Wireless communications facilities located, designed, installed, maintained, and removed within the City are regulated by Salem Revised Code Chapter 703 and may need a permit from the City. Wireless communication facilities are any unstaffed facilities that transmit or receive radio frequency signals for commercial wireless communication purposes.

Step 1: Determine if You Need a Permit

Federal law requires local government approval of any eligible facility requests for modification of an existing wireless tower or base station. If you think this may apply to you, please review the Eligible Facilities Request (EFR) Criteria Checklist.

Additional exemptions within the City include:

• Siting of dish antennas solely for the benefit of persons residing on a property
• Ham (amateur) radios and associated equipment
• Ordinary maintenance or repair
• Siting of temporary facilities that are used by a public agency for emergency communications, emergency preparedness, or other public health or safety purposes
• Replacement of an existing support tower with one that does not substantially change the physical dimensions of the existing tower

If the facility does not qualify as an eligible facilities request, or does not meet one of the above requirements for an exemption, you may need a siting permit to install, change, or replace a wireless communication facility in Salem, as identified in Step 2 below. 

Even if you do not need a siting permit, you may need other City permits or approvals. This could include Historic Design Review, a Section 106 Historic Compliance form, a building permit, a Public Works franchise permit for a facility in the public right-of-way, or a Public Works commercial permit. A proposal that includes changes to an existing parking lot may require a building permit and site plan review.

Step 2: Determine What Type of Permit You Need

The type of permit you need depends on the details of your project. You can call Planning staff for help determining which of the following wireless communication facility permits and associated information packets you need.

Class 1 Siting Permit

The Class 1 Permit is required to collocate or attach an antenna or antenna array to a support tower, support structure, or utility structure. The following are examples of different structures and towers:

• Support tower: Cell tower, monopole, lattice tower
• Support structure: Existing building or structure (excluding single-family homes and duplexes) such as a steeple, water tower, or billboard
• Utility structure: Utility pole, light pole

Class 2 Siting Permit

The Class 2 Permit is required to replace a utility structure to attach an antenna or antenna array.

Class 3 Siting Permit

The Class 3 Permit is required to do any of the following:

• Substantially change the physical dimensions of a support tower
• Replace an existing support tower with one that substantially changes the physical dimensions of the existing tower
• Install a new support tower.

Temporary Siting Permit

A Temporary Siting Permit is required if your proposed facility will only be in use for up to 90 days.

Adjustment

A Wireless Communication Facility Adjustment allows your proposed facility to deviate from the development standards in Salem Revised Code Chapter 703. You cannot get an adjustment for a temporary facility.

You may need to get other permits or approvals along with your siting permit or adjustment. Check with Planning staff to determine what other approvals you may need.

Step 3: Apply for Your Permit

Submit your application to the Permit Application Center Portal. You must also submit payment for your permit fee, which is based on the type of permit you are requesting.

Step 4: Application Review

City staff will review your application for completeness and contact you if more information is required. Once the application is complete, staff will review it for compliance with the applicable requirements. For more information about the specific review process for your permit, you can refer to the information packets listed above.