Bloomington Commission on Sustainability, September 15, 2026

The City of Bloomington's Commission on Sustainability and the Environmental Commission held a joint meeting on September 15, 2026, to discuss and vote on a resolution aimed at reducing light pollution and potentially pursuing dark sky status for the city. The resolution included recommendations for changes to the city's lighting code, such as reducing color temperature of street lights, restricting uplighting, and extending light curfews. A significant portion of the meeting focused on debating an amendment that would remove the strict 10-year compliance deadline and references to dark sky certification, making the resolution less stringent but more feasible. After extensive discussion, the amendment was rejected, and the original resolution was adopted by both commissions. The meeting also included public support letters and highlighted the importance of balancing environmental goals with practical implementation and budget considerations. The commissions agreed to transmit the resolution to the city council for further action, with suggestions for ongoing deliberations involving staff, commissioners, and the public.