Killeen council to discuss program to limit light pollution and look for energy-saving options

Killeen Daily Herald
By Kevin Limiti | Herald
January 22, 2024

The Killeen City Council on Tuesday will discuss the Dark Skies program, which seeks to combat light pollution and address energy efficiency in lighting.

It will also be discussing at its workshop meeting potentially passing an ordinance to restrict vape shops from being located near a school.

Both of those items were initially brought up by Councilman Riakos Adams on Nov. 14 for future discussion.

In an email to the Herald Monday, he said bringing up these two issues were a “combination of community interest and the relevance of these issues to Killeen’s evolving needs.”

He said he attended an initiative meeting with the National League of Cities at a conference and the issue was brought up to him by a couple of Killeen residents, asking him if it could be put on a future agenda.

“The Dark Skies is a forward-looking proposal aimed at preserving the night sky while balancing the need for public safety and efficient city lighting,” Adams said. “The initiative is not just about reducing light pollution but also about embracing energy-efficient lighting solutions that can lead to cost savings and environmental benefits.”

He said the vape shop issue was also brought up by constituents who were concerned about some of the stores being so close to schools.

“The discussion aims to explore possible regulations that are similar to the alcohol regulations in relationship to the location of our schools and daycare centers. There are no zoning ordinances that address this issue,” Adams said.

He also said there will be a future discussion item on car washes. Resident Camron Cochran brought this up several times at City Council meetings, arguing there were too many opening up and that it was wasteful.

Other items on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting include:

• A briefing from the city auditor and an annual evaluation of City Auditor Matthew Grady.
• Discussion on the Dark Skies program, which seeks to combat light pollution.
• A resolution to hold a general election for the mayor and council at-large seats.
• A resolution to hold a Joint General Election with the Killeen Independent School District and the Tax Appraisal District of Bell County.

This week’s City Council meeting will immediately follow a Killeen Public Facility Corporation meeting at 5 p.m. which will discuss granting several public utility easements along W.S. Young Drive.

The City Council workshop meeting will be held in the council chambers at City Hall, 101 N. College St.

For those unable to attend the meeting in person, it will be web streamed live and archived for playback on the city’s website, KilleenTexas.gov. It will also be broadcast live on Spectrum Cable Channel 10.