AGENDA DATE: 2/8/2017
TITLE:
Title
Road Naming and Property Numbering Manual
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Resolution to amend the Albemarle County Road Naming and Property Numbering Manual to allow half-number addresses
ITEM TYPE: Consent Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Walker, Kamptner, Graham, Weaver, Emerick
PRESENTER (S): Mark Graham
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Douglas C. Walker
BACKGROUND: The County adopted the Road Naming and Property Numbering Ordinance and Manual in 1992 in order to improve delivery of emergency services and assure consistent addressing and road naming. County Code § 7-202 incorporates the procedures and standards set forth in the Manual by reference. One of the Manual’s addressing standards provides spacing between house numbers with future development in mind. Some older subdivisions with no spacing in the numbering retained their addresses rather than conform to this standard because there was no pressing need to change. When additional addresses are needed in those subdivisions, the practice has been to renumber the entire street for consistency with the addressing standards set forth in the Manual. This can result in many existing homes needing to change their addresses, and some homeowners consider this a significant inconvenience and expense.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Operational Capacity: Ensure County government’s ability to provide high quality service that achieves community priorities.
DISCUSSION: Section 5 of Part II of the Manual establishes general guidelines for house numbering. Current Section 5(d) (Attachment A, page 2) prohibits using half-numbers. For situations when an address is needed that is otherwise not available for a new detached addressable structure that shares its primary access with an existing addressed structure, allowing a half-number address is recommended (Example: 123 1/2 Sample Street for a new detached structure sharing an access with 123 Sample Street). This would avoid the need to readdress existing homes in some circumstances.
Staff received confirmation from public safety personnel and the US Postal Service that using half-number addresses is a viable option. The Fire Marshal indicated that additional signage would be necessary for addressable structures at the location where the primary access diverges to prevent delays in response time. While small, this change does introduce some risk. Failure to provide proper signage and human error could cause delays in response time that may result in the loss of life or property.
The attached Resolution (Attachment B) sets forth staff’s proposed changes to Part II, Section 5(d) the Manual.
BUDGET IMPACT: There is no anticipated budgetary impact associated with this change.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board adopt the attached Resolution to amend the County’s Road Naming and Property Numbering Manual (Attachment B).
ATTACHMENTS:
A - Current Road Naming and Property Numbering Manual
B - Resolution to Amend the Manual