WINDSOR, ONT. -- Leamington is preparing legal action against 12 greenhouse operators for non-compliance with its light abatement bylaw.

A report to update council on the status of the enforcement of the bylaw presented Tuesday evening noted bylaw enforcement officers visited greenhouses and followed up on compliance from January to March.

They found 23 locations were non-compliant of the light abatement bylaw, which was passed by Council on Dec. 8, 2020.

After hiring a lawyer on March 8, fewer than half continued to be in violation of the bylaw which requires operators to reduce the amount of light coming from their greenhouses.

Leamington Mayor Hilda Macdonald says the 12 greenhouse operations facing legal action is a mix of vegetable and part two cannabis growers.

The light pollution bylaw is meant to limit night glow from greenhouses.

“It’s a balance,” MacDonald says. “We will never make both sides 100 per cent happy but we are trying to find that balance so that there is some satisfaction with the residents and yet the industry can continue to thrive. We’re not looking to cut it off at the knees.”

Some of the orders are scheduled to be spoken to in court on May 25.

- With files from CTV Windsor's Angelo Aversa