Kaikōura's new lighting rules to help stars shine brighter

New lighting rules to protect Kaikōura's night sky will come into effect next month.

Kaikōura's wider district gained International Dark Sky Sanctuary status in September, which means the town needs to reduce artificial lighting to ensure the stars shine bright.

The new lighting rules will apply to new builds and when lighting needs to be replaced, but local residents won't need to change their light bulbs immediately.

The Kaikōura District Council adopted the new rules at a council meeting last week and they will become operative on December 19, once a 30-day appeal period has passed.

Kaikōura Dark Sky Trust project co-ordinator Colette Doughty said the decision is "fantastic".

A private plan change was prepared by the Trust to create new lighting rules in the Kaikōura District Plan after community consultation.

It was adopted by the council and notified earlier this year.

The decision paves the way for the trust to apply to Dark Sky International for dark sky community status for the town and peninsula.

Doughty said the trust's current focus is on education and promoting what the sanctuary status and the new lighting rules mean.

"We have been working with Dark Sky International and we are going to put in an expression of interest so we can apply for community status when we are ready.

"We are waiting for NZTA (NZ Transport Agency) to change the lights on State Highway 1 (Beach Rd) and we are planning some lighting improvements.

"People are starting to get more on board and we helping them to understand what it all means."

Doughty said she is aware of an astrotourism operation starting up, while an astrophotography venture is being explored for winter next year.

"It is a fantastic opportunity. It is not our area, but it is exciting that people are already looking at the opportunities.

"More people are hearing about it and are wanting to come, which is exciting."

Council chief executive Will Doughty said the passing of the plan change is a big achievement.

"Plan changes are typically driven by developers, but this is a community driven plan change.

"We received 38 submissions and all were supportive, so there were none against it, which is quite rare."

Around 40 people joined with Mayor Craig Mackle under the stars at Fyffe House in September to celebrate obtaining the dark sky sanctuary status, after a long process.

The initial driver behind achieving dark sky status was concerns about the plight of the Hutton's shearwater / tītī birds, which crash land in the town due to the artificial light.

The community has since identified other benefits to human and wildlife wellbeing, and astrotourism opportunities, while installing LED lights saves money.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

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