The Marana Town Council approved an update of its outdoor lighting code Tuesday night, and the changes will go into effect immediately.
The code falls in line with similar "dark skies" ordinances in Tucson and Pima County, though area astronomy experts say Marana's code is more ahead of the curve because of its stance on LED signs.
"They're the first jurisdiction that I'm aware of in Southern Arizona that has addressed that," said Dan Brocious, public information officer for the Smithsonian Institution's Whipple Observatory near Amado. "It's a new sign technology, and they (Marana) certainly have a lot of builders that are interested in using these signs."
LED signs use light-emitting diodes to produce images similar to those on the giant video boards at sporting events.
The technology has recently bled over into outdoor advertising, Marana building official John Huntley said.
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"This will end up being used with most business signs, and on tall signs along freeways," Huntley said. "I'm sure in the not-too-distant future those will go to LED signs."
Many LED signs have started popping up in the Phoenix area, Brocious said. And because much of their light comes out horizontally, LED signs can lead to light pollution, which can have a negative impact on the state's many astronomical facilities.
Research in the fields of astronomy, space sciences and planetary sciences resulted in a $252.8 million impact on Arizona's economy in 2006, according to a report conducted by the Arizona Arts, Sciences and Technology Academy.
Marana's code now includes limits on how bright LED signs can be. Previously, nothing in the town's code addressed LED signs.
"I wanted to get something in there that provided for a maximum brightness at night," Huntley said.
Marana currently has no LED signs within town limits, so Huntley said his office based brightness measurements on the amount of light that was emitted from an LED sign in front of Pima Community College's Downtown campus at North Stone Avenue and West Speedway.
Though Marana's LED limit — 280 candelas per square meter — is higher than he would like, it can still help lessen light pollution, said Buell Jannuzi, director of Kitt Peak National Observatory.
"We support having a limit in place as opposed to no limit," Jannuzi said. "The whole corridor, from Tucson to Phoenix, is one where there will be more growth. Having a good code in place helps the dark skies."
