Gresham, OR Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Gresham, OR, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Max lawn/sod area
- 10% of site
- Irrigation
- required during establishment
- Mandatory in
- IND-SW, VC-SW, RTI-SW
- Elsewhere
- guideline only
- Section
- Development Code § 4.1566
Summary
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.
1. Maximum Amount of Lawn Area. The maximum amount of lawn/sod area shall not exceed 10 percent of the undeveloped area of the site. ... 7. Irrigation System Requirements. Landscape improvements shall be properly irrigated during that period of time necessary for the plant to be established on the site and on an ongoing basis so as to maintain the landscape in good health and condition.
Full Breakdown
Under Section 4.1566 of the Community Development Code, landscape plans in Gresham's Springwater Plan District may not devote more than 10 percent of a site's undeveloped area to lawn or sod, pushing developers toward drought-tolerant plantings instead. New landscaping must be properly irrigated while it establishes and on an ongoing basis to stay healthy; temporary above-ground piping or hand watering is encouraged during establishment to save water. As with the district's other xeriscape standards, these rules are mandatory in the IND-SW, VC-SW and RTI-SW subdistricts and a guideline elsewhere in Springwater: they do not apply citywide.
Violations & Fines
Development plans in the mandatory subdistricts exceeding the 10 percent lawn cap, or lacking an irrigation plan for required landscaping, do not clear Development Code site plan review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Gresham restrict what days I can water my lawn?
Where does the 10 percent cap apply?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gresham
How Gresham compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·Compare Gresham to another location·View the Oregon landscaping rules overview
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Water Restrictions in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Multnomah County handle water restrictions.