Planning Board Backs Dark Sky Bylaw Push
Planning Board · Meeting of August 18, 2026
Hamilton Planning Board backs a townwide outdoor lighting bylaw and clears a packed agenda. Dark Sky steering committee member Ann Giroux told the board the Select Board unanimously straw-polled in favor of pursuing the measure as a general bylaw, not a zoning bylaw, ahead of the spring 2027 Annual Town Meeting; the Planning Board followed with its own unanimous straw poll of support, including member Beth Herr joining by Zoom. "I think we really need you," Giroux said, asking the board to help draft lighting standards.
Members approved the August 4 minutes 6-0 with Herr abstaining, adopted a Town Center District parking checklist 6-0 after adding language clarifying it does not supersede the zoning bylaw, and voted 6-0 to cancel the September 1 meeting, which falls on primary election day, folding its business into September 15.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,303 words
Source: the Planning Board meeting of August 18, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
Keep reading with a 30-day free trial
Subscribe to Essex County News to keep reading this post and get 30 days of free access to the full post archives.
Starting a trial requires a payment method. After 30 free days your subscription begins at the price shown at checkout and renews automatically until you cancel. You can cancel anytime from your account. Subscription terms
A subscription gets you:
- Subscriber-only posts and full archive
- Post comments and join the community
- 24x7 access to local news