John Nusbaum and I would like to announce the formation of a new group dedicated to reversing the tide of light pollution in Northern Virginia. The name of the new group is the Virginia Outdoor Lighting Taskforce (VOLT). Its mission is to encourage and assist local governments to enact zoning legislation to regulate outdoor lighting. VOLT was a natural outgrowth of our work with Loudoun and Fairfax counties over the last year. Informally, we have met with county legislators and zoning officials to press the urgent need for comprehensive outdoor lighting ordinances. These ordinances will set reasonable guidelines on the quantity and quality of outdoor lighting. I am happy to report that progress is being made in both of these counties.
Our first formal training session for the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) was held in November of last year. We were encouraged by the number of DPZ staff who attended the session and their level of interest. Many in attendance are tasked with investigating and solving citizen complaints with regard to outdoor lighting. They were eager to learn ways to solve lighting problems and also expressed a desire to have a comprehensive outdoor lighting ordinance.
This experience led us to form a group that would bring together other concerned citizens who want to work toward the goal of better outdoor lighting throughout Northern Virginia. Our purpose is to offer training and assistance to anyone who is interested in accomplishing this goal. The taskforce will have the know-how to educate elected officials and the staff of various county planning and zoning departments about the elements of "good lighting". The elements include: installing full cut-off fixtures to eliminate glare, setting illumination level caps to eliminate “over lighting”, and establishing "lighting curfews" so that illumination levels are reduced when a facility is not in use.
In January, we issued an open invitation to all concerned individuals who would like to join VOLT. We held our first meeting at George Mason University on January 22, 2001, with approximately 20 participants in attendance. During the meeting, we discussed our vision for VOLT and solicited individuals to become team leaders in other counties. I am pleased to say that two fellow NOVAC members, Joe Pierson and Kevin Beamer, rose to the challenge and will lead the efforts in Prince William County and Arlington County, respectively. John Nusbaum is the taskforce leader in Loudoun County and I am responsible for Fairfax County. We are still looking for taskforce leaders in Alexandria and Fairfax City, as well as other counties in Virginia. In addition, we have the following exciting opportunities available: Treasurer, Secretary, Accountant, General Council, Public/Media Relations Director, Web Developer, and State Legislative Coordinator.
To assist in our education and communication efforts, we have developed a web site. Please visit it regularly for more information about VOLT activities. The URL is http://www.volt.org
In February, we will hold a second training session to help educate members of VOLT about the basics of good outdoor lighting and how to encourage elected officials to implement new outdoor lighting ordinances.
Our organization will soon be incorporated as a not-for-profit group and we will be soliciting donations to cover its basic operational expenses. As we grow, we hope to expand our scope and focus on all the counties in Virginia, as well as the Virginia State Government.