Groveland Becomes First Dark Sky Community in Florida and Southeast USA

DarkSky International announced that the City of Groveland, Florida, was certified as a Dark Sky Community, making it the first city in Florida and the first in the Southeastern United States to receive the honor. This coveted certification further establishes Groveland as a city living up to its reputation as a “City with Natural Charm” by committing to standards that will help protect the environment.

Groveland is one of Florida’s fastest-growing cities. Located about 30 miles west of Orlando, Groveland is a diverse, historic community of about 23,000 people. The economy is driven by a strong agricultural foundation and a robust industrial park with national companies such as Kroger and Amazon. City leaders worked with community partners to create a strategic plan emphasizing a sophisticated approach to incorporating natural elements into the city’s plans. Achieving the International Dark Sky Community certification was a major objective of this initiative.

Other Central Floridians have already taken note, such as Orlando Photographer and International Dark-Sky Association member Steven Miller.

This summer, signage will be installed throughout the city to celebrate this important achievement. Signs will feature the new DarkSky branding to inform visitors that Groveland is a Dark Sky Community. A plan is being developed, and funds are budgeted, to retrofit city-owned lighting. Groveland also is working with local retailer, Toole’s Ace Hardware, to carry dark-sky compliant fixtures for residents. The city continues to work with developers to ensure new neighborhoods meet dark-sky standards.