Chapter 12.24
ADDRESSING OF LAND
Sections:
12.24.030 Powers and duties of department.
12.24.050 Designation of way of travel.
12.24.060 Numerical designation of buildings and real property.
12.24.070 Denoting of ways of travel.
12.24.080 Display of designations.
12.24.010 Purpose.
This chapter provides the procedures and guidelines for regulating addressing within the Poulsbo city limits. (Ord. 2014-13 § 2 (Exh. A (part)), 2014)
12.24.020 Definitions.
Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following terms shall be defined as follows:
“Address” shall mean the appropriate combination of address number (numerical designation), directional prefix or suffix, street name, and street type, e.g., 123 NW Alphabet St.
“Address grid system” shall mean a theoretical network of uniformly spaced horizontal and perpendicular lines used to establish regularly spaced intervals as the basis for assigning address numbers.
“Avenue” shall mean a way of travel that runs generally north and south.
“Boulevard” shall mean a way of travel where the lanes of travel are separated, for example, by a barrier, landscaped area, or similar divider.
“Circle” shall mean a small, loop-type way of travel where exit and entry are the same.
“Commercial occupancies,” for addressing purposes, shall mean all other occupancy groups not defined as residential occupancies. (Typically constructed in accordance with the International Building Code, for example, commercial occupancies would include: retail stores, office buildings, multifamily residential buildings, hotels, hospitals, schools, warehouses, storage buildings, churches, etc.)
“Cul-de-sac” shall mean a way of travel that dead-ends with provisions for turning around large emergency and public utility vehicles.
“Court” shall mean a way of travel, which runs generally east and west and ends in a cul-de-sac.
“Department” shall mean the Poulsbo planning department.
“Director” shall mean the director of the Poulsbo planning department or a duly authorized designee.
“Drive” shall mean an irregular or diagonal way of travel.
“Group R occupancies,” for addressing purposes, shall mean all occupancies classified as Group R in accordance with the International Building Code as adopted in Section 15.04.020(A)(1), as well as all “residential occupancies” as defined herein.
“Group U occupancies,” for addressing purposes, shall mean all occupancies classified as Group U in accordance with the International Building Code as adopted in Section 15.04.020(A)(1), as well as residential accessory buildings such as outbuildings, detached private garages, sheds and carports constructed in accordance with the International Residential Code.
“Loop” shall mean a way of travel that has two exits or entrances originating from the same way of travel.
“Place” shall mean a way of travel that runs generally north and south and that is generally parallel to, but shorter than, an avenue and ends in a cul-de-sac.
“Private road” shall mean a road that is on private property and which is maintained with private funds.
“Residential occupancies,” for addressing purposes, shall mean detached one- and two-family dwellings and multiple single-family dwellings (townhouses) not more than three stories in height with a separate means of egress, and typically constructed in accordance with the International Residential Code.
“Road” shall mean a way of travel that has been designated as a road or which is an extension of an existing road.
“Road name sign” shall mean a sign designating the name of a way of travel.
“Street” shall mean a way of travel that runs generally east and west.
“Way” shall mean a way of travel that runs generally east and west which is generally parallel to, but shorter than, a street.
“Way of travel” shall mean a roadway of any definition, including, but not limited to, avenues, boulevards, circles, courts, drives, loops, places, lanes, roads, streets, and ways, which is capable of carrying vehicular traffic. (Ord. 2014-13 § 2 (Exh. A (part)), 2014)
12.24.030 Powers and duties of department.
A. The director is authorized and empowered to assign and/or change numerical designations of buildings and real property.
B. Addresses shall be assigned in conjunction with the approved building permit application process or during the preliminary plat process. Community or public facilities without structures, such as parks and utilities, shall be addressed.
C. The director is authorized and empowered to assign and/or change the names of ways of travel and numerical designations.
D. The director is authorized to administer and implement the provisions of this chapter and develop policies (e.g., interpretations) to ensure the proper operation.
E. The director is authorized and empowered to designate roads if determined to be in the interest of public safety. If there are multiple segments or branches of a road, it will be at the director’s discretion as to the number of road names assigned.
F. The processing fees for assignment of new addresses and petitions for road naming shall be in accordance with development permit fees and fee policies established by resolution. (Ord. 2014-13 § 2 (Exh. A (part)), 2014)
12.24.040 Official map.
A. The Poulsbo official addressing map (hereinafter referred to as the “official map”) shall divide Poulsbo into two districts: (1) Northwest (NW) and (2) Northeast (NE).
B. The official map shall establish the numerical addressing grid for the city.
C. The official map is attached as Exhibit B to the ordinance codified in this chapter, and is hereby adopted as part of this chapter and incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.
D. The official map and addresses thereof shall be maintained at the planning department. The official map or copy thereof shall be available for public inspection during regular business hours. (Ord. 2014-13 § 2 (Exh. A (part)), 2014)
12.24.050 Designation of way of travel.
A. Ways of travel running generally or predominantly north and south shall be suffixed with the abbreviated name of the district for the entire way of travel in which they are situated when initially named.
B. Ways of travel running generally or predominantly east and west shall be prefixed with the abbreviated name of the district for the entire way of travel in which they are situated when initially named.
C. Ways of travel shall be designated by a name in accordance with Section 12.24.070. (Ord. 2014-13 § 2 (Exh. A (part)), 2014)
12.24.060 Numerical designation of buildings and real property.
A. Buildings with an occupancy classification other than Group U shall be designated numerically. For measurement purposes in determining the numerical designation, the location of the main entrance to the property on which the building is situated or unimproved real property shall be used.
B. Buildings with an occupancy classification of Group U, or buildings accessory to those that are numerically designated, may be designated numerically at the discretion of the director provided appropriate justification can be established indicating the need for a separate numerical designation.
C. Buildings with multiple tenant spaces, suites or dwelling units shall receive one numerical designation per building.
Exceptions:
1. Mini-storage complexes may have one address for multiple buildings provided each building is designated with the numerical designation of the complex as well as the individual unit designation and the site plan showing all building and unit designations is submitted to and approved by the department.
2. Residential duplexes may have two numerical designations.
D. The numerical designations shall be assigned based on the geographic direction of the way of travel, as determined by observing its overall length and noting its general or predominant direction, as follows:
1. In the northwest and northeast districts, even numerical designations shall be assigned to the north and east sides of ways of travel and odd numerical designations shall be assigned to the south and west sides of ways of travel.
E. From the point of origin, when possible, even and odd numerical designations shall be assigned consecutively and opposite one another for the entire way of travel in which they are situated when initially named.
Exception: Buildings and real property situated on a circle, court, or loop shall be numbered consecutively beginning at the point of origin and proceeding progressively around such circle, court or loop in a clockwise direction.
F. Buildings with multiple tenant spaces, suites or dwelling units shall have the suites/units further identified with suite, unit or apartment numbers. Assignment of suite or apartment numbers of commercial occupancies shall be from left to right facing the buildings or units. All suite, apartment or unit numbers shall use “100” numbers for units located on the first floor of buildings, “200” numbers for units located on the second floor, “300” numbers for units on the third floor, and continue likewise for successive floors. Suite, unit or apartment numbers on floor levels below the first floor (sub-grade levels) shall use the letter “S” preceding the suite/unit numbers. For example, on the floor level immediately below the first floor, “S100” numbers shall be used. The next floor level down shall use “S200” numbers and continue likewise for successive sub-grade or basement levels.
1. Multi-unit commercial occupancies, other than Group R, shall have suite/unit numbers in ten-number increments, whenever possible, to ensure adequate opportunity for future changes to be numbered in correct order. When the building has an odd numerical designation, suite/unit numbers shall be odd. For example, a building with an address of 123 NW Alphabet St. would have suite/units 101, 111, 121, etc. on the first floor; 201, 211, 221 on the second floor, etc. Buildings with even numerical designations shall use even suite/unit numbers.
2. Multi-unit commercial occupancies with Group R units shall have suite/unit numbers consecutively. For example, a multi-unit Group R building would have suite/units 100, 101, 102, 103 on the first floor, suite/units 200, 201, 202, 203 on the second floor, etc. A multi-unit Group R building with interior access corridors may use consecutive even and odd numbers on opposite sides of the corridor. Suite/unit numbers of different floors, whenever possible, shall be “stacked”; for example, unit 112 should be directly below unit 212, which would be directly below unit 312, etc. (Ord. 2014-13 § 2 (Exh. A (part)), 2014)
12.24.070 Denoting of ways of travel.
A. Ways of travel shall be named when they serve a minimum of three or more parcels, or three or more buildings with an occupancy group other than Group U. Requests for names shall be petitioned to, and approved by, the department.
The name is the principal identifying component of a full way of travel name, which in most cases should uniquely distinguish a way of travel from all others. In addition to emergency response, addresses are used to record the location of events and objects in databases throughout the city. It is important that names be easy to input correctly. The following criteria reflect that need as well as the needs of emergency response:
1. No name shall be used more than once. For example, two ways of travel may not be named Cedar even if they are different types.
2. Names shall not sound alike. For example, two ways of travel may not be named Stephen and Steven.
3. Names that tend to be mispronounced or misspelled should not be used. For example, names like Javelina, Weimaraner, and Perseverance are either hard to spell or pronounce and would be subject to increased scrutiny during the name review process; provided, that names that reflect the community’s history, culture or heritage may be considered.
4. Names should be composed of one word wherever possible and limited to thirteen characters or less. This does not include directionals or identifiers which are assigned by the department according to the official map.
5. Two-word names or one-word names that can be confused as two-word names shall not be used. For example, names like Clearlake, Clear Lake, and Baytree would not be acceptable.
6. Names that include directional words such as North, South, East, or West shall be avoided. For example, North East Beach would not be acceptable.
7. Names that include punctuation shall be used without the punctuation. For example, NW George’s Rd would be approved as NW Georges Rd.
8. Except where historically significant, names shall not include proper names.
9. The department shall promote name continuity. For example, a private road or unmaintained city road extending from the end of a dead-end city-maintained road shall retain the same name.
10. Names shall not include any of the types listed in Section 12.24.020, Definitions. For example, Mountain Loop Rd would not be an acceptable name.
B. Name changes may be initiated by the department when the name fails to meet the criteria in subsection A of this section or when the name serves to compromise the E911 system in any way. The department shall work in cooperation with CenCom and other departments in making changes. Except as detailed in this section, existing names shall not be required to meet the criteria of this chapter.
C. The department is authorized to affirmatively take all lawful action to cure or fix the problem of names not meeting the criteria of this chapter provided written notice of the proposed action is provided to all persons owning property on the way of travel in question, and all persons affected or impacted by the proposed action, via U.S. mail or other appropriate means, and all the following procedures are followed:
1. Petition for name will be mailed to each parcel owner allowing thirty days from the date of the letter to provide input on the name selection.
2. If a majority vote is not received for a name that can be approved by the department, a second letter will be sent out to each parcel owner allowing an additional fourteen days from the date of the letter to provide input on the proposed name selection.
3. If a simple majority vote is not received for a name that can be approved by the department, then the department will select the new name.
4. When the approved name has been selected and assigned by the department, a letter will be sent out to each parcel owner with the approved name and instructions for the construction of the sign. On private road or unmaintained city road, the parcel owners shall have the sign constructed and installed within thirty days.
5. When the naming process is complete, a letter will be sent out to each parcel owner notifying them of the new address number assignment with the new name. The parcel owners shall have the new address numbers posted within thirty days.
D. All new or replaced name signs shall be constructed and placed pursuant to city public works sign standards. Costs and maintenance of any signs for a private or unmaintained road shall be the sole responsibility of the parcel owners on said road. Failure to maintain signs for a private or unmaintained road can constitute a separate class I civil infraction against each and every parcel owner served by such road, in accordance with Section 12.24.090. (Ord. 2014-13 § 2 (Exh. A (part)), 2014)
12.24.080 Display of designations.
A. The owner, occupant, tenant, lessee or any other person or entity having an interest in any addressed building shall conspicuously display the numerical designation assigned to such building. The numerical designation shall be easily legible with numerals displayed upon a contrasting background, for example, black on white, or white on blue, etc. Whenever possible, numerical designations should not be placed on window glazing.
1. Number size for all residential occupancies shall be four inches minimum height with one-half-inch stroke.
2. All commercial addresses shall be posted as follows: numerals on buildings located fifty feet or less from the named way of travel shall be twelve inches minimum height with one-and-one-half-inch stroke; numerals on buildings located between fifty and one hundred feet from the named way of travel shall be eighteen inches in height with two-inch stroke; numerals on buildings located more than one hundred feet from the named way of travel shall be twenty-four inches minimum height with two-and-one-half-inch stroke.
B. Premises Identification. Approved numbers or address shall be posted for all new and existing buildings in such a position, facing the way of travel, as to be plainly visible and legible from the way of travel fronting the property. If the numerical designation of the building is not clearly visible from a named way of travel, the numerical designation shall also be displayed near the main entrance to the property and the driveway entrance upon which the building is situated. During the construction of buildings, the numerical designation shall be posted at the premises prior to requesting any department inspections. (Ord. 2014-13 § 2 (Exh. A (part)), 2014)
12.24.090 Enforcement.
A. The director is authorized to enforce this chapter, and to designate city employees as authorized representatives of the department to investigate suspected violations of this chapter, and to issue orders to correct violations and notices of infraction.
B. A violation of any provision of this chapter shall constitute a class I civil infraction. Each violation shall constitute a separate infraction for each and every day during which the violation is committed, continued, or permitted. Infractions shall be processed in the manner set forth in Chapter 1.16. (Ord. 2014-13 § 2 (Exh. A (part)), 2014)