By Bailey Buckingham

The lights may be getting a little dimmer in Kyle after the city council unanimously approved an amendment to the current outdoor lighting ordinance Tuesday. 

The amendment would update the standards for new commercial and multi-family housing outdoor lighting. Existing structures within those zoning categories would have to retrofit their lighting, but only after disestablishment for any reason. 

Howard Koontz, director of planning community development, said this will not immediately affect business owners, but it will raise the standards in the long-term. He said single-family zoning would be exempt from this amendment. 

There were several ideas associated with this amendment proposal, Koontz said. 

Reasons for the amendment were to handle light overuse more responsibly, address nighttime safety and to use light when necessary by using dimmers, timers, or whatever is necessary. A fourth reason was to address the effects on health, such as sleep deprivation. 

Travis Mitchell, place 1 council member, said he didn’t think evidence was compelling enough for changes. In four years of being in Kyle, Mitchell said he has never had anyone complain about outdoor lighting. 

“All of the small business owners are going to be required to upgrade their lights if something materially happens to those fixtures,” Mitchell said. “That money matters to those businesses, it’s not easy to replace light fixtures.”

Mitchell said he would have an easier time approving the amendment if he had heard of citizen complaining about the lighting. 

“All the lighting that exists today would be allowed to endure,” Koontz said to Mitchell. “This won’t have an immediate effect on any existing business.” 

Businesses will be put on notice and will be required to update their lighting with this ordinance, Mitchell said. 

“The tough part of having high standards is that if you don’t have everyone adhere to those higher standards, nothing changes,” Koontz said. 

Shane Arabie, place 3 council member, offered Mitchell a few instances where lighting has become an issue in Kyle, such as the Sonic at Plum Creek. 

A public hearing was open for residents to comment on the agenda item, however, no one chose to speak.