Gresham, OR Outdoor Lighting: Light Trespass & Shielding (2026)
Key Facts
- Fixture type
- Full cut-off required
- Cutoff angle
- 90 degrees from vertical
- At property line
- No direct light source visible
- Residential property line cap
- 0.5 foot-candles max
- Applies to
- Corridor, multi-family, Pleasant Valley, Springwater
Summary
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.
S2. Light Spill. Developments shall use full cut-off lighting fixtures to avoid off-site lighting, night sky pollution, and shining lights into residential units. a. Fixtures shall have a cut-off angle of 90 degrees as measured perpendicular to the ground. b. No direct light source shall be visible at the property line.
G3. Light Fixtures. Lighting fixtures in pedestrian areas shall be appropriately scaled and placed to contribute to a cohesive and visually pleasing environment.
Figure 7.0112(A)(7)(S3). Pedestrian scaled light fixtures, such as bollard lights, illuminate paths of travel and landscaping. S3. a. Light Fixtures. Light fixtures shall not exceed 25 feet in height.
b. Weather- and vandalism-resistant covers shall protect lighting devices.
City of Gresham Development Code
[7.0100]-39
(06/26)
CORRIDOR DESIGN DISTRICT
7.0112 DESIGN GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS B. BUILDING DESIGN
B.1. BUILDING MASSING AND ARTICULATION Intent: To enhance and enliven wall planes with design features which add depth, detail, and interest to facades; establishing prominence in sections of the facade which are highly visible from surrounding public spaces and streets, while also reducing the visual scale of building facades to the human scale. Applicable Corridor District Design Principles:
I. Design Excellence and Architectural Expression J. Prominence and Hierarchy K. Building Form and Articulation
DESIGN GUIDELINES All Development
Full Breakdown
The Corridor Design District's lighting standard, Section 7.0112(A)(7), requires new site lighting to use full cut-off fixtures with a cutoff angle of 90 degrees measured perpendicular to the ground, so no direct light source is visible at the property line -- controlling off-site glare, night-sky pollution, and light spilling into neighboring residential units. Under Section 7.0102, the reach extends past the Corridor Design District itself: it also governs multi-family and shared-housing development anywhere in Gresham outside any design district, plus commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential projects within the Pleasant Valley and Springwater plan districts. A companion standard caps illumination at a residential property line at 0.5 foot-candles.
Violations & Fines
Compliance is checked during design review and building permit approval as a condition of project approval; installed lighting that spills past the standard is addressed through city code enforcement rather than a set fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Gresham require shielded outdoor lighting?
Does this rule cover a typical single-family home?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gresham
Compare Gresham to another location·View the Oregon outdoor lighting overview
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