After weeks of waiting, on June 9, the Town of Camp Verde received news regarding an application it submitted in March to the International Dark-Sky Association, a nonprofit devoted to limiting light pollution worldwide.
Camp Verde has received approval to become the 20th International Dark Sky Community, joining other Arizona communities such as Sedona, the Village of Oak Creek, Flagstaff and Fountain Hills.
“Camp Verde is in the top 20 percent in the world for a visible Milky Way,” said Sebra Choe, economic development specialist for the Town of Camp Verde. “That is a precious natural resource that we want to preserve. We want people to think about our dark skies like they do the Grand Canyon or the Verde River. It’s something that is special to this area, and it provides quality of life. It’s an opportunity for eco-tourism, and it’s what makes us really special.”
Camp Verde’s dark sky ordinance dates back about 20 years, while Yavapai County’s dark sky planning and zoning requirement dates back to 2002.
The town made the decision about five years ago to take its ordinance a step further by seeking official dark sky recognition by the IDA. This process was spearheaded by Mary McCarthy, a former intern for the Town of Camp Verde.
To be designated a dark sky community, the IDA required the Town of Camp Verde to make its previous planning and zoning rules more advanced in order to safeguard its skies. Under Camp Verde’s rules, a majority of its public spaces are required to remain unlit at night unless there is a specific public-safety reason why they need to be.
The Town of Camp Verde is also in the process of replacing its street lamps, and moving away from white lights to low-intensity yellow or amber lights. Already, most street lamps have low Kelvin ratings, but the town intends to replace remaining lights over the next two fiscal years to bring the town into full IDA compliance.
According to Choe, the IDA recognition can allow Camp Verde to become a special place for stargazing and part of the town’s brand for local businesses. She said she hopes that many will start marketing more night events, such as moonlit tours or stargazing events at local wineries.
“It’s making our tourists to our area, as well as our residents, aware of the fact that our night sky is a natural resource,” said Karen Maddy, the outreach director of Astronomers of Verde Valley club.
According to Maddy, an application like the IDA one can be an extensive process. She said the astronomy club is happy to see that the Town of Camp Verde has succeed in becoming a dark sky community.
Looking ahead, Choe said she hopes to bring in Astronomers of Verde Valley to help celebrate the Town’s designation with the Camp Verde Dark Skies Festival on Oct. 6. The event would begin during the afternoon and offer educational events about astronomy, including a talk faciliated by Jeffrey Hall, director of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. Stargazing would also take place in the evening along with other nighttime events.
Jon Hecht can be reached at 634-8551, or email jhecht@larsonnewspapers.com
