Division I. General Provisions
Chapter 12.04
ROAD NAMING AND PROPERTY ADDRESSING
Sections:
12.04.010 Uniform road naming system.
12.04.040 Road name applicants.
12.04.050 Road name applications.
12.04.060 Road naming standards.
12.04.080 Uniform addressing system.
12.04.090 Addressing systems used.
12.04.100 Addressing by department.
12.04.110 Addressing application.
12.04.130 Address notification.
12.04.010 Uniform road naming system.
This chapter establishes a uniform method for naming roads and assigning property addresses within the unincorporated areas of Douglas County and shall apply to:
A. All new county roads, private roads, exempt private roads and public roads;
B. All existing county roads, private roads, exempt private roads and public roads that conflict with the E911 or U.S. Postal Service road naming standards;
C. All properties requiring property address assignment; and
D. All existing property addresses that conflict with the E911 and/or U.S. Postal Service addressing standards. (Ord. TLS 07-04-30B Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 06-02-39B Exh. A (part))
12.04.020 Definitions.
The following definitions shall apply to this chapter:
A. “Building” means any combination of materials constructed, placed or erected permanently on the ground or attached to something having a permanent location on the ground, for the shelter, support or enclosure of persons, animals or property, or supporting any use, occupancy or function.
B. “County road” means a county road or primitive road as defined in the Douglas County Road Standards and excludes private roads and public roads.
C. “Department” means the Douglas County transportation department.
D. “Driveway” means a private access way connected to a county road, public road or private road.
E. “Private road” means a road that is not a county road or a public road.
F. “Exempt private road” is a private road, exempt from compliance with the Douglas County Road Standards. The purpose of an exempt private road is for locating and addressing a building site.
G. “Public road” means a road open to use by the public that is not a county road or a state highway.
H. “Rural grid system” shall mean the addressing system used in the greater rural area of the county for roads generally aligned in a cardinal direction, the east-west divide being “Division Road” and the north-south divide being “Baseline Road.” The grid is based on section lines with two miles from a divide equating to an address of 200 and twelve miles from a divide equating to an address of 1200.
I. “Rural mileage system” shall mean the addressing system used in the greater rural area of the county for roads that do not fit the rural grid system, where the zero point is the beginning of the road. As examples, an address located one-half mile from the beginning of the road would be 50 and an address located one and one-half miles from the beginning of the road would be 150. The rural mileage system shall be used on state highways based upon state highway mileage markers.
J. “Urban grid system” shall mean the established grid system for the unincorporated urban areas of East Wenatchee, Rock Island, Waterville, Mansfield, Bridgeport, and Coulee Dam. (Ord. TLS 07-04-30B Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 06-02-39B Exh. A (part))
12.04.030 Authority.
Douglas County may name roads when any new county road, private road, exempt private road or public road is created or when such road has no assigned name. Douglas County may rename any existing county road, private road, exempt private road or public road that conflicts with E911 or U.S. Postal Service road naming standards, or may rename any existing road upon receipt of an application as provided in this chapter. (Ord. TLS 07-04-30B Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 06-02-39B Exh. A (part))
12.04.040 Road name applicants.
An application to name or rename a road may be submitted by:
A. A property owner owning property next to or using the road;
B. Any public or quasi-public agency that provides law enforcement, fire protection and/or emergency response services to the public;
C. Douglas County, through the:
1. Board of county commissioners;
2. Land services department;
3. Transportation department;
4. Sheriff; or
D. RiverCom, the regional E911 dispatching center. (Ord. TLS 07-04-30B Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 06-02-39B Exh. A (part))
12.04.050 Road name applications.
An application to name or rename a road shall be submitted to the department and shall include, at a minimum, the following information:
A. Name of the applicant(s);
B. Existing road name, if any;
C. Proposed road name;
D. Location of the road and legible map;
E. Designation of road as a county road, private road, exempt private road or public road;
F. Reason for request;
G. Written consent from a majority of the people using the road stating they agree with the road name;
H. An agreement to pay for all road name signage required to implement the new road name. (Ord. TLS 07-04-30B Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 06-02-39B Exh. A (part))
12.04.060 Road naming standards.
A proposed road name shall comply with the following standards:
A. The name shall be limited to a maximum of fifteen letters and three words, excluding a prefix or suffix indicating road location (N, S, E, W, etc.) and extension (Street, Lane, Court, etc.).
B. The name shall not have a pronunciation and/or spelling similar to an existing road name (Example: Grey Lane, Gray Lane).
C. The name shall not be a variation of an existing name using the same first word of a two-word name (example: Grey Road, Grey Drive, Grey Wolf Road, Grey Area Lane).
D. The name may contain the words “North,” “South,” “East,” or “West,” or any combination thereof, as a prefix or suffix, so long as such prefix or suffix appropriately indicates location.
E. Historical road names shall not be changed unless the department finds that the best interests of the public outweigh the historical value of retaining the road name. (Ord. TLS 07-04-30B Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 06-02-39B Exh. A (part))
12.04.070 Road name process.
The department shall receive, review and maintain applications for road names and renaming and shall:
A. Assure the proposed name complies with naming standards of this chapter;
B. Perform a field check, if warranted; and
C. If written consent from a majority of the people using the road cannot be obtained within 30 days, then the department may determine the name of the road. (Ord. TLS 07-04-30B Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 06-02-39B Exh. A (part))
12.04.080 Uniform addressing system.
In implementing and administering a uniform property addressing system, the department shall maintain uniformity with the U.S. Postal Service addressing standards as set forth in U.S. Postal Service Publication 28 and consider uniformity with existing addresses in the area of the subject property. (Ord. TLS 07-04-30B Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 06-02-39B Exh. A (part))
12.04.090 Addressing systems used.
The official physical (situs) addressing system for the unincorporated areas of Douglas County shall use the official road name together with a numerical identifier established by using one of the following systems:
A. The rural grid system;
B. The rural mileage system; or
C. The applicable urban grid system. (Ord. TLS 07-04-30B Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 06-02-39B Exh. A (part))
12.04.100 Addressing by department.
The department shall assign addresses in the following circumstances:
A. When a complete property address application and applicable fees are received;
B. During a plat application and review process;
C. During a building permit application and review process for a residential or commercial building;
D. When the existing addressing scheme for a particular road does not meet the standards of this policy; or
E. When a driveway is established as a private road or serves more than two residential or commercial buildings. (Ord. TLS 07-04-30B Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 06-02-39B Exh. A (part))
12.04.110 Addressing application.
An application for a new property address shall be submitted to the department, together with all applicable fees. The application fees may be waived when an address is assigned because the existing addressing scheme for a particular road does not meet the standards of this chapter. (Ord. TLS 07-04-30B Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 06-02-39B Exh. A (part))
12.04.120 Addressing process.
The department shall receive, review and maintain property address applications and follow the following process:
A. Verify the property addressing application is complete and that all applicable fees have been paid or waived;
B. Verify property location;
C. Verify access location to a county road, public road or state highway, or indirect access by a private road to a county road or public road; and
D. Assign an address in accordance with the standards of this chapter. (Ord. TLS 07-04-30B Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 06-02-39B Exh. A (part))
12.04.130 Address notification.
A. The department shall notify the applicant, in writing, of the address assigned to the property.
B. The department shall notify the Douglas County treasurer, the Douglas County assessor, and the appropriate post office of the address assigned to the property. The department shall have no responsibility to notify any other third party of the new or changed property address.
C. The property owner has the sole responsibility to notify all utilities, banks, creditors and other persons and entities of the property owner’s new or changed property address. (Ord. TLS 07-04-30B Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 06-02-39B Exh. A (part))
12.04.190 Severability.
If any provision in this chapter is held to be invalid, the remainder of this chapter shall remain in full force and effect and be interpreted in order to implement the original intent of this chapter to the fullest extent possible. (Ord. TLS 07-04-30B Exh. B (part): Ord. TLS 06-02-39B Exh. A (part))