By GALEN GISLER and DIDIER SAUMON
Los Alamos 

We are writing as concerned residents regarding the recently activated parking lot lighting at the new Piñon Elementary School.

Upon inspection and measurements, we have found that the level of illumination is far in excess of what is allowed under the Los Alamos County Development Code lighting ordinance (02-333, 16-44ff). Nineteen very bright fixtures now illuminate the northeast parking lot—all night long—when the lot is empty. This single area alone represents a substantial increase in light output and electricity consumption compared to the old school, which had only a few modest fixtures. A second, similar parking lot is currently under construction at Piñon, and the new Chamisa Elementary School outdoor lighting will follow the same design.

A comparison with other parking lots provides some perspective. The Piñon parking lot has four rows of brightly lit parking spaces with an average of 65 lux (at ground level). A fifth row in a darker area has an average of 17 lux. At the Los Alamos Middle School (renovated in 2013), average illumination levels along rows of parking spaces range from 1.2 to 7 lux. Most of the Los Alamos High School parking lot off Diamond Drive is lit at the 0.5-2.5 lux level. The two rows of spaces in the lot adjacent to Orange Street average 1.2 and 9.1 lux.

The Smith’s Marketplace parking lot is very uniformly lit at 30-35 lux and rises to 50-60 lux in front of the store. Out of a few hundred measurements we have made at dozens of locations around the county, only the White Rock Senior Center’s walkways and gas station canopies are brighter than the Piñon lot. As a reference, the recommendation of the Illumination Engineering Society for parking lots is that an average of 10 lux is an appropriate design level, with a minimum of 2 lux anywhere in the illuminated area and a non-uniformity ratio of no more than 20.

The bottom line is that the level of lighting in the LAPS varies considerably from school to school, showing an inconsistency of lighting standards or a rapid evolution towards ever brighter lighting. It is shocking that the empty Piñon lot is twice as bright as the Smith’s lot, which sees activity well into the evening. This is indefensible.

This situation highlights a serious problem: schools and other state construction projects permitted by the NM Construction Industries Division (CID) are apparently exempt from local lighting requirements. As a result, lighting designs that disregard Los Alamos County standards are being approved and installed next to residential neighborhoods, creating light trespass, environmental harm, and visual blight.

We gratefully recognize that county staff have been supportive of efforts to control light pollution, and we appreciate that partnership. However, the state-approved design at Piñon and Chamisa is a major setback to those efforts, and an insult to years of community work to reduce light pollution and protect our night sky, as well as the work of the Resiliency, Energy and Sustainability Task Force.

This is not the first time the community has had to address over-lighting of a state-led project: in 2021, public outcry over the roundabout lights on East Road led to dimming measures, though even those remain much brighter than necessary. Upon learning that the new school buildings were not subject to our local lighting ordinance, we asked several times that the County work with the state and LAPS to make an effort toward meeting our lighting standards. Apparently, no meaningful correction has occurred.

We therefore urge Los Alamos County to take immediate action to:

1. Work with the NM CID and the Los Alamos Public Schools to bring the lighting at Piñon and Chamisa Elementary Schools into closer alignment with the County’s lighting ordinance. Mr. Mike Johnson (LAPS Assistant Superintendent) is helping to address the concerns of residents.
2. Communicate clearly to the state agencies that its outdoor lighting standards are outdated and inconsistent with both modern lighting practices and local ordinances designed to protect the character of our state’s communities and the environment.

We further request that practical corrective measures be implemented as soon as possible at Piñon and Chamisa. For example:

• Dimming fixtures to reasonable levels, or replacing them with compliant luminaires;
• Installing motion sensors to reduce brightness to 25% when there is no activity;
• Turning off the lights during the night;
• Adding house-side shields to prevent light trespass onto neighboring homes; and
• Replacing existing lights with warm-white (≤2700K) fixtures to reduce glare and blue light pollution.

Sound lighting practices are essential for preserving the environment and New Mexico’s renowned night skies, for improved safety, conserving energy and supporting local tourism. The current installations are counterproductive to these goals.

We invite County officials and Council members to see the problem firsthand—please visit the northeast parking lot of Piñon Elementary (access from Sherwood Avenue) after dark to experience the intensity of these lights.

We hope the County will take a leadership role in remedying this situation and in advocating for state permitting standards that reflect the values of our community.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your continued efforts to make Los Alamos a place where progress and preservation go hand in hand.

Editor’s note: The authors of this op-ed helped write the Los Alamos County outdoor lighting ordinance. Gisler is a former member of the New Mexico DarkSky Council and Saumon is a current member. They are both active in astronomy outreach activities in Los Alamos County and the surrounding area.