'Dark Skies' Plan To Ban Bright Lights From Parks, Patios In Rural LA County

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A proposed ban on bright lighting could soon bring out the stars for residents in Los Angeles County.

KNX 1070's John Brooks reports the county Regional Planning Commission approved a "dark skies" ordinance on Monday that would allow homeowners to file a complaint against their neighbor's spotlights.

If approved by the Board of Supervisors, the ordinance would prohibit overly bright and obtrusive lighting and levy fines for people whose lights "trespass" onto other properties.

The new rules would give power to homeowners irked by a neighbor's patio lights or the glare from a nearby high school football field.

The ordinance, which was first proposed by Supervisor Michael Antonovich in 2008, has slowly gained traction as new housing developments continue to creep further out toward traditionally rural areas.

In the hills of Calabasas, skywatchers can still see the stars — and residents like it that way.

"I'm all for it, I think it's great to limit how bright the lights are," said one man. "I like the idea."

The proposed rules would affect all rural areas in unincorporated L.A. County along with the county's entire northern region, including cities in the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Monica Mountains.

The Board of Supervisors is expected to pass the measure in early 2012 and would take effect six months later.