Chapter 8.70
STREET NAMING AND RENAMING
Sections:
8.70.025 Director of community and economic development.
8.70.030 Street naming policy.
8.70.040 Naming of new street or naming existing unnamed street.
8.70.010 Purpose.
This chapter provides the residents of the city of Yakima with a uniform and standardized system of street naming and renaming. (Ord. 2006-08 § 1 (part), 2006: Ord. 2005-24 § 1 (part), 2005).
8.70.020 Applicability.
This chapter shall apply to all public and private streets in the city of Yakima. (Ord. 2006-08 § 1 (part), 2006: Ord. 2005-24 § 1 (part), 2005).
8.70.025 Director of community and economic development.
As used throughout this chapter, the term “director” shall mean the director of community and economic development or his/her designee. (Ord. 2006-08 § 1 (part), 2006: Ord. 2005-24 § 1 (part), 2005).
8.70.030 Street naming policy.
In selecting street names, consideration shall be given to the following:
(A) There shall be no duplication or phonetic approximate duplication of street names in the Yakima urban growth area.
(B) No street shall have more than one name.
(C) Excluding directional prefix or street type suffix (i.e., road, avenue, boulevard), street names shall consist of no more than twelve characters, unless specially approved by the director or the Yakima city council.
(D) Where a proposed public or private way is a continuation of or in alignment with an existing public or private way, it shall utilize the same name as the existing public or private way.
(E) No street name shall be permitted which the director or the city council determines to be unacceptable due to difficulties related to emergency service dispatch. (Ord. 2006-08 § 1 (part), 2006: Ord. 2005-24 § 1 (part), 2005).
8.70.040 Naming of new street or naming existing unnamed street.
Any new street to be established within the city of Yakima, public or private, or any existing unnamed streets, public or private, shall require a street name approved by the director in accordance with the following:
(A) Naming of Streets within New Plats. In the case of plats, proposed names shall be specified on the final plat map and shall be in compliance with requirements set forth in this chapter, subject to the approval of the director.
(B) Naming of Other New Streets or Existing Unnamed Streets Through Petition.
(1) In the case of other new streets or naming of unnamed streets, any owner or owners and/or contract buyers of properties abutting said street may petition in writing on a form provided by the city, to the director, a request to officially name a street. The petition shall bear the signatures of the owners of at least fifty-one percent of the lots, tracts, or parcels of property (excluding federal, state, public utilities and municipal lands), which abut the street to be named.
(2) Upon receipt of a petition meeting the criteria stated in subsection (B)(1) of this section and payment of the petition fee, the director shall schedule an open public meeting to consider such petition.
(3) At least thirty days prior to such meeting, the director shall notify all property owners abutting the street by first-class mail of such meeting time and date. Tax assessment and city of Yakima utility records shall be used for ascertaining owner address information.
(4) The director will provide notice to, and solicit input from, government agencies and utility providers likely to have an interest in such naming (for example, the Yakima fire department, the Yakima public safety communications division, the Yakima police department, the Yakima water/irrigation division, the Yakima wastewater treatment division, the Yakima engineering division, Yakima County, the U.S. Postal Service, Cascade Natural Gas Company, and Pacific Power).
(5) The director shall approve the request upon determining that the proposed naming is in the best interest of the city of Yakima and is consistent with the street naming policy set forth at YMC 8.70.030.
(C) At any time prior to the submission of a petition as provided for in YMC 8.70.040(B), the director may propose and approve any street name that is consistent with the policies of YMC 8.70.030. (Ord. 2006-08 § 1 (part), 2006: Ord. 2005-24 § 1 (part), 2005).
8.70.050 Renaming of streets.
(A) Any resident of the city of Yakima may petition in writing on a form provided by the city, to the Yakima city council, a request to officially rename a street that has an existing name. The petition shall be accompanied by a petition fee as set forth in the city of Yakima master fee schedule approved via resolution by the city council.
(B) Upon receipt of a petition and payment of the petition fee, the city council shall consider the matter at a regular council meeting and make an initial determination of whether the petition is a valid request that should be considered in a public hearing. If so, the city council shall schedule a time, date and place for the public hearing.
(C) Upon scheduling of the public hearing, the director shall notify all property owners abutting the street by first-class mail of the public hearing time, date and place, which notice shall precede the hearing date by no less than thirty days. Tax assessment and city of Yakima utility records shall be used for ascertaining owner address information.
(D) The director will provide notice to, and solicit input from, government agencies and utility providers likely to have an interest in such renaming (for example, the Yakima fire department, the Yakima public safety communications division, the Yakima police department, the Yakima water/irrigation division, the Yakima wastewater treatment division, the Yakima engineering division, Yakima County, the U.S. Postal Service, Cascade Natural Gas Company, and Pacific Power).
(E) The city council shall approve by ordinance the request upon determining that the proposed renaming is in the best interest of the city of Yakima and is consistent with the street naming policy set forth at YMC 8.70.030. (Ord. 2022-040 § 55, 2022; Ord. 2006-08 § 1 (part), 2006: Ord. 2005-24 § 1 (part), 2005).