Janet Mizzi & Lorna Patrick U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Panama City, Florida December 2007

1. The Benefits of a Beachfront Lighting Ordinanceon Panama City Beaches Janet Mizzi & Lorna Patrick U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicePanama City, FloridaDecember 2007

2. The benefits of a beachfront lighting ordinance The ordinance will minimize effects of the nourishment project Beach nourishment = a wider and higher beach. The first few years after nourishment turtles nest closer to the water because the beach is wider and flatter. Water Land

3. The benefits of a beachfront lighting ordinance The turtles are exposed to more beachfront lighting • Ocean Ridge, Palm Beach County, FL, 1997-98, • 1998 • 86% of disorientations in nourished area • 1999 • 66% of disorientations in nourished area Bay County, 1998-99,2004, 2005 No Controls • Brevard County, FL 2002 • 2002 - 130% increased disorientations in the nourished area; disorientations on beaches not nourished remained constant • 2003 -same result was when another beach in the County was nourished and the disorientations increased by 480%.

4. The benefits of a beachfront lighting ordinance The existing Bay County pilot ordinance worked • Disorientations of sea turtle hatchlings have been reduced Difference between the number of disoriented nests within and outside the ordinance area

5. The benefits of a beachfront lighting ordinance Cost sharing is available to change out lights on existing properties FWS Partners - Of the total $177,000, $33,750 have been provided in Bay County Ramsgate: balcony and underneath parking lightsThe Shores: pool and balcony lightsPinnacle Port: pool, balcony lights, in progress parking lot lightsSugar Sands motel: balcony lights, deck and walkway lights FWS Private Lands stewardship – Larger grant awards to individual property owners FL Sea turtle license plate – local gov’t may apply for funds for changing lighting on their properties

6. The benefits of a beachfront lighting ordinance SANTA ROSA COUNTY Bay County & PCB will be consistent with the rest of coastal Florida 63% of all coastal counties that have turtle nesting and 47 municipalities have ordinances

7. The benefits of a beachfront lighting ordinance Bay County & PCB will be consistent with the rest of coastal Florida Join NW Florida in sharing the responsibility • Franklin County 1998 • Gulf County 2001 • City of Mexico Beach 2001 • City of Destin 2004 • Santa Rosa County 2005 • Escambia County (being drafted) • Walton County (being drafted) • Bay County pilot 2002

8. The benefits of a beachfront lighting ordinance Human safety and security are addressed; lighting regulations can be met in most situations • No evidence that implementation of sea turtle lighting has resulted in an increase of crime or accidents Sarasota County 3 Gulf front beach patrol zones – 1996 – 2001; ordinance went into effect 1997

9. The benefits of a beachfront lighting ordinance Human safety and security will be assured; lighting regulations can be met New developments are able to meet sea turtle lighting and regulatory requirements when properly planned Existing developments – solution provide limited regulatory relief “Existing developments that can not meet lighting level regulations with standard sea turtle lighting shall use sea turtle lights supplemented with full cut-off high pressure sodium lighting to minimize lighting that may illuminate the beach."

10. The benefits of a beachfront lighting ordinance Reduces lighting pollution of the night sky Enhances vision by placing light where needed Light on the ground Not up in the sky where it causes glare and is wasted

11. The benefits of a beachfront lighting ordinance Go Green & Profit by it Reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Sea turtle light bulbs are energy efficient, saves energy and money Low pressure sodium Incandescent bulbs = 1,000 hrs CF bulbs = 6,000 -8,000 hrs LEDs = 50,000 – 100,000 hrs LPS = 12,000 – 18,000 hrs

12. The benefits of a beachfront lighting ordinance Go Green & Profit by it • Ecotourism is and is a fast-growing sector of Florida tourism. Tourists: • are interested in the environmental issues relevant to the destinations; • want to learn about the issues both before they travel and while they are at their destination; • seek pristine environments to visit and that their trip will not damage local ecosystems; and • are interested in patronizing hotels that protect the local environment and view local environmental and social stewardship as a responsibility of the businesses they support. • Add a market of eco-friendly travelers to our visitors. Become a certified Wildlife Lighting Development, free advertisement on FWC website and use of logo for marketing

13. The benefits of a beachfront lighting ordinance Proposed Ordinance and/or use pilot ordinance with a few revisions • Proposed ordinance: • New & Existing developments • Provide more flexibility in use of turtle lights • Add roadway, parking lot, signs and other infrastructure or development associated lights for clarity • Add window film as an option • Existing developments • where qualified allow a combination of turtle and HPS lights • voluntary interior light reduction • Pilot ordinance: • Provide more flexibility in use of turtle lights • where qualified allow a combination of turtle and HPS lights

14. The benefits of a beachfront lighting ordinance This is a balanced approach • Revise proposed ordinance or expand the pilot lighting ordinance (with a few revisions) and minimize beachfront lighting impacts to nesting and hatchling sea turtles across the beaches of Bay County • Provides lighting for safety and security where needed • Addresses conflicts in regulatory lighting issues • Allows flexibility for property owners and managers

15. The benefits of a beachfront lighting ordinance We appreciate the opportunity to provide comments and are available to answer questions during the workshop