2008-0487
INTRODUCED BY: DENNIS NUSS, COUNCILMAN, DISTRICT VII
PAUL HOGAN, COUNCILMAN, DISTRICT IV
ORDINANCE NO. _________
Title
An ordinance to adopt policies and procedures for issuance of street names and municipal addresses on all public and private streets in St. Charles Parish.
Body
WHEREAS, it has been determined by the St. Charles Parish Council that there is a need for the adoption of policy and procedure for the issuance and maintenance of street names and municipal addresses on all public and private streets, subject to the jurisdiction of the Government; and,
WHEREAS, Efficient and consistent addressing will facilitate emergency responses; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Planning & Zoning has proposed such a policy
and procedure which the Parish Council considers it appropriate to accomplish the needs of the Government.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE ST. CHARLES PARISH COUNCIL HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1 That Chapter 6 Buildings and Building Regulations of the St. Charles Code of Ordinances, Section 6 is amended by adding:
Sec. 6-3. Policy and Procedures for issuance of property municipal addresses on legal lots of record.
The Department of Planning & Zoning shall serve as the coordinating agency for the issuance of property addresses on all public and private streets and thoroughfares within the jurisdiction of St. Charles Parish. In this capacity, the Department shall assign new addresses and, to the extent appropriate, make changes to existing addresses in order to eliminate: duplication of addresses; confusing similar addresses; and, other potential conflicts with regard to street addresses. In doing so, the Department shall conform to the following policies and procedures:
(A) POLICIES
(1) The Department may initiate a property address change and/or assignment for the following reasons:
a. To resolve an existing error in property addressing.
b. To assign addresses to lots within an approved Subdivision.
c. To eliminate multiple or confusingly similar property addresses.
(2) Property number addresses shall be issued in conformance with the following:
a. A single building or property will be assigned a single property number address.
b. Shopping centers, apartment complexes, condominium developments, multi-use or multi-building complexes may be assigned multiple addresses provided that each property number address is fronting a public street.
c. "Sub-unit" or suite number addresses may be issued for buildings or properties not fronting directly on a public street or on a private street and their addresses shall be designated by a letter rather than a number.
d. Numbering shall begin with the number 100 at point of origin. Odd numbers shall be assigned to the left side of street and even numbers shall be assigned to the right side of street.
e. Wherever possible or practical, address numbers shall ascend from East to West or ascend from the Mississippi River.
f. Where no lots or blocks exist along a street or road, the Department shall assign a new block every one thousand (1,000) feet; provided, natural divisions, right angle street curves, or any existing intersecting streets may be considered in determining the beginning of a new block.
g. For existing properties based on the location of the front door or driveway, a property address shall be reserved every twenty (20') feet in increments of two (2) numbers along each side of every street.
h. Newly platted subdivisions may be numbered sequentially within each block in accordance with the remainder of this ordinance.
i. Any new street or development which is a continuation of an existing street, including loop and circle streets, shall maintain the existing street name and numbering convention, unless otherwise approved by the Planning & Zoning Commission and Parish Council through its subdivision process.
j. On all private streets, property number addresses shall be issued in the same manner as property number addresses issued on public streets.
k. The Department shall insure, to the greatest extent practical that property number addresses are issued uniformly and consecutively within each block.
l. The Department shall require each property owner to display with Arabic numbers not less than four (4) inches in height, the address of every property having its own property address. Prior to issuance of final certificate of zoning compliance, and/or electrical connection approval, the address number must be properly and permanently affixed to the primary structure on the lot.
m. For structures set back a distance greater than 50-feet, the address shall also be indicated along street edge property line.
n. All addresses shall be assigned so that they conform to the U.S. Postal Services Addressing Standards (Publication 28).
(B) IMPLEMENTATION
(1) The Department will provide notification of new addresses to all affected property owners in writing. If an existing address must be changed, the property owner shall be notified by certified mail.
(2) For lots created through a subdivision process, addresses will be issued upon final subdivision approval.
(3) Newly assigned number shall be posted within ninety (90) days of receipt by the property owner of notification of the assignment of such number, except that in business locations a reasonable extension may be granted to avoid hardship to a business and allow time to notify business clientele.
(4) The Department of Planning & Zoning shall notify all affected agencies of new addresses which includes, but is not limited to the following: St. Charles Parish Geographic Information System (GIS) Coordinator, St. Charles Parish Communication District (911), St. Charles Parish Registrar of Voters, St. Charles Parish Department of Public Works & Wastewater, St. Charles Parish Department of Waterworks, St. Charles Parish School Board Office (Transportation Division), the Telephone Addressing Contractor, EMS, Fire Services and the U.S. Post Office.
SECTION 2. That the St. Charles Code of Ordinances, Sec. 15-5. Traffic signs,
signals, etc. generally, be amended to add the following:
g. Addressing shall be the responsibility of the Department of Planning & Zoning as detailed in Chapter 6-3 of this Ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the St. Charles Code of Ordinances, Appendix C, Subdivisions Section III. A.3. Street Names is amended to read as follows:
a. All public or private thoroughfares dedicated or improved for general travel, and used as means of primary access to the front of residential, business or other property shall be termed a "street," "avenue," "drive," place," "parkway," "road," or "boulevard," with the following defined exceptions:
(1) Boulevard / Parkway: Thoroughfares which utilizes center islands to separate opposing traffic through their entire length which continues through to other street right of ways, including straight, meandering, curvilinear, and curving thoroughfares; thoroughfares with temporary cul-de-sacs with the ability to be extended in excess of 500 feet; thoroughfares over 500 feet in length ending with a temporary or permanent cul-de-sacs.
(2) Circle. A public or private street which aligns in a partial circle configuration and that intersects another road at two locations.
(3) Court /Place. A public or private street up to 500-feet in length with only one present or future means of entrance or exit.
(4) Lane. Streets which are private, irrespective of their configuration.
(5) Loop. A circular public or private street which begins and ends in the same street and at the same location (intersection).
(6) Road, Street, Drive, or Avenue: Streets which continues through to other street right of ways, including straight, meandering, curvilinear, and curving streets; streets with temporary cul-de-sacs with the ability to be extended in excess of 500 feet; streets over 500 feet in lengths ending with a temporary or permanent cul-de-sacs.
b. All directional components of a street name shall precede the unique street name and shall be limited to the abbreviated form such as, N, S, NE or SW.
c. Extension of Existing Street. A new street shall bear the same name of any street which it is an extension of or which it is in alignment with.
d. Duplication. Proposed street names shall not duplicate existing street names nor approximate such names in spelling or phonetics.
e. Street Name Designations. The Parish Council, by Ordinance, may name, rename, or create public or private streets.
f. The Director of Planning & Zoning shall be responsible for the enforcement of this Ordinance.
Vote
The foregoing ordinance having been submitted to a vote, the vote thereon was as follows:
And the ordinance was declared adopted this day of , 2009, to become effective five (5) days after publication in the Official Journal.
CHAIRMAN:______________________________________________
SECRETARY:_____________________________________________
DLVD/PARISH PRESIDENT:_________________________________
APPROVED:______________ DISAPPROVED:__________________
PARISH PRESIDENT:______________________________________
RETD/SECRETARY:_______________________________________
AT:_______________ RECD BY: _____________________________