Multnomah County, OR Outdoor Lighting: Dark Sky Rules (2026)

Portland City Code 33.130.215 (Outdoor Lighting Standards) requires new and substantially-modified outdoor lighting to use full-cutoff (fully-shielded) luminaires with all light directed downward - no light emitted above the horizontal plane. Residential fixtures up to 900 initial lumens are generally exempt from full-cutoff requirements; commercial, institutional, and multi-family properties have strict cutoff obligations. Light trespass is limited to 0.5 foot-candles measured at the property line of abutting residential lots. Portland's Green Building Policy recommends warm-white LEDs (3000K or below) to reduce blue-spectrum emission harmful to migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway - Portland Audubon coordinates with Bird-Safe Buildings guidelines. The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area enforces additional dark-sky standards in the Scenic Area boundary (east of Troutdale) under 16 USC §544d. Multnomah County MCC 39 applies lighting standards in SEC overlays. Unincorporated areas near Silver Star Natural Area and Sandy River canyon follow reduced-lighting practices. Oregon lacks a statewide dark-sky law like Arizona or New Mexico. Gresham and Troutdale adopt similar full-cutoff requirements in commercial zones. Holiday lighting is typically exempt during November 15 - January 15 under most local codes.