In general, the following trends are demonstrated:
The more dense the urban development, the greater the potential for
light intrusion.
The closer development is to the installation, the greater the potential
for light intrusion.
Issues Assessment
ISSUE
LG‐1
Preserve Capability for Night Mission Training
While the is no current impact to night mission training, there
is concern with potential future development that could
create light pollution and horizon brightening. This would
impact the effectiveness of night vision devices, ultimately
affecting the overall capability of Maxwell AFB executing
nighttime training.
Land near the northeastern perimeter of Maxwell AFB is a premier location
for the development of commercial, recreational, and entertainment land
uses because of its attractive location along the Alabama River. These types
of development typically require outdoor lighting for businesses, parking
areas, and structures designed for outdoor events, such as sports arenas and
amphitheaters. According to the 2009 Maxwell AFB AICUZ Study, there are
numerous flight tracks over the areas that have been identified for potential
development. There is a concern regarding these types of development and
their locations because these areas experience flyovers from lower altitude
and slower aircraft, which can create potential hazards for the aircraft and
pilots flying the aircraft. The aircraft in these areas are usually preparing to
depart or approach and as such need an optimum environment, especially
at night, where ambient light does not impair the pilots’ vision during these
aviation operations. Unshielded and not fully cutoff light fixtures in these
June 2017
areas near the runway can increase horizon brightening and glare which
could directly increase light pollution in this area rendering this environment
not ideal for nighttime training. Ultimately, if the night environment is
degraded, then it becomes an ineffective training location for nighttime
training of C‐130 pilots, which could impact mission capabilities at
Maxwell AFB by limiting their ability to conduct night training.
It should be noted that light pollution has had an effect on military training
from as far as 10 to 20 miles away from the military installation in other
locations across the United States. It is important to Maxwell AFB that the
dark skies night environment be protected to ensure the capability to train
at night in the future.
Compatibility Assessment
The City of Montgomery Zoning Ordinance do