Eugene, OR Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Banned fixture types
- HPS, mercury vapor, floodlights in dark zones
- Citywide ban
- Decorative lasers, flashing lights, searchlights
- HPS lumens cap
- 2,250 initial lumens where still allowed
- Intrinsically Dark Areas
- NR-zoned and conservation area land
- IDA fixture cap
- 1,500 lumens, light directed downward
- Governing section
- EC 9.6725(4)
Summary
Eugene bans high pressure sodium, mercury vapor and floodlight fixtures in its Intrinsically Dark Areas and Low Ambient Light Areas, the natural-resource and low-density residential zones under EC 9.6725(4). Decorative lasers, continuously flashing lights and searchlights are prohibited citywide. Where high pressure sodium lights are allowed elsewhere, each fixture is capped at 2,250 initial lumens.
(4) Prohibited Types of Lights. Decorative lasers, continuously flashing lights and searchlights are prohibited. In Intrinsically Dark Areas and Low Ambient Light Areas, as defined in EC 9.6725(8), high pressure sodium lights, mercury vapor lights, and flood lights are prohibited, except when used to illuminate walkways and bikepaths in compliance with applicable standards. High pressure sodium lights are permitted in other situations only when the maximum initial lumens generated by each lighting fixture does not exceed 2,250 lumens.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 20739, passed June 8, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Eugene builds its dark-sky protections into the Outdoor Lighting Standards at EC 9.6725, which creates four lighting classifications tied to zoning under EC 9.6725(8): Intrinsically Dark Areas (O-1), covering land zoned NR Natural Resource or within a conservation area; Low Ambient Light Areas (O-2), covering R-1, R-1.5, R-2, C-1, PL and PRO zones; Medium Ambient Light Areas (O-3) for R-3 and R-4 zones; and High Ambient Light Areas (O-4) for commercial, employment and industrial zones with heavy nighttime activity.
EC 9.6725(4) bans decorative lasers, continuously flashing lights and searchlights everywhere in the city. Inside the Intrinsically Dark and Low Ambient Light classifications specifically, high pressure sodium lights, mercury vapor lights and floodlights are prohibited outright, with a narrow exception for lights used to illuminate walkways and bikepaths in those zones. In areas where high pressure sodium lights remain allowed, each fixture is capped at 2,250 initial lumens. Within an Intrinsically Dark Area, EC 9.6725(8)(a) further requires that any lighting fixture not illuminating a walkway, bike path or tunnel be designed to direct light downward and stay at or under 1,500 initial lumens, and walkway lighting in that zone is capped at a maximum average maintained luminance of 0.9 foot-candle. These area-based limits sit on top of the citywide shielding and cutoff-fixture requirements in EC 9.6725(3).
Violations & Fines
Installing a prohibited fixture type, such as a mercury vapor or floodlight, inside an Intrinsically Dark or Low Ambient Light Area, or exceeding the lumens cap on a high pressure sodium fixture, violates EC 9.6725(4) and requires a lighting permit correction under EC 9.6725(6)(c). The building and permit services manager can invalidate the permit and abate the fixture as a public nuisance. EC 9.0275(2) sets the citywide penalty at up to $1,000 per day the violation continues, plus up to 100 days in jail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Eugene zones count as 'Intrinsically Dark Areas'?
What light fixtures are banned in Eugene's darker zones?
Is there a brightness cap on lights that are still allowed?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Eugene
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