The town of Julian has been accredited by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) as an International Dark Sky Community, reports DarkSky.org.
Julian is the thirtieth designation in IDA history and only the second in California.
“The dedication of the Julian Dark Sky Network to achieving today’s outcome is significant for all of San Diego County,” said IDA Executive Director Ruskin Hartley. “A path forward to IDA accreditation has been opened for unincorporated cities and towns there as a result of the Network’s efforts.”
For an area to become an International Dark Sky Community, it must go through a rigorous application process which includes enacting a quality outdoor lighting policy.
According to IDA's website, an International Dark Sky Community are communities where "legally organized cities and towns that adopt quality outdoor lighting ordinances and undertake efforts to educate residents about the importance of dark skies."
The other certified International Dark Sky Community in California is Borrego Springs which is located 88 miles northeast of San Diego.
The city is also home to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park which was certified as an IDA International Dark Sky Park in 2017.
“We’re at a threshold point where we can decisively reverse decades of growing regional light pollution and see the emergence of a whole region of dark sky appreciation and preservation,” said JDSN founder Doug Sollosy. “We’re elated to help bring about such a region of communities and public parks in a highly-populated area like Southern California.”
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