Beaverton, OR Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Measured at
- property line or 5 ft beyond
- Applies to
- new development sitewide
- Exempt
- shared lines in common ownership
- Exempt
- lines abutting public right-of-way
Summary
Beaverton caps how much light a new development's fixtures may cast onto neighboring land, tied to shielding and cutoff angle.
When a bollard luminaire, or pole-mounted luminaire, or non-pole-mounted luminaire has total cutoff of light at an angle 90 degrees or less and is located so that the bare light bulb, lamp, or light source is completely shielded from the direct view of an observer 5 feet above the ground at the point where the cutoff angle intersects the ground, then the minimum permitted interior illumination, the maximum permitted illumination 5 feet beyond the property line, and the maximum permitted height of Luminaires is also shown on Table 60.05-1. [ORD 4857; October 2024] [ORD 4859; January 2025]
3. These standards (Section 60.05-1.D.1-2) shall not apply along shared property lines that are under common ownership at the time of submittal, unless the property line abuts a protected Natural Area, unless otherwise approved through a land use application. [ORD 4857; October 2024] [ORD 4859; January 2025]
4. These standards (Section 60.05-1.D.1-2) shall not apply to property lines abutting public right-of-way. [ORD 4857; October 2024]
E. General Provisions. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section to the contrary:
1. Design Standards for Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Multiple-Use Districts:
a. No flickering or flashing lights shall be permitted.
Full Breakdown
Under the Technical Lighting Standards attached to Development Code § 60.05.30 (Table 60.05-1), every bollard, pole-mounted, or non-pole-mounted luminaire on a new development is measured for how much light it throws past the lot line: fixtures with a wide cutoff angle are capped at the property line itself, while fully shielded fixtures with a tighter cutoff are allowed slightly more room, measured 5 feet beyond the line. The standards apply to driveways, parking lots, walkways, and building entrances on new development, but the property-line limits drop away along a shared lot line held in common ownership (unless it abuts a protected Natural Area) and along lines fronting a public right-of-way.
Violations & Fines
Reviewed and enforced through the city's Design Review process at permitting for the lighting plan, not through after-the-fact citation of an installed fixture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Beaverton limit how much light a new development can throw onto my property?
Does the light-trespass limit apply between two houses under the same owner?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Beaverton
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Light Trespass & Shielding in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Washington County handle light trespass & shielding.