Gresham, OR Sign Regulations: Holiday Displays (2026)
Key Facts
- Removal deadline
- 15 days after the holiday
- Permit status
- Exempt if removed on time
- Governing code
- Development Code Appendix 6
- Applies to
- Any holiday decoration citywide
Summary
Holiday decorations in Gresham skip the sign development permit entirely, but the exemption only holds if you take them down within 15 days after the holiday they mark has passed.
H. Holiday decorations in season; provided that such decorations shall be removed within 15 days of the passing holiday to which they pertain.
I. One time clock and/or scoreboard sign shall be permitted at each athletic field. Such signs shall: 1. Have a maximum height of 15 feet above grade in the LDR-5, LDR-7, TLDR, TR, LDR-GB, LDR-PV, VLDRSW, and LDR-SW land use districts, or
2. Have a maximum height of 18 feet above grade in all other districts. J. Athletic Field Signs. Banners or temporary rigid signs located on the outfield fence of athletic fields may be installed. Each individual sign shall be no more than 32 square feet in area. There shall be no more than 32 square feet of area for any 8 linear feet of fence. The maximum height shall not exceed 8 feet above grade. The sign shall not project above the fence.
K. A menu board sign in conjunction with a drive through window shall not be considered a free-standing sign or an on site direction sign. It shall be located adjacent to an on site driveway and shall not exceed 6 feet in height and/or 8 feet in width.
Full Breakdown
Gresham's sign code exempts holiday decorations from the development permit every other sign in the city needs, but the exemption comes with a hard deadline: decorations must come down within 15 days of the holiday they pertain to. Leave lights, inflatables or other holiday displays up past that window and the exemption lapses, turning the display into an unpermitted sign subject to the same permit requirements and abatement action as any other noncomplying sign under the code.
Violations & Fines
Decorations left up past the 15-day window lose their permit exemption and become an unpermitted sign, exposing the owner to code compliance and abatement proceedings under Development Code § A6.140.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can I keep holiday lights up in Gresham?
Do I need a permit for holiday decorations in Gresham?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gresham
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