Will the Shivwits soccer fields impact our night sky?

As everyone who drives on Hwy 91 can see, the construction activity on the soccer fields has picked up. Plans are for four of the five soccer fields to be lit for night time playing. As this project is going to very dramatically change the view to the west of Ivins, we wanted to update you on our efforts.

Ivins Night Sky (INS), our local non-profit advocacy group for maintaining the dark sky that we all enjoy, has spent considerable time and effort over the last three years communicating and working with the Shivwits Band and the Utah Youth Soccer Association (UYSA), the two organizations behind this development. At the direction of the Shivwits Band leadership, INS has primarily worked with their legal representative to create a way forward to influence the use of state-of-the-art technology to the sports lighting that will be installed. INS has provided the Shivwits Band the current Ivins lighting ordinance, which is quite good for dark sky compliant development. INS met once with representatives of the Shivwits Band and UYSA on site where assurances were given that offsite light pollution will be minimized. INS presented to the Shivwits Band Council to promote the use of state-of-the-art technology and offered to sponsor a lighting design review and raise funds for the differential in cost to utilize state of the art lighting products. Unfortunately, the INS efforts have not resulted in a collaborative effort with the Shivwits Band and communication back from the Shivwits Band leadership has been minimal.

The Shivwits are a sovereign nation and do not come under any Ivins City regulations. The Shivwits Band has stated that they respect the night sky and want to do lighting design their own way. We know that sports fields build these days generally feature downward facing lighting and are much better than the sports fields of old like the ones at Unity and Archie Gubler Parks. We were especially encouraged when we received this reply from the Utah Youth Soccer Assoc. to an early request for information about their lighting plans:
“Please be assured this project has been thoroughly researched and strategized for this complex to not only be a positive development for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes, but also have the least amount of impact possible on the community of Kayenta and the other surrounding communities.”
INS will continue to be open to communication and collaboration with the Shivwits Band and will do whatever we can to help facilitate a lighting plan that protects the night sky. Thank You.

Celebrate Utah’s Dark Sky Month

Donate to INS

Celebrate Utah’s Dark Sky Month by taking a Stargazing Adventure at one of our local Dark Sky Places

Utah is at the heart of a dense cluster of certified parks called The Great Western Starry Way from New Mexico to Montana. The Beehive State boasts some of the finest dark skies in the world where viewing the billions of stars in the Milky Way has become an increasingly popular pastime for all ages.

In Utah alone, the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), with a mission to protect naturally dark places for present and future generations, has certified 23 (and counting) locations, including communities, parks, and protected areas.

Dark Skies Exploration: A Beginner’s Guide

Best places to stargaze close to home include Zion National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Bryce Canyon National Park, and local state parks Gunlock State Park and Snow Canyon State Park (UTAH STATE PARKS STARRY NIGHTS INITIATIVE)

Tips for Stargazing

Zion National Park offers the following suggestions:

Don’t stop or stand in the roadway. Oncoming cars can’t see you in the fading light (and they are looking at the scenery too!) Use pullouts and parking lots.
Have a light. If you plan on walking away from your vehicle, every member of your group should have a personal light (headlamp or flashlight; don’t rely on your phone!) If you didn’t bring one with you, lights are available for purchase in many local stores and the park bookstore.
Check the astronomical viewing forecast to determine when it is best to view the night sky.

Need locations? Our favorites include:
The Museum patio
Pa’rus Trail
Kolob Canyons Viewpoint
Watchman Campground

Bryce Canyon National Park offer astronomy programs Wednesday and Fridays evenings from May to September, followed by stargazing with telescopes. No reservations are required, but it is advised to arrive 15-30 minutes early. Ranger-guided full moon hikes are an exciting way to experience the park and its stunning sky. Full moon hiking spots are limited and last 1-2 miles or 2-3 hours.

Cedar Breaks National Monument offers Seven Simple Ways to Enjoy Natural Darkness

Conquer your fears: Admit it. Most people are a bit uncomfortable in the dark. Try walking outside in a very dark area while keeping your flashlight in your pocket.
Make a night vision friendly flashlight: By covering your flashlight with red cellophane or a red filter, you can prevent it from disrupting your night vision. Small flashlights work better than large ones.
Stargaze: Spend time looking through telescopes and learning about the cosmos with your local science center, astronomy club, or park ranger.
Go for a moonlit hike: The full moon provides ample light to see in most places. Let your eyes fully adjust. Be safe. A full moon hike will be a memorable experience.
Awaken your nocturnal senses: Find a comfortable spot and look around. Allow your eyes 20 minutes to adjust, and you may be surprised how well you can see by starlight. Do objects appear further? Listen. Do sounds seem louder at night?
Watch nocturnal wildlife: Many animals live their “days” at night. Look for nocturnal wildlife such as owls, bats, deer, bobcats, or fireflies.

Thanks for your support of Ivins Night Sky

Governor Cox Declares April Dark Sky Month

Governor Cox Declares April Dark Sky Month From the Office of Governor Spencer J. Cox
On April 1st, 2023, Governor Cox declared the month of April as
Utah Dark Sky Month
for the third consecutive year. The declaration encourages residents and visitors alike to celebrate this month by visiting one of Utah’s 24 accredited International Dark Sky Places – including all of the Mighty 5® national parks, 10 state parks, and two towns

Did you know Utah is home to some of the darkest skies in the nation and is not only a national leader in dark sky protection and preservation but has the highest number of certified dark sky places in the world?

We are so fortunate in Ivins to live in a city that supports the Night Sky through its progressive outdoor lighting ordinance. As mentioned in this KSL article “…many municipalities throughout the state have or are in the process of adopting dark sky lighting ordinances. A walk down the amber-colored paths winding through Ivins, in southern Utah, shows the fruits of their long-adopted ordinances. A *survey of all residents last fall confirmed the importance of the night sky.” (*The top two issues residents said the city should immediately focus on are open space and trails (81.1% very or completely important) and regulating outdoor lighting and maintaining a dark sky (74.3%).

Here in Southern Utah you can visit Zion National Park, Cedar Breaks and Bryce National Park, all designated International Dark Sky Parks and all within just two hours drive.

To view a timeplapse of the Night Sky at Zion by Aryeh Nirenberg click here.

Thanks for your support of Ivins Night Sky.

Ivins Survey Results

Hope you’re all reviewing the survey responses, lots of good news. Here’s just a sample:

WHAT RESIDENT NEEDS SHOULD IVINS CITY FOCUS ON?

ALL residents:

Continue to regulate outdoor lighting to maintain a dark night sky 16.2% (1-2) 9.5% (3) 74.3% (4-5) this is the 2nd highest ranking out of 28 after open space & trails (81.1%)

Residents here less than 1 year (all neighborhoods) – protecting Dark Sky was #1

Continue to regulate outdoor lighting to maintain a dark night sky 10.3% (1-2) 8.1% (3) 81.6% (4-5)

Even when broken down by neighborhoods, protecting the night sky is one of the top priorities.

https://ivins.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=1084&meta_id=161222

March 20, 2021: City Council’s Decision & Next Steps

On Thursday March 18th, the Ivins City Council decided to break the Outdoor Lighting Ordinance issue into two parts.

Part 1 will be a public hearing on April 1st to consider: (1) a prohibition of electronic message boards; (2) increasing the color temperature for residential from 2700K to 3000K, and, (3) lowering the output of flag lighting from 6,000 to 1,500 lumens.

Part 2 will take place after April 1st, when the Council will consider all of the other changes proposed by the Planning Commission.

We agree with the message board and flag lighting changes. The residential increase is reasonable.

We do not agree with many of the other Planning Commission recommendations, which will be considered after April 1st.

If you agree with us and haven’t signed our Letter of Support yet, please do it now (Click here for the Letter of Support).

If you are not sure if you signed the Letter of Support, do it again. We will watch for duplicates.

We need to show the City Council that a lot of people object to the Planning commission’s recommendations. Please reach out to people you know in Ivins and encourage them to sign the Letter of Support.

Based on the discussion at Thursday’s Council meeting, it appears the April 1st public hearing and any resulting decision will not include the more concerning recommendations from the Planning Commission. But anything can happen. So, if you are able to speak at the public hearing, either in person or using Zoom, about the issues that concern you, thank you.

As of March 20th, more than 1,200 Ivins residents, all adults, have added their names to the Letter of Support. The map below shows there is broad support from all over the city. Please add your name and increase our collective voice.

Night Sky Candidate Responses

Do Candidates for Ivins City Support the Night Sky?

As most of you know, two Ivins City Council seats and the mayor position are up for election this November. Because of the number of candidates who have filed to run, there will be a primary between the six city council candidates on August 10, 2021.

Decisions by the City Council can have a huge impact on protecting and preserving the integrity of our night skies. Right now the Council is still considering the proposed changes submitted by the Planning Commission, many of which would negatively impact our night skies. Who is elected in the upcoming election can make a tremendous difference.

We thought it was important for our supporters to get an idea of where each candidate stands in regard to our night sky so we submitted a quick survey to each candidate and are very appreciative and pleased that most completed the survey.

Here are the candidates with a link to their survey responses:

Cheyne McDonald
Derek Larsen
Lance Anderson
Mike Scott
Paul Bryson
Stephanie Webb (no response)

Mayor
Andy Appel (no response)
Chris Hart

Please vote for the candidate you think would do the most to protect our night sky. The primary will be by mail so if you will be traveling or staying at another address, you can apply for an ABSENTEE BALLOT here.

DEADLINE FOR REQUESTING A CHANGE OF ADDRESS FOR YOUR BALLOT IS FRIDAY, JULY 9TH!!!

1. Click “Register to Vote or update registration”
2. You’ll need your driver’s license number and last 4 digits of your SS # to verify your identity and the address you want your ballot forwarded to.
3. As you answer the questions, be sure and indicate how long you want to use the temporary address.

Traditionally non-presidential elections have low voter turnout, but as we’ve seen, who sits on our city council is vitally important. So this election is just as important as any other. Please be sure to vote in the primary and apply for absentee ballot if necessary.

Thank you for your support and thank you to the candidates who took the time to complete our survey.