"We had quite a lot of people saying to us we've got to do something about our signage, that it was poor. We really want to enhance the image of Masterton," she said.
Artist-led community workshops will be used to develop the symbols.
The group have been working on the concept for the last 18 months and employed Craig Turvey of 3D Creative to present council with ideas.
The proposal will go to council tomorrow for approval and it is hoped the first pole will be up by December.
Purchase and installation of each pole will be about $1000 and will be funded by "money put aside from existing budgets".
"It doesn't mean a rise in rates for anyone," Mrs Terpstra said.
She was unsure how much the symbols will cost.
"The hope is that people will come and actually sponsor some themselves," she said.
The project will begin with six poles, three at each end of town and expand from there.
Mr Turvey said the project was initiated when Masterton-based business group, 43 Below, voiced concerns about the existing welcome signage on the main roads into Masterton.
He said the success for a visual identity for a small town community is dependent on the community owning it themselves.
"We'd hope that the community actually feel pride in the representation of a visual identity of their town and also the fact that they have been involved in it," Mr Turvey said.
He said the pou symbols will be used to help people find their way and celebrate Masterton.
"One of the identification elements of Wairarapa was the big sky, by having multiple poles throughout the town it describes the vertical pull as drawing your eyes to the sky."
