quality monitor, and all without dedicated
funding. In addition, the team has identified other internal funds that could support up to 2 sky quality
monitors to incrementally implement and support an innovative night sky monitoring network.
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Options
Two options have been identified to further advance night sky monitoring efforts.
1. Funding for Offer 43.14
Offer 43.14 provides funding for up to 5 sky quality monitoring sites, including cameras at two sites, and
a data display webpage. Staff has identified City owned property in geographically diverse areas where
monitors could be installed. Collecting night sky data now and tracking over time would support
establishing baseline conditions, and monitoring changes in night sky brightness over time. This offer
also includes some funding for analysis of data collected and education efforts.
2. Build Program Over Time
Staff has identified innovation funds of $7K that could support one additional camera-enabled
monitoring system, in addition to the prototype that has been installed on the Hilton. Additionally,
utilizing contributions from 3 departments, borrowed equipment from partners, and support from
volunteers, a third monitor could be installed. If this option was pursued the priority locations would
include Soapstone (our darkest area) and an area within the Mulberry Corridor (to monitor impacts of
lighting changes before and after annexation.)
Both options are scalable based on the following:
Monitoring systems can be built without the camera and only collect quantitative data ($5K vs
$7K)
Offer 43.14 includes funding to upgrade a website and allow public viewing of camera images
($3K)
Staff can pursue recruiting volunteers for data analysis.
Program can be built out over time.
While full funding of offer 43.14 would expedite installation of a City owned monitoring network, the
Night Sky team will also continue to explore additional internal and external partnerships and funding
opportunities to incrementally fund this effort.
Cc//Ginny Sawyer
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