I'm old enough to know that I haven't seen everything - but every once in a while something catches me off guard. Here's the latest one...
The City in which I reside has just implemented a new requirement. All businesses are now required to obtain a permit to replace an existing exterior light bulb. The permit application is 8 pages in length, and includes a lumen calculation sheet and a maximum permitted lumens worksheet, and requires a site plan, manufacturer's cutsheets, and a non-refundable $130 permit application fee. Yes, that's correct - every business owner has to pay a $130 fee to change a light bulb! City staff confirmed this but were uncertain as to whether the permit was temporary or permanent. They did acknowledge that a separate permit was not required for each bulb. One of the consequences of being a DarkSky community...
$130 fee??ÿ I'd tell them they're in luck, since I bill out for $130 an hour so I'll change the light bulb for free.
Are you sure there is not some misinterpretation going on? Have you read the actual ordinance?
Telescopes are a lot cheaper than space missions, and we are paying for it.?ÿ
Astronomy is a not insignificant part of the Arizona economy because of the clear and dark skies.?ÿ
@flga-pls-2-2
Major lighting rules on the beaches here in SW FL. for sea turtles as well. Also, when they hatch, I've heard that their instinct is to go towards light so they end up dead instead of in the Gulf of Mexico.
People are bad enough, the raccoons come in second.
We're paying for it??ÿ Not to belabor the point but we spend 50 billion each month on imported crapola that we used to provide for ourselves.?ÿ If we can do that we can afford manned space missions (BTW that's 1.2 trillion every two years, do the math).
