The City of Sedona and the environmental organization Keep Sedona Beautiful (KSB) are proud to announce that the City of Sedona has been named the world’s eighth International Dark Sky Community by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA).

In December 2012, City Council established as one of its priorities the designation of Sedona as an International Dark-Sky Community by the IDA. In April 2013, through the efforts of Mayor Rob Adams and the KSB Dark-Sky Committee, it was decided to pursue the designation. The KSB Dark-Sky Committee garnered wide community support from local governmental entities, including the City Council, Yavapai County and Coconino County Supervisors, local organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Sedona Lodging Council, Big Park Regional Coordinating Council, environmental groups, numerous businesses and hundreds of individual area residents, After extensive documentation by City staff of the City’s efforts in controlling light pollution, the comprehensive application to IDA was submitted by KSB in mid-November 2013.

Mayor Adams states, “I am delighted that Sedona has been approved for an official Dark-Sky Community designation. I believe that this designation, along with the Bicycle Friendly Community designation, makes a statement about our values and priorities as a community. These designations also require that we maintain guidelines and standards that assure our dark skies and bicycle paths will be an ongoing priority for our City."

Tom O’Halleran, past-president of KSB, adds, “For years a major goal for the citizens of Sedona and the City has been to preserve our majestic dark sky. This designation will be a reminder that we all live in a special place and send a message to future generations that maintaining our Dark-Sky Community designation will require constant vigilance.”

On June 24, 2014, City Council approved the City of Sedona International Dark Sky Community Policy and Lightscape Management Plan for maintaining Dark Sky designation by the IDA.

Achieving Dark Sky designation entitles Sedona to display the IDA Dark-Sky Community logo in official publications, promotions, website, and signs at the entrances to the city and throughout the community. It also allows other groups within the community, such as KSB or the Chamber of Commerce, to use the logo when identifying the Sedona area in its publications, promotions, brochures, and website.

Keep Sedona Beautiful, Inc., a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, seeks to protect and sustain the unique scenic beauty and natural environment of the Greater Sedona Area and has worked on preserving Sedona’s dark sky since 1999.

The International Dark-Sky Association, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization based in Tucson, Arizona, advocates worldwide for the protection of the nighttime environment and dark night skies by educating policymakers and the public about night sky conservation and promoting environmentally responsible outdoor lighting.

IDA established the International Dark Sky Places conservation program in 2001 to recognize excellent stewardship of the night sky. Designations are based on stringent outdoor lighting standards and innovative community outreach. Since the program began, eight communities including Sedona, sixteen parks, and eight reserves have received International Dark Sky designations. More information about KSB and IDA can be found at www.KeepSedonaBeautiful.org and www.darksky.org, respectively.