Moving to Gresham, OR? Here Are the Local Rules You Should Know

Gresham is a mid-sized city in Multnomah County, Oregon, with about 114000 residents. Like most cities its size, it has a set of local rules that may differ significantly from neighboring municipalities. Here is an overview of 113 ordinances across 35 categories that affect daily life in Gresham.

Trash & Recycling

Dumpster Rules: A construction dumpster or roll-off can sit in Gresham's public right-of-way without a permit only briefly and under strict limits: size capped at 20.5 by 8 feet, kept 10 feet from fire hydrants, and never blocking traffic..

Also covered: Yard Waste Collection (moderate), Bin Placement Rules (moderate), Bulk Item Disposal (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for Gresham for details.

Landscaping Rules

Water Restrictions: Gresham's Springwater Plan District caps lawn and sod area at 10 percent of a site's undeveloped land and requires new landscaping to have a working irrigation system until plants are established..

Also covered: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (moderate), Native Plants (moderate), Tree Trimming (moderate). See the full landscaping rules guide for Gresham for details.

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Food Truck Permits: Food carts and food cart pods operating in Gresham need a city development permit plus a Multnomah County Mobile Food Unit Operating License before serving customers on qualifying commercial sites..

Also covered: Vending Zones (moderate), Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (moderate). See the full food trucks & mobile vendors guide for Gresham for details.

Building Setbacks & Zoning

Setback Rules: In Gresham's Neighborhood Commercial (NC) zoning district, Table 4.0230 of the Development Code sets a 20-foot front setback, a 0-foot interior side setback, a 0-to-15-foot corner side setback, and no required rear setback for new commercial development..

Also covered: Structure Height Limits (moderate), Lot Coverage Limits (moderate). See the full building setbacks & zoning guide for Gresham for details.

Property Maintenance

Property Blight: Gresham bans owning or operating a property with a derelict structure and requires registration, securing, and repair or demolition under the city's Property Maintenance Code..

Also covered: Vacant Lot Maintenance (moderate), Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (moderate). See the full property maintenance guide for Gresham for details.

Short-Term Rentals

Short-Term Rental Permits: Gresham requires short-term rental owners to submit a registration application naming the STR's location, all owners, and a primary and backup contact, one of whom must live in the Portland metro area, plus pay a council-set application fee..

Also covered: Host Presence Rule (moderate), Noise Rules (moderate), Occupancy Limits (moderate). See the full short-term rentals guide for Gresham for details.

Special Events & Permits

Parade Permits: Parades and street closures on Gresham streets need a city permit filed at least 45 days ahead, with a fee, a traffic control plan, and insurance, before the manager will approve it..

Also covered: Park Event Permits (moderate). See the full special events & permits guide for Gresham for details.

Environmental Rules

Flood Zones: Any development within Gresham's Floodplain Overlay District needs a floodplain development permit from the Community Development Manager, reviewed under a Type II procedure: a standard building permit alone does not satisfy this separate requirement..

Also covered: Erosion Control (moderate), Boat Dock Permits (moderate), Flood Elevation Requirements (moderate). See the full environmental rules guide for Gresham for details.

Parking Rules

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles: Gresham prohibits parking any vehicle or combination over 10,000 pounds GVW on public streets, highways, or rights-of-way, except while actively loading or unloading..

Also covered: EV Charging (limited), Preferential Parking Districts (moderate), Loading Zones (moderate). See the full parking rules guide for Gresham for details.

Tree Protection

Parkway Planting: New Gresham development must include one street tree for every 35 feet of frontage, each at least 1.75 inches in caliper and spaced no closer than 20 feet apart in the planter strip..

Also covered: Heritage & Protected Trees (moderate), Protected Tree Species (moderate). See the full tree protection guide for Gresham for details.

Public Conduct

Public Alcohol Use: Gresham prohibits drinking or carrying an open container of alcohol in any public place unless the location is licensed by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission..

Also covered: Public Urination (strict), Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (restrictive). See the full public conduct guide for Gresham for details.

Historic Preservation

Historic-Cultural Monuments: Properties on Gresham's Historic and Cultural Landmarks List sit in an HL overlay district, and altering, relocating, or demolishing a designated landmark requires Historic Resources Subcommittee and Hearings Officer review..

Curfew Laws

Juvenile Curfew: Minors under 18 cannot be on Gresham streets, parks, or other public places between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Also covered: Park Curfew (moderate). See the full curfew laws guide for Gresham for details.

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules

Obstruction Rules: Gresham bans dumping or storing dirt, gravel, lumber, or personal property on a sidewalk or adjacent street, keeping rights-of-way clear for pedestrians and vehicles..

Also covered: Encroachment Permits (moderate), Sidewalk Repair (moderate). See the full sidewalk & pedestrian rules guide for Gresham for details.

Cannabis Regulations

Buffer Zones: Gresham won't register or renew a marijuana business within 1,000 feet of a school, child care facility, park, or religious institution, with the distance measured from the protected property's boundary in every direction..

Also covered: Dispensary Zoning (restrictive). See the full cannabis regulations guide for Gresham for details.

Rental Inspections

Inspection Programs: Gresham licenses every residential rental property and pulls a nondiscriminatory annual sample of licensed units for Property Maintenance Code inspection, whether or not anyone has complained..

Also covered: Tenant Complaint Process (moderate). See the full rental inspections guide for Gresham for details.

Business Licensing & Operations

Auto Repair on Residential Property: Gresham outright bans vehicle repair, maintenance, or dismantling, along with vehicle sales and industrial activity, as a home occupation, so a home-based auto repair shop cannot get a permit or business license..

Also covered: Secondhand Dealers (restrictive), Towing Companies (restrictive), Massage Establishments (restrictive). See the full business licensing & operations guide for Gresham for details.

Building Safety

Building Permits: Gresham enforces the Oregon Structural Specialty Code as its building code, and the Building Official must issue a permit before construction, alteration, demolition, or moving of a building anywhere in the city outside the public way..

Also covered: Fire Sprinkler Requirements (moderate), Plumbing Permits (moderate), Green Building Code (moderate). See the full building safety guide for Gresham for details.

Code Violation Reporting

How to Report: Property maintenance and derelict-structure complaints in Gresham go to the city manager, who must investigate and can pursue license revocation or Article 7.50 enforcement..

Zoning Overlays & Bonuses

Downtown Design Guide: New buildings, additions and remodels in Downtown Gresham's Plan District go through design review under Development Code Section 4.1100, with two tracks: a Clear and Objective standards path or a Discretionary Design Commission review..

Also covered: Density Bonus Law (moderate). See the full zoning overlays & bonuses guide for Gresham for details.

Animal Ordinances

Beekeeping: Gresham allows honeybee hives on single-family lots under GRC Article 7.18, capping colonies at six with flyway-barrier and siting requirements..

Also covered: Chickens & Livestock (moderate). See the full animal ordinances guide for Gresham for details.

Rental Property Rules

Rental Registration: Gresham requires owners of any residential rental property, including owner-occupied homes renting a single room, to hold an annually renewed City rental license under GRC Article 9.55 before renting..

Also covered: Repairs & Habitability (moderate). See the full rental property rules guide for Gresham for details.

Accessory Structures

ADU Rental Restrictions: Gresham's Development Code flatly bars Accessory Dwellings from being used as short-term rentals, closing off a popular way homeowners elsewhere convert ADUs into vacation rental income..

Also covered: ADU Rules (moderate), Shed & Carport Rules (moderate). See the full accessory structures guide for Gresham for details.

Fence Regulations

Retaining Walls: Gresham requires a building permit for any retaining wall taller than 4 feet, measured from footing to top, and for any wall built within twice its own height of a building, under the adopted structural code..

Also covered: Height Limits (moderate), Material Restrictions (moderate). See the full fence regulations guide for Gresham for details.

Outdoor Lighting

Light Trespass & Shielding: Gresham's Development Code requires full cut-off outdoor light fixtures with a 90-degree cutoff angle on Corridor District, multi-family, and several other developments, and bars any direct light source from being visible at the property line..

Garage & Yard Sales

Frequency, Duration & Permits: Gresham caps garage and yard sales at three consecutive days per sale and no more than 10 cumulative days per residence each calendar year, with no permit required..

Swimming Pools & Spas

Fencing & Safety Requirements: Gresham requires any swimming pool, water feature or excavation four feet deep and a foot wide to be fenced or securely covered, treating an unsecured one as a public nuisance..

Hotels & Lodging

Transient Occupancy Tax: Gresham taxes overnight stays at hotels, motels and short-term rentals alike under its Transient Lodging Tax, with the rate set by council resolution and collected by the operator..

Homelessness & Encampment Rules

Encampment Sanitation: Gresham bans camping on public property and rights-of-way outside city-approved campgrounds, and requires that a person experiencing homelessness first be offered shelter before facing a fine under the city's camping policy..

Fire Regulations

Outdoor Burning: Gresham bans burning yard debris or other material on residential property citywide unless the city fire marshal issues an open burn permit or a burn season is declared..

Also covered: Smoke Detectors (moderate), Fireworks (moderate). See the full fire regulations guide for Gresham for details.

Solar Energy

Panel Permits: Solar energy systems in Gresham require a development permit under Development Code Article 11, with the review level set by a size-based scale, small, medium, or large, before installation..

Also covered: Expedited Solar Permitting (permissive). See the full solar energy guide for Gresham for details.

Noise Ordinances

Aircraft Noise: Gresham requires heliport developers to submit a professional acoustical study and noise-mitigation plan before a heliport can win Special Use Review approval, addressing flight paths, speeds, hours of use, and buffers near noise-sensitive properties..

Also covered: Leaf Blower Rules (moderate), Construction Hours (moderate), Decibel Limits (moderate). See the full noise ordinances guide for Gresham for details.

Home Business

Signage Rules: Gresham bans all signage for home occupations: no sign may reveal a home business exists, and nothing visible from the street or a neighbor's yard may show the home is used for anything but a dwelling..

Also covered: Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (moderate), Customer Traffic Restrictions (moderate), Home Daycare (permissive). See the full home business guide for Gresham for details.

Sign Regulations

Window Signs: Gresham exempts window signs on commercial, industrial, and institutional properties from a development permit, but only if the signage covers no more than 50 percent of the window area; exceed that and a permit is required..

Also covered: Holiday Displays (limited), Digital Billboards (moderate), Garage Sale Signs (moderate). See the full sign regulations guide for Gresham for details.

Invasive Plant Rules

Prohibited Species: Gresham bans selling, planting, releasing, or spreading any plant on the city's official Invasive Plant List, which the city manager adopts and maintains..

What to Do With This Information

Think of this as a map of the regulatory landscape in Gresham. For any rule that directly affects a decision you are making, click through to the full ordinance page for penalty details and exceptions, and confirm with the city if the stakes are high.