The Regional District is proposing to include new objectives and policy statements for street lighting under the "Infrastructure & Servicing" sections of the Electoral Area Official Community Plan (OCP) Bylaws.

While street lights can improve visibility and safety for pedestrians and traffic, particularly at intersections, the Electoral Areas are comprised of predominately rural communities and street lighting is seen to be incompatible with the character of these areas (e.g. loss of dark skies to light pollution).

Accordingly, it is being proposed that the Regional District generally "discourage the creation of street lighting service areas outside of designated Primary and Rural Growth Areas in order to preserve the rural character of the Plan Area[s]."

It is further proposed that supporting policies include, amongst other things, the following:

• Strongly discourage the creation of new street lighting service areas outside of Primary and Rural Growth Area;
• Evaluate requests proposing the installation new street lighting within a service area administered by the Regional District against the following priority locations: intersections, adjacent to an existing educational facility; adjacent to an existing park; a transit stop; a cluster mailbox location; or within a designated Town Centre of Village Centre area.
• Support the conversion of existing street lights to energy efficient fixtures in order to reduce maintenance, energy consumption costs and “sky glow”.
• Support new street lights being energy efficient fixtures in order to reduce maintenance, energy consumption costs and “sky glow”.
• Support the use of ornamental poles and fixtures that are owned are funded by the Regional District complying with approved fixtures and designs set within the Approved Products List under the subdivision servicing bylaw.

It is further being proposed to remove the requirements for the provision of street lighting at the time of subdivision or building permit application in the Regional District's Subdivision Servicing Bylaw No. 2000, 2002.

For additional information, please contact:
Christopher Garrish
Planning Manager
cgarrish@rdos.bc.ca
250-490-4101