DarkSky West Marin (formerly DarkSky Point Reyes) plans to file a application to DarkSky International for its coveted DarkSky Community designation. Our goal is for the application to include Bolinas, Dillon Beach, Forrest Knolls, Inverness, Inverness Park, Lagunitas, Marshall, Muir Beach, Nicasio, Oceana Marin, Olema, Point Reyes, Seadrift, San Geronimo, Stinson Beach, Tomales, Woodacre, etc. This expansive Dark Sky zone will be presented to DarkSky International as a potential DarkSky Community dedicated to preserving the nighttime environment to protect both humans and wildlife from the harmful effects of light pollution.
Our hope is that after the Point Reyes National Seashore becomes a DarkSky Park, DarkSky West Marin will work with the national seashore to seek the larger DarkSky Reserve certification. This parallel process will include the education and outreach made possible by the dedicated volunteers at DarkSky West Marin.
The DarkSky West Marin Initiative grew after the Point Reyes Station Village Association (PRSVA), an organization dedicated to preserving the rural nature of its town, fielded an increasing number of complaints about glaring lights keeping local folks up at night. In late November 2020, a lighting committee, headed by VP Peggy Day, performed several nighttime walkabouts to identify lighting that did not conform to the Point Reyes Community Plan which states: “Outdoor lighting shall serve the safety of ingress and egress but shall not detract from the enjoyment of the natural nightscape.” Once a lighting inventory was created, members approached several property owners where lighting pollution occurred and began a conversation about light pollution. They also assisted local citizens in contacting the county to shield existing trespassing streetlights.
In 2020, PRSVA treasurer, Laura Arndt introduced the concept of the DarkSky International (IDS) certification, and as the idea grew. Laura talked with Dark Sky leaders in Borrego Springs and Julian, California. In February 2021, Laura and Peggy contacted Marin County Supervisor Dennis Rodoni to inquire if he thought a Dark Sky designation was feasible for Point Reyes Station. He wholeheartedly agreed, and the original DarkSky Point Reyes was formed. By May of that year, our team had provided his office with a draft light pollution ordinance modeled after one written by Dark Sky Consultant, Dr. John Barentine.
Since May, 2021, DSWM has presented monthly stargazing classes with noted astronomy teacher Don Jolley and held annual community events to spread the word about DarkSky.
After a story appeared in the Point Reyes Light on March 9, 2022, Christine Beekman, Public Information Officer at the Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS), approached the pair about a potential collaboration between the small town and the park. The three explored the concept with IDS representatives and, over the course of two years, pursued a Dark Sky Reserve certification that would encompass all the coastal, unincorporated West Marin villages and the Point Reyes National Seashore. Every three months, Laura and Peggy met with Officer Beekman, representatives from IDS, National Park Service Natural Sounds & Night Skies Division, Dennis Rodoni’s office, Marin County Community Development Agency, and a lighting design expert.
On Oct. 1, 2023, DSWM introduced county representatives to our work-in-progress: a “Community Applicant Checklist” which illustrates which the qualifications DSWM has completed and which the county needs to address. DSWM has conducted a thorough inventory of the 132 streetlights in the DarkSky zone and presented a cost/benefit analysis to Supervisor Rodoni for making those lights Dark Sky-compliant. DSWM conducts annual light readings in each of the participating villages and continues its neighbor-to-neighbor program.
In early 2024, after conducting the Park’s own comprehensive lighting inventory, Ms. Beekman informed a representative from IDS that changing the lights in the Park would be too cost prohibitive at that time. IDS then recommended that the Park and the townspeople separate so we could file a DarkSky Community application first and, when feasible, the National Seashore would apply for a DarkSky Park designation. Our group pursued that route with the understanding that the county was on board, and renamed our effort, DarkSky West Marin. At that point, DSWM passed an initial qualifications check for the Dark Sky Community and paid an entry fee to qualify us to fulfill the remaining criteria for the coveted DarkSky Community designation.
Even before the Park had separated, DSWM’s representatives were guaging the willingness of the other villages in West Marin and presenting a PowerPoint demonstration of the project at their town meetings and to nearby environmental groups, and in the process, solicited letters of support. Those letters represent over 90% of coastal residents and urged Supervisor Rodoni to work on a new light pollution ordinance, a prerequisite for our final application.
In early 2024, we encountered obstacles moving our ordinance forward, but we are committed to pressing on. “Slow and steady wins the race” became our motto. DSWM is poised and ready to apply to IDS, and we continue to work with their team so that we can file our official application with DarkSky International as soon as the County of Marin passes the prerequisite light pollution ordinance. We’ve met the majority of our qualifications.
In December 2024, DSWM was accepted by SustainableMarin.org for fiscal sponsorship. Donations are now tax-deductible. Please consider donating to this critical initiative.
DarkSky West Marin is a program of Sustainable Marin, a 501(C)(3) charitable organization.