Town Meeting members approved Article 8, establishing a new general bylaw to regulate light trespass from one property to another. The bylaw is designed to address neighbor-on-neighbor nuisances rather than acting as a broad dark sky regulation. Under the new rules, light hitting an adjacent property must not exceed 10 lux—a threshold Warrant Committee Chair Jay Funling described as the highest among surrounding towns. Enforcement will be complaint-driven, with inspectional services utilizing light meters to verify violations.

The discussion involved concerns about the burden on town staff and potential impacts on safety. Member Kevin Chrysom questioned if staff would be required to perform inspections at 3:00 AM, while Roxanne Musto of the Board of Health worried that the bylaw might deter residents from installing lighting that prevents break-ins. Chair Ben Zul clarified that inspections could often be performed during winter evenings and that the town would only purchase necessary equipment once a complaint is triggered. This rose from specific instances where residents had no redress, Zul said.

An amendment introduced by Member Michael Chimman to expand the definition of a nuisance to include light shining onto town property passed, specifically citing concerns about glare hitting Turner's Pond. A separate attempt to delay the bylaw's implementation until October 2026 was defeated. Residents found in violation will have 30 days to remediate the issue before facing potential fines or further action.

Motion: To adopt the light trespass bylaw as recommended by the Warrant Committee and amended by M. Chimman.

Vote: Passed 136-30