On July 22, 2025 DarkSky Virginia leader Laura Greenleaf of Richmond and advocate (and professional land use planner) Sara Hollberg of Staunton teamed up to deliver a presentation at the Virginia American Planning Association state conference in Portsmouth. Laura provided attendees with a foundation of light pollution's causes and consequences and the basics of responsible outdoor lighting while Sara spoke to the particular challenges planners face and the resources available to support them in changing lighting decision processes at the local level. They were joined by Liz Paiste of Norfolk's Citizens for Responsible Lighting who gave a grassroots perspective on an LED streetlight conversion that led to the formation of the Virginia Responsible Streetlighting Coalition.
The high attendance from rural, suburban, and urban localities and planners' level of interest reflected what we already know: community concern about light pollution and demand for quality lighting are increasing apace with glare, trespass, and over-lighting. DarkSky Virginia is exploring partnerships with regional nonprofits and others to improve educational opportunities for local planners and access to resources in support of improved, enforceable outdoor lighting ordinances.
