Light Pollution
Our commitment is to foster a vibrant and resilient community that values its natural surroundings and works collaboratively to address environmental challenges.
Noise Pollution
Traffic Congestion
Parking Shortages
Wildlife Protection
Every Day Needs A Night
While MCHS is prone to describing its project as a mere “(4) 80′ light poles”, the massive light system will include 80′ poles plus a powerful light array of seven 1500 watt fixtures, plus two 575 watt lights at 15’ plus another light at 70′. The proposal also includes more than a dozen additional “way-finding” lights at 16′ (with unspecified wattage, directional information, or light height information).
Artificial lighting that spreads into unwanted places is known as “light pollution,” and it disrupts the health and wellbeing of humans and wildlife alike. For humans, exposure to bright light at night can interfere with natural circadian rhythms (i.e. 24-hour day/night cycle) by suppressing production of melatonin, the chemical that regulates sleep patterns. Research has linked this disruption to sleep disorders, depression, obesity, breast cancer and more. Wildlife is also harmed by light pollution. The decline of lightning bugs (or fireflies), the death of birds during migration, and the fatal disorientation of newly hatched sea turtles are only a few examples.
Known collectively as “light pollution”, there are three main components: sky glow (brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas), glare (excessive brightness that causes visual discomfort) and light spill/trespass (light that shines where it is not needed or wanted).
Sports lighting often significantly contributes to an area’s skyglow, which disrupts the local ecosystem and harms nearby wildlife. Due to its open nature, this can also create glare on surrounding roads, and spill light may affect light levels in nearby homes – and in these cases, the cost is usually measured in traffic accidents, insomnia, and even chronic headaches among residents.
Although modern stadium lights are designed to be shielded and focused on the athletic field in order to minimize light spill, MCHS’s massive lighting system could still spillover the property lines facing residences as well as those facing adjacent marsh and wetlands. The upward facing lights plus light bounce off the field, players, aluminum bleachers, etc.will also cause significant skyglow and glare that is intensified by the area’s bowl-shaped topography. Additionally, the towering 80′ light structures would be visible from nearby residences and will adversely change the character, beauty and visual attributes of Ross Valley and its environs forever. Hence, the CDA correctly concluded in 2016:
“While the notion of light pollution, spill light, and glare are subjective, it is apparent in reviewing the application that the addition of a field lighting system at the school would result in a level of light contrast and light pollution that is out of character with the neighborhood.”
About Light Pollution
“To the neighbors, it’s a nuisance; to the animals, it’s dangerous; and to the night sky, it’s obliterating.”
Known collectively as “light pollution,” there are three main components:
Sky Glow = (brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas)
Glare = (excessive brightness that causes visual discomfort)
Light Trespass/Spill = (light that shines where it is not needed or wanted.)
Next Meeting:
Dec 10, 2024
More Significant Negative Impacts
Night Noise. Night Lights. Night Traffic.
Noise Pollution
Daytime game noise is already so loud in some homes that folks have to keep the windows closed, otherwise it sounds like the game is being played in their backyard. Imagine suffering through this every night of the school year!
Traffic Congestion
MCHS is a commuter school where more than 80% of students are not local. Adding more traffic to the evening rush hour and later will only excacerbate existing parking shortages and cause more traffic jams.
Wildlife Protection
The park adjacent to MCHS is a breeding area for the endangered Ridgway’s rail and salt marsh harvest mouse. Nighttime lights and crowd noise would negatively impact these and other animals.
Environment Issues
The illumination and use of the MCHS field lights for nightime spectator-sports, public assembly and other activities will change the character, beauty and visual attributes of the Ross Valley Community and its environs forever.
Share Your Concerns
FAQs
Please reach out to us with any additional questions or concerns at: PreserveRossValley@gmail.com
Why does MCHS need permanent night lights?
They don’t. MCHS does not need field lights. The school has successfully operated without field lights for years.
However, MCHS wants field lights because they’ve chosen to pursue an aggressive marketing & growth strategy that, notwithstanding existing space constraints, relies heavily on unbridled expansions of its sports programs in order to attract elite athletes. (MCHS is a private school owned by the Archdiocese Of SF).
There are numerous student support programs that are far more appropriate for this site that would not impose significant negative impacts on Ross Valley and the surrounding environs.
How is this proposal different from prior MCHS proposals?
In 2012, MCHS promised to propose a plan that would light the stadium for only 10 evening events a year, specifically including only “five football games and five soccer or lacrosse matches.” As president Tim Navone explained, “…If there’s some trust that it really is just five times a year the community would be impacted, they’d be behind it and support it.”
The current plan proposes to light the stadium for at least 135 night events per year, representing a 135% increase in usage!
How many light structures will be installed?
While MCHS is prone to describing the project as a mere “(4) 80′ light poles”, the massive light system will include four 80′ poles plus four powerful light arrays of seven 1500 watt fixtures, plus eight 575 watt lights at 15’ plus another four light fixtures at 70′. The proposal also includes more than a dozen additional 16′ tall “way-finding” lights (with unspecified wattage, directional information, or light height information).
Will this increase noise in the surrounding neighborhoods?
YES!
MCHS sits at the base of Ross Valley, which has a particular topography that acts as natural amphitheater amplifying noise generated from stadium events up into the surrounding residential neighborhoods and hillsides. The stadium noise is very loud and is not limited to cheers and boos, but also includes noise from stomping feet on aluminum bleachers, air horns, marching bands and crackling PA system announcements. MCHS’ president has suggested that if local residents are bothered by the noise, then “a trip to Costco, a hike on the mountain, or a visit to a friend’s house is in order.” REALLY? How are young children in the neighborhood supposed to sleep? Are the neighbors simply supposed to go on night hikes and live at Costco 135 nights a year?
Will this create more traffic congestion?
YES!
Traffic along Sir Francis Drake Blvd suffers such congestion that the County recently spent nearly $18 million to try to alleviate the traffic problem between US 101 and the Town of Ross. Even after this project, the traffic flow rates a grade of C, according to the County. MC is in the middle of this heavily impacted stretch. The stadium lights would generate even more traffic right at rush hour, which is obviously a negative development and counter to the effort to improve the corridor. It may also create further safety hazards as students and family leave the late-evening events.
Will this affect local wildlife?
YES!
Artificial light and noise pollution are one of the most widespread threats to biodiversity around the globe. It has numerous and severe impacts on wildlife, especially harming nocturnal wildlife, species active during twilight, insects, and migratory birds and bats. Artificial light and intrusive noise disrupts natural rhythms, influences predator-prey relationships, and hinders navigation, reproduction, nourishment and sleep.
Does the proposal include specific limits on noise levels and clear restrictions on days, times, and manner of usage?
NO!
Will this provide any significant benefits to Ross Valley residents?
No.
Marin Catholic High School retains exclusive control and use of the fields. MCHS is a tax-exempt private “commuter” school and it is estimated that less than 15% of its students and staff live within our Community. Although MCHS will clearly benefit from the proposed system, there are no significant benefits for Ross Valley residents. This is a fundamentally unbalanced equation: a private benefit, and a public cost.
What Our Community Is Saying
“This will light up this peaceful end of the valley and give the appearance of a Kmart parking lot.”
Marin IJ Readers Forum
““The application’s presentation of glare analysis does not address how the project would impact the views from elevated locations.”
Judy Mesinger
“The light study does not adequately address the issue of the sky glow effect at night from stadium lights.”
Dan Brady
“I look over that valley from my deck and spend a lot of time along Corte Madera creek at different times of day, dusk and night. I find preposterous the claims by the school that the light technology is such that there would be no light impacts behind the field of play.”
Chuck Finnien
“…there is a possibility that this entire portion of Ross Valley will be unduly illuminated for most nights of the year.”
Dan Brady
“…the photos in the lighting studies do not show what the lighting would look like from the neighborhood that overlooks the field, or any other neighborhood nearby and does not show the lighting along the perimeter paths and parking areas at all.”
Janet Epstein
“The lights will be visible to many hundreds if not a thousand homes.”
Dan Brady
Join Us In Protecting Our Community
We invite you to stand with us in preserving the tranquility of Ross Valley. Send us an email or letter, volunteer, or attend the upcoming community meeting to express your concerns about nighttime stadium events. Together, we can make a difference.