The night skies in Chatham-Kent and Windsor-Essex have been a colourful mix for the past few years due to large-scale greenhouse lights.
In a bid to regulate greenhouse light emissions, at tonight’s council meeting Chatham-Kent council will look to bring in a proposed by-law to regulate the lighting of greenhouses in the municipality. There is currently an interim by-law in place, but it expires on May 10.
The by-law was formed, in part, from the by-laws that Kingsville and Leamington have had in place for the past few years. Both communities have a high concentration of greenhouse development. In a report to council, it outlines a compromise between the needs of an emerging industry and area residents.
The proposed Chatham-Kent by-law requires the installation of blackout curtains on the sidewalls, endwalls and ceilings of lit greenhouses and they be used from sunset to sunrise. The by-law provides an 18 month phase in period to allow existing operators with time to comply with the regulation.
The bylaw also establishes an enforcement system for those who don’t comply with the by-law.
Council will also look to adopt a zoning by-law amendment on Monday night that regulates the location of large scale greenhouses.