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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAddress_Street_Naming_Program_1_2005 Addressing and Street Naming Program Page 1 City of Bakersfield Development Services – Planning January 10, 2005 B A K E R S F I E L D Development Services Department - Planning Division www.BakersfieldCity.com ADDRESSING AND STREET NAMING PROGRAM I. PURPOSE A. This program is established in compliance with Chapters 15.42, 15.52 and Section 16.28.130 of the Bakersfield Municipal Code. The Planning Director is required to establish a uniform system of numbering for all buildings, structures and homes within the city, and to approve all street names prior to recording any final map. B. The Planning Director may delegate authority as deemed appropriate to perform any actions described in this program. II. ASSIGNING ADDRESSES A. Assignment of addresses required. 1. Addresses shall be assigned to each lot or parcel upon the recording of any final map within the city limits. 2. Addresses shall be assigned upon application of any site plan review, conditional use permit, building permit, or other such development review if an address has not been previously assigned. A corrected address may be given if the previously assigned address is inconsistent with the location of the building or buildings on the property, or is necessary to be consistent with surrounding property addresses as deemed necessary by the Planning Director. 3. Addresses shall be assigned only to individual parcels unless otherwise noted below. Accessory buildings such as sheds, garages, shade, and garden structures will not be addressed. a) Single-family residential lots shall have one address. If a second unit is added, that unit is preferred to have a letter assigned at the end of the main address (ie. 100 A). The use of ½ or any other fraction is not permitted. A second number may be assigned to that second unit at the discretion of the Planning Director but it must fit within the existing numbering sequence. Addressing and Street Naming Program Page 2 City of Bakersfield Development Services – Planning January 10, 2005 b) Multiple family projects with 4 units or less shall be assigned a single number; units will not be given individual street numbers. The developer shall assign each unit a number or letter (ie. 1, 2 or A, B). c) Multiple family projects with more than 4 units are subject to the requirements of Chapter 15.42. A single address will be assigned to the project; units will not be given individual street address numbers. The developer will be responsible for number or lettering of each building and unit within the project site. d) Commercial or industrial projects with multiple buildings, main buildings, or major tenants will be addressed at the discretion of the Planning Director. The developer can request that only one address number assigned to the center. The developer or property owner will be responsible for assigning individual suite or unit numbers. It is preferred that suite numbers be assigned in a 100 series (ie. 100, 200, 300, etc.) instead of an alphabetic character as this will allow additional suite numbers to be assigned if tenant spaces are divided in the future (this will keep them in a numerical order). The Planning Director shall have prepared a plan of the site (preferred size 8½" x 11") with the main address numbers noted (excluding suites). The original address plan shall be kept with the project file and a copy provided to the property owner or agent, and to the entities noted in Section B. "Notification". B. Notification. 1. The Planning Director shall establish and maintain a list of governmental agencies, public utility companies and other agencies, who have requested or in the opinion of the Planning Director, are affected by addressing. 2. The Planning Director shall notify all entities on the mailing list when: a) New addresses are assigned. b) Changes are made to existing addresses. c) Corrections are made to existing addresses. d) Annexation of land into the city limits is completed creating new addresses or accepting previously issued addresses by Kern County. C. Establishment of block grid. 1. Address ranges shall be based upon a 100 block grid pattern under this section, except as noted in Section E. "Exceptions". 2. The grid point of origin is the intersection of the centerlines of Brundage Lane and Union Avenue. Address numbers will increase by 100 on each side of the street every 330 feet as projected from said intersection. Addressing and Street Naming Program Page 3 City of Bakersfield Development Services – Planning January 10, 2005 3. The first 100 block in all directions adjacent to the grid point of origin shall be known as the "100 block". Numbering within said 100 block shall begin at 100 and increase progressively up to 199. This pattern shall repeat in all directions for each 100 series from the point of origin. D. Address numbering standard. 1. Addressing shall be determined at the discretion of the Planning Director on a case-by-case basis and generally follow the standards prescribed in the following subsections. Other considerations for addressing not previously anticipated will be based upon the standards contained in this document. 2. Addresses will be assigned with odd numbers on one side of a street and even numbers on the opposite side of the street, except as noted in Section E. "Exceptions". a) Streets running in an east-west direction shall be addressed as follows: ? The north side of the street shall be even numbered addresses. ? The south side of the street shall be odd numbered addresses. b) Streets running in a north-south direction that are west of Union Avenue shall be addressed as follows: ? The east side of the street shall be even numbered addresses. ? The west side of the street shall be odd numbered addresses. c) Streets running in a north-south direction that are east of Union Avenue shall be addressed as follows: ? The east side of the street shall be odd numbered addresses. ? The west side of the street shall be even numbered addresses. d) Union Avenue shall be addressed with even numbers on the east side and odd numbers on the west side. 3. Addresses will be assigned based on a minimum of 4 numerical digits between lots that are 75 feet wide or less. The difference between addresses will increase by 2 numerical digits for each 30 feet of additional street frontage above 75 feet wide. Addressing within commercial and industrial centers will have a minimum of 4 numerical digits between buildings or major tenants, if possible. 4. In determining the proper range to address a development, first consideration will be given to the existing addresses of surrounding properties. New addresses will be integrated within these surrounding addresses in order to create a uniform consecutive address scheme without duplication. Addressing and Street Naming Program Page 4 City of Bakersfield Development Services – Planning January 10, 2005 5. The 100 block grid presents a general guideline in assigning specific addresses within a development. In the event a 100 block falls where addresses will be within the same 100 block on each side of an intersection, adjustments will be made, if possible, to cause the 100 block to break at the intersection. 6. In determining if a curved street should be addressed with a north-south or an east-west orientation, addressing will be based upon the predominate direction of the street. If the orientation creates a conflict because of duplication of addresses, the street shall then be oriented to the other grid. 7. On corner lots, the frontage that constitutes the front yard (as defined in Title 17 of the Bakersfield Municipal Code) will be addressed at the time the recorded map is submitted to the Planning Department for addressing. The side street yard may be addressed upon request of the property owner if the front door faces that side street, or for other reasons that the property owner and Planning Director determine is necessary for the address to be consistent with other properties. Numbering will follow the standards noted in Section A. "Assignment of Addresses Required". 8. Addressing of tract, parcel, and other maps or diagrams shall be done on copies of the map reduced to 8½" x 11". E. Exceptions. 1. Existing addresses will be given priority consideration in assigning new addresses in the vicinity. Adjustments within the grid may be made to maintain a uniform consecutive pattern of addresses. These adjustments shall be at the discretion of the Planning Director and may include but are not limited to the following: a) The City has been addressed over a period of time based on different origins or a different 100 block grid pattern. Therefore, adjustments to the adopted grid pattern may be necessary in order to maintain consecutive addressing. In the event adjustments are necessary, a "warped" grid pattern will be used to provide a transition from the established grid to the project being addressed. b) The Planning Director may consider breaking the established grid in order to make adjustments at natural barriers such as rivers, canals, railroad tracks, major roads, and freeways when such adjustments are necessary. c) Addresses shall be assigned odd or even numbers as noted in Section D. "Address Numbering Standard". However, if the Planning Director determines that a conflict will arise due to the existing addresses surrounding the subject development and that the intent and purpose of addressing is better served by not strictly following the standards contained in this document, addresses will be assigned to match the existing numbering pattern. Addressing and Street Naming Program Page 5 City of Bakersfield Development Services – Planning January 10, 2005 F. Changes and corrections. 1. Requests to change an address will be granted only if the property owner making the requested change can sufficiently demonstrate that it is necessary, a number can be assigned within the existing grid pattern without affecting neighboring properties, and the request generally fits within the parameters of this document. Requests for an address change shall be in writing and shall be submitted to the Planning Director. General dislike of a number, superstitious or religious concerns will not constitute sufficient reason for changing an address number. 2. The Planning Director may change or correct an address if the change or correction is necessary for orderly development of the overall addressing system. Such corrections shall be as follows: a) The Planning Director shall notify the property owner of the correction at least 30 days prior to the correction becoming effective. b) The Planning Director shall notify all affected entities as noted in Section B. "Notification" at least 30 days prior to the correction becoming effective. c) The property owner shall be responsible for changing the numbers on the structure to comply with Section III "Address Number Posting". d) The property owner shall be responsible for notifying entities of private interest of the address change, including but not limited to businesses, employers, friends, and relatives. G. Addressing records. 1. A record of all address ranges, assigned addresses, and street/addressing maps shall be maintained in the Planning Department as follows: a) The original addressed reproducible copy of a tract, parcel or other recorded map shall be kept in its respective file. b) Any map or site plan showing assigned addresses for a development project not associated with a recorded map shall be kept in that project's official file. c) A copy of the addressed tract, parcel or other recorded map shall be kept in a separate book and be available at all times for use by staff and the public. 2. All official street name and address records may be kept electronically in lieu of hard copies as determined by the Planning Director. Addressing and Street Naming Program Page 6 City of Bakersfield Development Services – Planning January 10, 2005 III. POSTING OF ADDRESS NUMBERS A. Number size, location and color. 1. Address numbers shall be mounted on the exterior of all buildings required to have addresses within the city limits. Numbers shall be a contrasting color from the background and be located in such manner as to be easily seen and legible from the street, public way or public walkway. 2. Address numbers for detached single-family homes, and any multiple family building of 4 units or less, shall be a minimum height of 3 inches. Address numbers for commercial and industrial buildings shall be a minimum height of 6 inches. 3. Multiple family buildings and condominium projects with buildings containing 5 or more units shall be subject to the requirements in Chapter 15.42 of the Bakersfield Municipal Code which requires that unit numbers be a minimum of 4 inches in height and building numbers (if there are separate buildings in the complex) a minimum of 6 inches in height. 4. The Planning Director may require that number text be larger for a business or building because of excessive setbacks from the street, or partial obstruction from landscaping or other materials, to increase visibility for emergency services. 5. Address numbers shall face the street named in the address and be at or near the entryway leading to the front door. 6. Address numbers shall be a legible type style. Script or written type is discouraged. 7. Address numbers are encouraged on freestanding identification signs along street frontages to increase visibility. The Planning Director may require address numbers on a freestanding sign, as deemed necessary, because of excessive building setbacks from the street, or partial obstruction from landscaping or other materials, to increase visibility for emergency services. B. Responsibility. 1. It is the responsibility of the property owner to install, maintain, and/or replace address numbers as necessary subject to the provisions and penalties in Chapter 15.52 of the Bakersfield Municipal Code. Addressing and Street Naming Program Page 7 City of Bakersfield Development Services – Planning January 10, 2005 IV. STREET NAMES A. Street names required. 1. All streets, public and private, shall be named. Proposed names shall be on the map when filing a tentative tract or parcel map. Street signs shall be installed on new streets prior to occupancy of any structures on that street. B. Notification. 1. Notification of affected public agencies, utilities, or individuals shall follow the standards noted in Chapter II, Section B. "Notification". 2. The Planning Director shall notify as prescribed above when: a) New streets are created. b) Street names are corrected or changed. C. Street name approval. 1. All street names shall be approved by the Planning Director. 2. The Planning Director shall consider comments from all public agencies concerning specific street names. 3. The Planning Director will consult with Kern County to ensure that conflicts are not created with existing street names in the surrounding county areas. 4. Pending street names shall be kept in a separate file or electronically by the Planning Department to ensure reservation of a specific street name. Upon recordation or expiration of the tentative map, reserved street name(s) will be removed from the file. D. Street naming standard. 1. Duplication of street names will not be allowed except in the case of a court or place running off its street of origin. 2. Similar sounding names will not be allowed. Street names should be pronounceable. 3. Streets continually running in one direction shall have the same name throughout their length. 4. Jogs of substantial distance and direction shall require that each continual street have a different name. 5. Different names shall be assigned to streets broken by intervening land uses that are unlikely to allow the street to be connected in the future. Addressing and Street Naming Program Page 8 City of Bakersfield Development Services – Planning January 10, 2005 6. Where a street makes a turn greater than forty-five degrees and is a "knuckled" corner, each street shall have a different name. 7. Suffix Designations - If possible, suffixes should follow the pattern outlined below. In the event this pattern cannot be followed, suffixes may be designated at the discretion of the Planning Director. a) Street: a local street running north and south b) Avenue: a local street running east and west c) Road: an arterial or collector street running in any direction d) Drive: a local collector street that may be curving or looped e) Way: a one-block long street connecting two other streets f) Place: a short street that may be a court or cul-de-sac g) Court: a place or cul-de-sac less than 500 feet in length. h) Lane: a local street that may be curving or looped i) Loop/Circle: a short street that curves or loops back to the same street that it started from j) Boulevard: an arterial or major thoroughfare; it is usually divided with landscape medians k) Parkway: a scenic route or expressway distinguishable by abundant landscaping and/or scenic views l) Expressway: a major arterial roadway that may have limited at-grade or grade separated interchanges m) Highway: a designated state or federal highway 8. Prefix Designations: These are a word, letter, or number that precedes the street name. a) Prefixes that denote direction such as north, south, east, and west shall be reserved for use by the Planning Director for streets where name changes would cause confusion, misidentification, or other addressing problems. b) Other prefixes shall be considered based on the standards contained in this section. E. Changes and corrections. 1. Street names may be corrected by the engineer or surveyor of the map, upon approval of the Planning Director, by filing a certificate of correction if it does not affect adjacent property owners. 2. Existing street names may be changed in accordance with the street renaming policies contained in City Council Resolution 198-89. Addressing and Street Naming Program Page 9 City of Bakersfield Development Services – Planning January 10, 2005 3. When changing a street name to unify multiple street names of the same street, the following criteria should be considered: a) Does one of the street names have any historical significance? b) Which street has the least number of houses along it where the least number of address changes would occur? c) Which street has had its name for the longest period of time? (consider historical significance) d) Is the name appropriate compared with other street names in the neighborhood? e) Which street name is used for the longest distance or the most traveled section? f) Which street name is more recognizable in the neighborhood or community? F. Street name records. 1. A master street file shall be kept by the Planning Department in accordance with Section II.G. "Addressing Records".