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Beachfront Lighting

 Picture of artificial lights that reduce light pollution

 

Every year beginning in March and running through October, sea turtles come ashore to lay eggs on Palm Beach County's beaches. Unfortunately, artificial lighting visible from the beach often causes sea turtles to become disoriented, preventing them from finding their way back to the ocean. Since 1987, ERM has regulated beachfront lighting through the Palm Beach County Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) Article 14.A, Sea Turtle Protection and Sand Preservation Ordinance. 

ERM has saved tens of thousands of sea turtles from becoming disoriented by regulating the amount of light visible on the beach.

 

Overview

Any coastal construction in Palm Beach County must eliminate impacts to sea turtles.
A permit from ERM is required when any light source is replaced or installed within the "Sea Turtle Protection Zone" in one of the following  beachfront communities : Tequesta, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Riviera Beach (Singer Island), Palm Beach Shores, Lake Worth, Lantana, Manalapan, Briny Breezes, and Boynton Beach.
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