Bylaw changes will regulate ‘nuisance’ outdoor lighting

Brantford councilors have endorsed changes to the city’s property standards by law making “nuisance outdoor illumination” an offence.

count. Richard Carpenter said it will “put some teeth” into enforcement when excessive light from a residence is bothersome for neighbours.

“I’ve had several complaints about light being illuminated into someone’s bedroom and they couldn’t sleep most nights,” said Carpenter.

count. Dan McCreary initiated the change last December when he asked city staff to prepare a report considering a bylaw amendment.

“This came about as a result of some complaints in Ward 3, including a family that lived on Coachwood who could read the newspaper at night in their abode because of the light that was spilling from a property way across the road.

“For that citizen, and for other citizens, the frustration level was extreme because we really didn’t have the tools with which to deal with offenders.”

The number of complaints to the city’s bylaw department related to excessive light use increased from eight in 2021 to 22 in 2022.

Dave Wiedrick, the city’s director of property standards and bylaw, said the brightness of lights has advanced in recent years to provide more options for energy efficiency and price. He said light from incandescent bulbs produce warmer yellow and amber tones while LEDs give off harsher white and blue tones.

Gwen Chapman, a member of the Butterflyway Program, said bright lighting is affecting moths and other flying insects who lose their sense of direction, “can’t find food and end up dying.”

Chapman said businesses and homeowners who “decide they need to light their properties so that people on the space station can see their buildings” also impacts animals who hunt after dark and their prey.

Chapman said the south side of her house is lit 24/7 by a neighbour.

“I walk into the bathroom in the middle of the night and I’m blinded by the lights on the house next to me. “This affects people’s sleep and livelihood and it’s not fair.”

The bylaw changes will regulate the spread of light. Wiedrick said even with light fixtures pointing to the ground, the glare’s intensity is sometimes “still great enough to reduce a viewer’s ability to see, and even sometimes enough to produce a sensation of discomfort.”

Wiedrick said many other municipalities, including Toronto, Mississauga, Vaughan, Niagara and Grimsby, have lighting restrictions.

Under the bylaw changes, those with nuisance lighting could be asked to install a shield around the light so that is directed only on the owner’s property and not adjoining properties.

“If the glare is trespassing onto neighboring properties, shields have to go up,” said Wiedrick.

“For many people, the lights they have around their home are very important for community safety but I think this strikes the right balance,” said Coun. Mandy Samwell.

In addition to enforcement, Weidrick said education “would be a great tool to manage the number of complaints that are received.” A page on the city’s website will outline the bylaw changes and how they will be enforced, and social media campaign will be launched.

Final approval of the changes is required at a council meeting later this month.