You may install a banner for your event or organization on the City-owned poles located on the 300 block of Liberty Street SE, 40 feet north of the Salem Fire Station driveway.

Apply for a Permit

You must register for an online account to reserve a banner permit online.

Online Liberty Pole Banner Reservation

Applications for a banner sign permit on Liberty Street poles are limited to:

• Non-profit organizations
• Government-sponsored events
• Profit-making organizations sponsoring events that have a demonstrated community benefit and that can be viewed by spectators for free
• The sign permit fees and refund policy. Banner installation and removal fees are not part of the permit fee.

Banner Requirements

Download Construction Specifications

Banners must meet all applicable sign code standards as well as the following standards:

• Size
  
  • Height must be three feet or less.
  • Width/length must be 30 feet or less.
  • Total area must be 90 feet or less.
    
• Material
  
  • Vinyl (18 oz/square yard minimum)
  • Canvas (12 oz/square yard minimum)
    
• Connections
  
  • Top tether must use 3/8-inch galvanized cable provided on the poles by the City.
  • Bottom tether should be nylon cord or rope
    
    • At least 3/8 inch in size
    • Long enough to allow the banner to tilt to a 60 degree angle to spill air when wind blows
    • Not so long as to allow greater than an 80 degree angle spill.
  • Windholes:
    
    • Two rows of “smiles” per running foot of banner length
    • One row of “smiles” positioned in the top 1/3 of the banner, 3-inch radius cut
    • One row of “smiles” positioned in the bottom 1/3 of the banner, 3-inch radius cut
  • Grommets
    
    • Minimum of seven grommets
    • Five grommets across the top to attach to movable mount clips
    • Two grommets in the bottom corner
• Content is limited to:
  
  • Sponsor’s name
  • Event name
  • Location
  • Date(s)/time(s)
  • Sponsor’s logo must be 10 percent or less of the total banner area
• Tree blockage
  
  • An established street tree is located to the south of the western banner pole. This tree has the potential to block vision of the installed banner depending on the viewer’s location. This tree will not be trimmed to improve vision of the banner. Please design your banner accordingly.
• Inspection
  
  • You must have your banner inspected before it is installed.
  • You can call the Planning Division for an appointment, and you should plan to bring in the banner early in case any corrections need to be made to the banner. Fee waivers are not available.
• Installation
  • Banners are installed by Salem Sign Company, which can be reached by calling 503-371-6362. Installation and removal charges are not included in the application and permit fees. Charges for services calls for repair or correction shall be charged to the application by the installer.
  • Banners must be securely attached with nylon rope to the Liberty Parkade at the southeast corner between the second and third levels. Metal objects (bungee cords, tie wire, or metal hooks) are not allowed for installation of the banners. Stainless steel eyelets have been installed on the top outside of the aluminum radius panels third level for banner hanging convenience. The bottom must be tied off from the second level ceiling where stainless pins have been installed.
  • No other attachments to the banner are allowed (e.g., balloons, streamers, lights, or string of lights).
• Removal
  
  • The banner must be removed the first working day after the event is over.
  • Failure to remove the banner on time will result in a fine as well as City costs of removal of the banner, if required, for the next scheduled use of the space.

Reservations Starting September 15

To ensure equal opportunity for all organizations to schedule reservations, applications will be accepted starting September 15th at 8:00 am for following calendar year. When September 15th occurs on a weekend, applications will be accepted starting on the following Monday.

Display Period

The maximum display period is 14 days. The Planning Administrator may extend the display period for up to an additional seven days, provided such an extension would not create a scheduling conflict with other users. Each event can have one Liberty Pole permit or one Liberty Parkade permit each year. If one of these locations is available one month prior to when you want to install the banner, the limit is no longer applicable.

High Wind Warning

Should the City of Salem receive a high wind warning (winds above 50 mph), the applicant will be notified that the banner must be removed within two hours of receipt of notification. The applicant in turn must notify the sign contractor that erected the banner. In the event the situation should arise over a weekend or holiday, City crews would remove the banner. The applicant would be billed for a service charge.