Chapter 17.68 Street Lights

(Amended by Ordinance Nos. 153667 and 182760, effective June 5, 2009.)  It is unlawful for any person to cut, break, injure, destroy or deface any pole, post, standard, tower, lamp, wire, cable, conduit, fixture, appliance or appurtenance erected, constructed or used for the public lighting or the City, whether owned by the City or by any public utility contracting with the City for public lighting.  Any person injuring or destroying street lighting facilities shall repair and/or replace them in accordance with current design standards and the approval of the Bureau of Transportation.  All costs shall be paid by the person that injures or destroys the street lighting facilities.

(Amended by Ordinance Nos. 140207, 153667, 173627 and 182389, effective January 2, 2009.)

A.It is unlawful for any person to erect or maintain any lamp post, standard, or fixed light in or upon any street or public place except by the authority of written permit issued by the Commissioner In Charge of the Bureau of Transportation and in compliance with the provisions and requirements of this Section and paying the fee as prescribed in Section 17.24.020.

B.Any person desiring a permit to erect and maintain a lamppost, standard or fixed light on any street or public place may make written application to the Commissioner In Charge of the Bureau of Transportation.The application shall state the exact location of such post or light, the name of the street and the number of the building, the number or other designation of the lot and block or parcel of land in front of which the post, standard or light is to be erected and maintained, and complete specifications of the lamp post, standard or light the applicant proposes.

C.Private street lights shall be separated by not less than 40 feet on the same side of any street unless a lesser distance is approved by the Bureau of Transportation and by the City Engineer because of particular design and environmental requirements.The height above the street grade and the exact location must be approved by the Bureau of Transportation and by the City Engineer before issue of the permit.

D.Private lighting will be in addition to, not in lieu of, publicly owned lighting on the right‑of‑way.This condition is necessary in order to guarantee that the right‑of‑way is lit to a level sufficient to maintain public safety, and that there be no interruption in the service due to absence, cutbacks, or other circumstances effecting the permittee.

E.All private lamp posts, standards and lights shall at all times be kept in good repair and working order at the expense of the permittee.

F.A private street light permit issued under this Section shall be revocable for any of the following grounds:

1.Interference with a projected local or public improvement or

2.Failure to repair or properly maintain the light post or standard or light within 10 days after notice so to do by the Commissioner In Charge of the Bureau of Transportation or by the Bureau of Police.

G.Within 30 days after revocation of a private street light permit, the owner or person responsible for maintaining it shall remove the light and all appurtenances.Failure so to do shall be a violation of this Title.The City Engineer or Director of the Bureau of Transportation may authorize the removal of the private street light if not removed within the said 30 days, and the cost of removal shall be recoverable from the owner or person responsible for maintaining the same in a civil action.

(Amended by Ordinance Nos. 153667, 155955, 173627 and 182389, effective January 2, 2009.)

A.All street lights within the City of Portland shall be a standard overhead fixture except in areas where it is determined by the Commissioner In Charge of the Bureau of Transportation that specialty lighting would substantially enhance a unique characteristic of the district.

B.Design, location, plans and specifications for a special street lighting system to be installed or altered as a local improvement, shall be first approved by the Bureau of Transportation.

C.Establishing the source of funding necessary for the acquisition and installation of specialty lighting is the responsibility of the person(s) requesting the special lighting district to be established or altered and must be approved by the lighting manager.

D.When a specialty lighting system needs major refurbishing or replacement, the City will pay up to 50 percent of the cost of replacing City owned specialty light fixtures with the same style fixture when:

1.The lights are part of an historical structure that is included on the National Register of Historic Places and designated as an Oregon Historic Landmark and a Local Landmark, and removal or changes in the lighting would jeopardize the structure’s historical status, or

2.The light fixtures themselves are included on the National Register of Historic Places and designated as an Oregon Historic Landmark and a Local Landmark.

In other cases the City will pay for replacing the specialty light fixtures with a similar but readily available fixture.

(Added by Ordinance No. 153667; amended by Ordinance No. 182760, effective June 5, 2009.)

A.  All new or reconstructed streets in the City associated with either privately or publicly funded projects must be provided with street lights corresponding to City lighting standards.

B.  Design, plans and specifications for streetlights to be installed or altered shall be first approved by the Bureau of Transportation.

C.  The full cost of providing the street lighting improvements shall be paid by the permittee or funding source used for the street construction costs.

(Added by Ordinance No. 153667, effective Sept. 12, 1982.)

A. All costs associated with the removal of streetlights on street being vacated shall be paid by the person petitioning for the vacation.

B. All costs associated with the removal or relocation of street light facilities to accommodate work in accordance with a public improvement permit shall be paid by the permittee.

C. All costs for relocation of streetlights to complete work in local improvement districts shall be assessed as part of the project.