The Municipality of Lakeshore is putting rules in place to help regulate light nuisance.
During Tuesday's meeting, council was presented with a report to amend the Property Standards By-law to prohibit light fixtures that may negatively impact neighbours.
This amended by-law would target, for instance, lights that unnecessarily light up neighbouring properties.
This report was approved unanimously by council.
If residents are looking to take proactive measures to limit the potential impact of their outdoor light fixtures on adjacent properties, they may consider shields to direct light away from neighbours, adding timers or motion sensors, or reducing the intensity of their lights.
Kirk Walstedt, Lakeshore's deputy mayor, says the only other recourse if there's no by-law in place is going to court.
"That's an expensive process with legal counsel, and everything else, and time. I'm not always in favour of putting more policies or by-laws in place, but I think it's just unfortunate that we have to do that because we've had a lot of complaints in the past few years over this type of thing, and it's just too bad that some of the residents just bring this on because it's their actions that are doing it."
Susan Hirota, General Counsel and Corporate Leader for the Municipality, says while the by-law seems broad, it can be problematic in court if they are too specific.
"The by-law officers would have to be equip with light meters, and it presents challenges in the field. So, if you hold up a light meter to the offending light, if we get to court there will be I'm sure a good defence lawyer who will say 'how can you prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the light on the light meter was coming from my client's light, as opposed to the moon, or the street lights'."
Hirota says it's best to leave the by-law "subjective" in nature.
"What happens is the by-law officers go out, they have to speak to the complainant, who is the neighbour, they will explain how it interferes with the quality of their life, and how it's a nuisance, that individual will have to be a witness and will explain to a Justice of the Peace how it's a nuisance. That's if the person doesn't plead guilty, or won't correct the lighting."
Residents with complaints about a neighbouring property's nuisance light are encouraged to contact Lakeshore's By-law Division.
Anonymous complaints will not be accepted by the municipality.
The full by-law amendment reads, "No Person shall create, cause or permit an intrusion of light of an unusual intensity or type onto adjacent property so as to be or to cause a nuisance. All exterior illuminated light fixtures shall be directed in a manner to minimize glare and the undue intrusion of light onto adjacent property."