The Manitowoc County Chamber recently held a debate between Mayoral candidates Justin Nickels, and Chris Able, and one of the major talking points was a recently passed city ordinance that regulates outdoor lighting.
The ordinance, which was passed at the February 15th City Council meeting states, “All outdoor lighting shall be turned off between 11:00 PM and sunrise,” with the exception of security lighting, motion detector security lights that are normally off, lighting for walkways, and lighting used for recreational activities.
Debate moderator Barry Nelson posed the question, “What are your thoughts on the ordinance?”
Able was the first to respond, where he voiced his concerns about how it was handled.
“First of all, I’m surprised we put it in Chapter 15, because Chapter 14 is what deals with nuisances, and that’s where it makes the most sense,” he stated bluntly.
Able also said he didn’t like how the Council communicated the ordinance with the public. Incumbent Justin Nickels agreed with that concern, admitting that they should have done a better job, and accepted that responsibility falls on him as Mayor.
Nickels explained that the ordinance was needed because they have received multiple complaints over the years regarding trespassing lights.
“For example, even our Police Department, sometimes when they look at security tapes, the neighbor might have the light [pointing] directly into that camera, “ Nickels explained. “We want to change things like that.”
Nickels also said that the City does not want to penalize people. A memo attached to the ordinance states that the City would send a letter to the homeowner to help them understand how they can change their lights to comply with the ordinance. He said it is intended to be educational.
The full debate can be viewed on The Chamber of Manitowoc County Facebook Page. The back and forth on the lighting ordinance begins at the 16 minute, 48 second mark of the video.
You can also click here to look at the full ordinance. The link to the ordinance can be found on page 10 of the agenda. Click on the first number below the Public Safety Committee heading.
