Chapter 12.16
STREET AND ALLEY NAMING AND BUILDING NUMBERING
Sections:
12.16.020 Streets and avenues--Prefixes.
12.16.030 Streets and avenues--Suffixes.
12.16.050 Numbering of structures.
12.16.070 Authority to assign numbers.
12.16.010 Uniform system.
All streets shall be designated and all structures, except sheds and outbuildings, shall be numbered in accordance with this chapter. (Ord. 2786 §2, 1996)
12.16.020 Streets and avenues--Prefixes.
For the purpose of establishing and adopting a universal system of naming streets of the city:
A. Main Street shall constitute the east-west base line for-naming north-south streets, and the Coast Fork of the Willamette River shall constitute the north-south base line for naming east-west streets.
B. All streets lying south of Main Street shall bear the prefix "South" and all streets lying north of Main Street shall bear the prefix "North".
C. All avenues lying east of the Coast Fork of Willamette River shall bear the prefix "East" and all avenues lying west of the river shall bear the prefix "West". (Ord. 2786 §2, 1996)
12.16.030 Streets and avenues--Suffixes.
To indicate the general direction of a street and to indicate other physical features, each street shall bear a suffix as follows:
A. A street generally running north and south and Main Street shall be called a street, except such a street not over three blocks long so located that its extension is impossible or impracticable shall be called a court.
B. A street generally running east and west, except Main Street, shall be called an avenue, except such a street not over three blocks long so located that its extension is impossible or impracticable shall be called a place.
C. A street which is an arterial, collector, or related right-of-way other than a state or county roadway, shall if deemed appropriate by the city council be called a boulevard rather than a street or avenue. In the event the council uses a designation other than street or avenue for a given right-of-way the restrictions of this chapter related to names shall not be applicable to the right-of-way so designated. (Ord. 2786 §2, 1996)
12.16.040 Street names.
A. To name a street, order shall begin at the north-south base line and progress as follows:
1. Streets west of the Coast Fork of the Willamette River shall be named by the letters of the alphabet, beginning with the letter "G", the letters preceding "G" being left for future development.
2. Streets east of the river shall be named numerically beginning with "First".
B. To name an avenue, the order shall begin at the east-west base line and progress as follows:
1. Avenues east of the Coast Fork of the Willamette River and south of Main Street shall be named after the Presidents of the United States in their order beginning with Washington, the sixth avenue being called Quincy after John Quincy Adams.
2. Avenues east of the river and north of Main Street shall be named after the Governors of the state in their order beginning with Whiteaker.
3. Avenues west of the river and south of Main Street shall be named alphabetically for other famous persons.
4. Avenues west of the river and north of Main Street shall be named alphabetically for trees.
C. Nonconforming Streets. Notwithstanding the above provisions, if a street has both a north-south and east-west direction during the length of the street, or otherwise does not specifically conform to the specifications in this chapter, the city engineer shall, at his or her discretion, name the street in accordance with the street or avenue criteria or such other name as is approved by the city council.
D. Naming of Court or Place. A court or place shall be named in accordance with the general criteria for naming streets or avenues except that the city engineer, subject to city council approval, may depart from the criteria to reduce confusion and enhance the public’s ability to locate the court or place. (Ord. 2841 §2, 1999; Ord. 2786 §2, 1996)
12.16.045 Alley names.
A. To name an alley running north-south, the order shall begin at the north-south base line (Coast Fork of the Willamette River) and progress as follows:
1. Alleys west of the Coast Fork of the Willamette River shall be named by the name of the first public street to the west of the alley. For instance, an alley between the alley between North River Road and North G Street would be named North G Alley and an alley between South M Street and South N Street would be named South N Alley and so forth.
2. Alleys east of the Coast Fork of Willamette River shall be named by the name of the first public street to the east of the alley. For instance, an alley between the North 5th Street and North 6th Street would be named North 6th Alley and an alley between South 6th Street and South 7th Street would be named South 7th Alley and so forth.
B. To name an alley running east-west, the order shall begin at the east-west base line (Main Street) and progress as follows:
1. Alleys north of Main Street shall be named by the name of the first public street to the north of the alley. For instance, an alley between Whiteaker Avenue and Gibbs Avenue would be named Gibbs Alley and an alley between Ash Avenue and Birch Avenue would be named Birch Alley and so forth.
2. Alleys south of Main Street shall be named by the name of the first public street to the south of the alley. For instance, an alley between Washington Avenue and Adams Avenue would be named Adams Alley and an alley between Anthony Avenue and Bryant Avenue would be named Bryant Alley and so forth.
C. In the case of nonconforming alleys, the city engineer shall, at his or her discretion, name the alley in accordance with these criteria or such other names as approved by the city council. (Ord. 3145 §2, 2021)
12.16.050 Numbering of structures.
Property numbers shall consist of the assigned structure number, the quadrant prefix, if any, the proper name of the street such lot or structure faces and the appropriate suffix.
A. Commencing at the base lines, each block shall be allotted one hundred numbers, and numbers shall be assigned within each block on a frontage basis proportionate to the length of the block, except that hereafter in new subdivision any block more than eight hundred feet in length shall be allotted an additional one hundred numbers.
B. Structures or lots on the east side of the streets and on the north side of the avenues shall bear even numbers, and on the west side of the streets and the south side of the avenues shall bear odd numbers. (Ord. 2786 §2, 1996)
12.16.060 Placing of numbers.
A. All dwelling houses and places of business in the city shall be numbered with figures of sufficient size and of such a color and so located as to be easily read from the sidewalk in front of the property.
B. All such structures shall bear the number assigned to the space on the street line where a line through the center of the door at right angles to the street line intersects the street line. (Ord. 2786 §2, 1996)
12.16.070 Authority to assign numbers.
A. Except as heretofore provided in this title, the city engineer shall assign numbers to all structures and names to all streets in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
B. It shall be the duty of every owner or agent in charge of any structure required by this chapter to be numbered to apply to the city engineer for assignment of a number. It shall be the duty of every owner or agent in charge of any structure to have the proper number or numbers placed thereon, and every owner or agent in charge of a structure hereafter erected shall place the proper number or numbers thereon within ten days from the completion of such structure. (Ord. 2786 §2, 1996)
12.16.080 Violation--Penalty.
Any person who fails, refuses, or neglects to comply with the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars for each day of neglect or refusal. (Ord. 2786 §2, 1996)