It is unlawful for any person to move any building or structure through any street or to occupy any portion of any street for the removal of any building or structure, without first obtaining a permit as provided in this Chapter and paying the fees elsewhere prescribed in Section 17.24.020.

Application for a permit for moving a building or structure must be in writing and state the number of the lot and block upon which the building is located, the size of the building, the number of the lot and block to which it is proposed to remove the same, the route proposed to be taken, the length of time required for moving, and the name of the owner of the building or structure. Each application must be accompanied by a fee as prescribed in Section 17.24.020. The application fee is nonrefundable and is in addition to the permit issuance fee, which will be collected prior to the issuance of the permit.

1. A. When a building to be moved does not exceed three stories in height, the City Administrator may issue a moving permit, fixing the route to be used for the move and upon the terms as the City Administrator may deem necessary. The Director of the Bureau of Transportation will keep a copy of the permit so issued.
2. B. When a building to be moved exceeds three stories in height, any permit for moving must be issued by the Mayor. The permit will set forth any conditions upon the moving that may be deemed necessary and that are not provided for in this Chapter and will set forth the City Administrator’s estimate of the cost to the City of issuing the permit, investigating the application, and supervising the moving, to be paid by the applicant for permit as a part of the fee elsewhere prescribed in Section 17.24.020.
3. C. No moving permit may be issued until the applicant has filed with the Auditor an insurance policy or certificate of insurance and form of policy for public liability insurance naming as additional insured’s the City, its officers, agents and employees, in the amounts of at least $1 million, or the maximum limits of the Oregon Tort Claims Act as subsequently amended, whichever is greater; the insurance must also contain a provision that it is not cancelable during the term of the permit.
4. D. A moving permit may not be issued until the applicant has deposited with the Treasurer a sum sufficient, in the judgment of the City Administrator, to cover the cost of repairing any and all damage or injury to street or streets or their improvements, including street trees, that may result from the moving operation and also such sums as the Bureau of Transportation and Portland Fire & Rescue, and any other City bureau involved, may require to cover the cost of moving, repairing, restoring or replacing any wires, signals, trees or other properties or installations that may be necessary in preparation for or in consequence of any moving operation. Upon completion of the moving operation, the City Administrator will submit to the Treasurer a statement of the costs of any operations, repairs or replacements occasioned by or as the result of the moving operation, and other information as the Treasurer may request, in order to reimburse the proper account from the money so deposited, and will authorize the Treasurer in writing to refund the remaining portion of such deposit, if any, to the depositor. If the cost exceeds the amount deposited, the depositor must promptly reimburse the affected bureau or bureaus for such additional cost.

The moving of a building or structure under a moving permit must be continuous day‑by‑day during all the hours specified by the City Administrator until completed, with the least possible obstruction to the streets occupied. It is unlawful for any person moving a building or structure under a moving permit to leave the building or structure or any portion of it stationary in the street, road or highway area for a period in excess of 2 hours during the hours of the day specified by the City Administrator, unless an emergency exists by reason of unforeseen difficulties encountered in cutting wires, trees, or removing obstructions in the course of the route selected. Removal and pruning of trees must be conducted in accordance with the City Forester’s requirements including the need to obtain tree permits. All movement in the street area must be completed within an elapsed time of 36 hours unless application is made for a longer period of time and permission is specifically granted by the City Administrator prior to the commencement of any movement; provided, however, that if any unforeseen difficulties are encountered and an extension of time is requested from the City Administrator prior to the expiration of 36 hours from the commencement of the moving operation, the City Administrator may extend the 36 hour time by specific additional time as deemed necessary.

Red lights or other warning devices sufficient to warn and protect traffic must be displayed in conspicuous places at or on a building or structure being moved during the hours in which streetlights are lighted. The City Administrator may require additional warning devices based on findings that the warning devices displayed by the mover are insufficient.

When overhead wires in any street designated in a permit for moving a building or structure will interfere with the moving operation, the permittee must give to the owner of the wire, including the City when it is the owner, 48 hours’ notice of intent to have the wire temporarily removed. The permittee must pay in advance or tender to the owner, other than the City, the amount estimated to be necessary to remove the wire and replace the same. When the City owns the wire, the cost of temporary removal and replacement will be included in the requirement for deposit prerequisite to permit, as provided in this Chapter. If the permittee disputes the amount demanded by the owner as the advance or tender, the amount will be determined by the City Administrator. The permittee of a moving permit must pay the actual expense of removing and replacing the wire and, as soon as the actual expense can be determined, the permittee must immediately pay any deficit and the owner must refund any surplus to the permittee. Upon receipt or tender of the amount estimated or the amount fixed by the City Administrator in case of dispute, the owner of the wire must remove it in time to permit the passage of the building or structure without unnecessary delay.