In the past couple of years, the dark night sky in Essex County has been transformed into bright pink and purple colours due to greenhouse operators.
Light nuisance has also become an issue in Chatham-Kent, and Mayor Darrin Canniff says it’s something the municipality needs to get ahead of.
“We need to take control of that as they’re built we need to ensure they’re protecting the public interest as well, lighting, smell, those things,” Canniff says. “If you go to surrounding areas, that’s an issue. We need to make sure we enact some rules and regulations for future developments of greenhouses that’s going to work with the community.”
Councillor Melissa Harrigan is bringing a motion to tonight’s council meeting to have administration bring forward a report on the subject of greenhouse light emissions.
Harrigan would like the report include a summary of engagement with greenhouse operators, members of the public, and neighbouring communities with regard to greenhouse regulations, as well as provide recommendations with options to proactively address any potential light nuisance from greenhouses in Chatham-Kent.
CAO Don Shropshire says it’s an issue the municipality has already discussed with some local operators.
“We’ve had a number of greenhouse operators actually let us know they’ve been working through to try and get ahead of the issue,” Shropshire says. “Some of the greenhouse operators have been trying to put in place guards or things that will block the light and reduce the impact on neighbours.”
Shropshire admits not all operators are on board, saying it can be a very expensive undertaking to retrofit a greenhouse with curtains or guards.
Both Leamington and Kingsville have recently approved new by-laws to limit light emissions from greenhouses overnight.