CANNON BEACH With a city ban against neon signs, a lack of traffic signals and a scarcity of houselights turned on, the skies around Cannon Beach are pretty dark.

But a few areas have more light than some people would like. That may be why city officials are considering instituting what has been nicknamed a dark sky ordinance that would discourage outdoor lighting that illuminates neighboring properties.

While the city considers adopting a dark sky ordinance, some residents, including current and former design review board members, are wondering how the steeple atop the Community Church fits into the discussion.

In many areas of town, the four-sided obelisk topped with a cross can be seen jutting conspicuously into the sky. At night, with eight flood lights illuminating it from its base, the spire glows hot white in the darkness.

Since the steeples construction in November 2012 and the flood lights installation last December, there has been a debate about whether the lights violate Cannon Beachs zoning ordinance.

The ordinance states that a buildings lighting fixtures must be compatible with the architectural design of the town. The ordinance also says that the effect of the illumination must be sufficiently subdued to be compatible with the village character and avoids casting glare on adjoining property.

The architectural design and village character elements fall under the purview of the design review board, which approved the steeples appearance.

It went through all the official channels, said David Robinson, pastor of the Community Church.

Robinson said he hasnt received any complaints about the steeples flood lights. In fact, he said, the reaction has been the opposite.

Ive heard people say how much they love seeing the steeple at day and during the nighttime, he said.

Not everyone shares this enthusiasm, however.

Glaring omission

Design review board Chairman Hank Johnson, who was absent when the board voted to approve the steeples design last year, called it the only glaring omission from the standard of Cannon Beach architecture.

I do know from talking to some of the neighbors in town that they were really quite appalled at seeing the illumination of the church tower, Johnson said. If I were a resident adjacent to the church, I would be very upset.

Betsy Ayres, a Cannon Beach resident, finds the brightness of the steeple a little out of character with the tone of the town, which generally exhibits soft, muted lighting.

It just seems harsh and glaring to me, Ayres said.

Diane Amos, who was a design review board member for eight years, said that she and others believe the steeple creates light pollution.

We can see (the steeple lights) on the north side and at the end of town, she said. It seems to us that its way too much light.

Her husband, Rex Amos, said the church seems to be held to a standard that doesnt apply to the other buildings in town.

Its just blatant advertising, and no one else can advertise the same way, he said.

Sky glow

At the nudging of Mayor Mike Morgan, the City Council has directed the planning commission to consider a dark sky ordinance with an eye toward protecting the night sky, said Public Works Director Dan Grassick.

The notion is that, in urban areas where there are a lot of lights on all night long, you can no longer see the stars and the moon … because of light pollution, he said.

Dark sky ordinances are a huge deal in planning circles, said City Planner Mark Barnes, adding that there are regions of the U.S. where nighttime lighting obliterates the stars from ones view. Seaside recently passed an exterior lighting ordinance that is dark sky compliant.

One of Cannon Beachs dark sky amendments, which Barnes is drafting, seeks to prevent an effect known as sky glow.

This happens when, say, a flood light is projected upward into the atmosphere, or a street lamp emits light in a 360-degree halo, making it difficult for people at ground level to see the firmament.

Though the citys zoning ordinance does not require it, the design review board has tried to reduce sky glow by allowing only downcast lights or lights covered from above, Johnson said.

Under dark sky regulations, it is unclear what status the churchs upcast flood lights would have.

Most of (the light) is aimed right at the steeple, Robinson argued, adding that the lights themselves are environmentally friendly LED lights with focused beams.

Grassick noted that the steeple has less of an impact if you have a very clear night sky but that it becomes especially luminous if the upper atmosphere has a heavy fog because it bounces off that fog and comes back down.

Because of its white paint, the steeple does reflect very, very well, Grassick said. It attracts your eye.

Morgan suspects that the church, if it was seen to violate the dark sky amendments, would probably be grandfathered into the dark sky ordinance.

My view is that a dark sky ordinance would not be retroactive, Morgan said.

This is the case with Seasides ordinance: Existing lighting was exempt, Seaside City Planner Kevin Couples said.

Morgan added that, in any event, he doubts the steeple runs afoul of any existing regulations because, as Robinson pointed out, the church received the design review boards blessing when the matter came before the board.

If the steeple had violated any ordinance, said City Attorney Tammy Herdener, It definitely would have been brought to our attention.

The planning commission will consider the dark sky amendments in January; they are scheduled to reach the City Council in February.

Since the steeples construction, there has been a debate about whether the lights violate Cannon Beachs zoning ordinance.

Being neighborly

Cannon Beach officials and residents have been concerned about dark sky matters for several years, especially with street lights.

While street lights provide safety, they also create light that projects up into the atmosphere, as well as onto other properties, Grassick noted.

In 2012, the city switched out some of its high-pressure sodium street lights for LEDs. The goal was to put in lights that are more focused and have a downward projection, Grassick said.

The dark sky amendments, which the design review board will examine before handing them over to the planning commission, seek to prevent another perceived lighting problem in Cannon Beach: resident-to-resident light pollution.

If the zoning changes go through, exterior lighting fixtures on single-family residential dwellings will be prevented from casting glare upon neighbors, the night sky and the beach. They will also be disallowed from standing more than eight feet above grade.

Johnson who owns and operates The Wave Crest Inn, a bed-and-breakfast business has had to deal with this problem personally.

Ive definitely had to confront my neighbors because of their outdoor lighting illuminating my place, he said.

Johnson said that hes mostly succeeded in minimizing the amount of nuisance light shining on his property from nearby residences.

They understand the situation Im in, he said. Its been a good neighborly agreement.

If it turns out that the church steeple doesnt strictly violate the letter of the existing ordinance — and if it is ultimately exempted from the dark sky amendments then appealing to the churchs good nature and neighborly spirit may be the only thing that could compel church officials to dial down the flood lights, Rex Amos said.

I think if it was brought to their attention, they would certainly see the problem, he added. If they know that it bothers people, the church members should, as good citizens, say, Yes, well do something about it. Well mute those lights.