Chapter 12.08
STREET NAMES AND ADDRESSING BUILDINGS
Sections:
12.08.020 Street naming criteria.
12.08.030 Street designations and building address assignments and reassignments.
12.08.040 Posting requirement.
12.08.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide criteria for the naming or renaming of public streets and the addressing of the principal entrances of all buildings or other uses. (Ord. 970 § 1, 2005; Ord. 749 § 2, 1995).
12.08.020 Street naming criteria.
The assignment of street names and addresses shall be based on the following criteria:
A. Existing named streets shall maintain the same names wherever possible.
B. New streets shall be named according to an approved name list to be prepared by the director of planning and approved by city council by resolution; provided, city council shall retain the authority to name or rename any street as it may determine appropriate for any special circumstance. The approved name list shall contain the names of local people and families, places, events, native fauna and flora and natural and geological features with cultural and historical significance to the area. All street names shall be reviewed by the police chief and the fire chief prior to final naming or renaming to ensure that street names are not confusingly similar to other existing street names or would otherwise be unsuitable for public safety reasons.
C. Principal entrances of all buildings or other uses shall be assigned a number according to the King County grid system, by the building official. (Ord. 970 § 2, 2005; Ord. 749 § 2, 1995).
12.08.030 Street designations and building address assignments and reassignments.
A. Streets in new subdivisions shall have proposed street names set forth in the preliminary plat and streets names shall be confirmed and established in final plats.
B. All streets shall carry a geographic suffix or prefix. Streets designated as avenues shall carry a geographic suffix and be in a north-south direction, and streets designated as streets shall carry a geographic prefix and be in an east-west direction.
C. Any new street not within a subdivision shall be named by recommendation of planning commission and resolution of city council.
D. The assignment of addresses for new buildings shall occur in conjunction with the issuance of a building permit.
E. Any street to be renamed shall be by recommendation of planning commission and resolution of city council.
F. Addresses shall be assigned by the building official, who shall consult with the police chief and fire chief. The assignment of addresses shall be based on the following criteria:
1. Avenues shall have odd numbers on the westerly side, and even numbers on the easterly side.
2. Streets shall have odd numbers on the southerly side, and even numbers on the northerly side.
G. Should the building official find that a building, structure, or premises is either not provided with an address, is not correctly addressed, or is not using the assigned address, he/she shall inform the owner, agent, or renter of the proper address and of the necessity to correct a deficiency through a notice of address reassignment. The notice of address reassignment shall have an effective date at least 20 days after the mailing date of the notice. It shall be unlawful for any owner, agent, or renter to fail to display the correct address, advertise with a wrong address, or use the wrong address after the effective date of a notice of reassignment. (Ord. 970 § 3, 2005; Ord. 749 § 2, 1995).
12.08.040 Posting requirement.
It shall be the duty of the owners, agent, or renter of all dwellings and commercial establishments except barns, garages and secondary buildings which are part of the same property with a numbered house or building, to place on such building its proper street number either by painting or by affixing such numbers in metal, glass, wood, or other forms. The number shall consist of Arabic numerals at least three inches in height in colors contrasting with the background in such manner and location as to be plainly visible from the public street which serves as the principal means of access to said house or building. The numerals shall be conspicuously placed immediately above, on or at the side of the door serving as the front or principal entrance to the house or building. In the event that numerals affixed to the house or building would not be plainly visible from the public street, or is greater than 50 feet from the nearest adjoining street, the address numbers shall be placed on a portion of the site that is clearly visible and no greater than 20 feet from the street. The owners, agent, or renter shall number such house or building in accordance with the provisions of this chapter within 180 days of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter. (Ord. 749 § 2, 1995).
12.08.050 Enforcement.
Failure to comply with the requirements of this chapter shall constitute a civil infraction punishable by a penalty of $100.00. (Ord. 749 § 2, 1995).