Breckenridge to enforce light fixtures compliance as it works to become a DarkSky International community | SummitDaily.com

News | Jun 29, 2025

Having bright, outwardly cast exterior lighting will soon come with consequences for Breckenridge homeowners.

In January, the town launched a communications campaign to prepare the community for a July 1 dark sky compliance deadline for all residential exterior lighting. The new requirements set parameters for max wattages and color hues for bulbs. Outdoor lighting must be fully shielded and cast downward, according to the regulations.

According to the town’s regulations, codified in May 2025, enforcement will be done through a fine schedule. Enforcement does not start until Jan. 2, 2026 thanks to a grace period the town is giving and town staff members said residents can use the town as a resource to get into compliance.

The first offense is a $250 fine. The second offense is a $500 fine. The third offense’s punishment will be “determined by the municipal judge,” according to town code.

The town’s instillment of exterior lighting requirements is among the most important steps it needs to take to become a DarkSky International community, a certification given to communities who commit to mitigating light pollution. The town’s been seeking certification for a couple years now.

Environmental and human health are the main drivers behind dark sky efforts, advocates say, aside from the want to not have light pollution drown out the stars in the sky. Advocates say the overarching goal isn’t to shut off all the lights outdoors, but redirect light downward for a more intentional use.

During the campaign to alert the community to the upcoming changes, the town hosted informational drop-in events and made June “Dark Sky Exterior Lighting Fixture Recycling Month,” allowing residents to drop off their soon to be out-of-compliance lights.

Director of engagement Helen Cospolich said the communications campaign mostly sought to educate the community and raise awareness, and she told Breckenridge Town Council at a June 24 meeting she felt those goals were met. The dark sky campaign was among the first communications campaign of this nature the town has launched, and council member Carol Saade wondered if there were any lessons learned.

Cospolich said it was important to the team to get the word out through several mediums since they know some folks get information through the radio and print publications, like the Summit Daily, while others get it via online platforms. She said she felt they were able to hit various demographics with this campaign.

“Now, moving past that July 1 stage, more into compliance, and that’s going to be harder conversations, but we can assist the community development department as needed,” she said.

Breckenridge already submitted its application to DarkSky International and is working through the feedback given by the organization as it works to get certified. Frisco also recently embarked on the DarkSky International certification process and officials learned at a Jan. 28 meeting the town is planning to submit an application in 2026. The towns both went through a state program geared toward helping communities get these certifications and were given mentors to guide them. Local DarkSky Colorado mentor Mark Laurin was assigned to the town through the state program and will be helping push the town forward in the process over the next six months.

More specifics on the changes can be found at BreckUpdate.my.canva.site/dark-sky-exterior-lighting.

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The Milky Way glides across the sky in Breckenridge around 2 a.m. on June 2, 2022. Breckenridge will be enforcing compliance with its DarkSky International-inspired regulations on light fixtures and bulbs. As a Summit Daily News reader, you make our work possible.Summit Daily is embarking on a multiyear project to digitize its archives going back to 1989 and make them available to the public in partnership with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. The full project is expected to cost about $165,000. All donations made in 2023 will go directly toward this project.Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference.