[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town of Groton 1-26-2010. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
The requirements set forth within the provisions of these regulations
are intended to promote the general health, safety, welfare and convenience
of the inhabitants of the Town of Groton by reducing the difficulty
in responding to individual residences, commercial properties and
nonprofit locations in cases of police, fire, medical or other emergency
situations requiring immediate location determination and response;
by facilitating the delivery efforts of the United States Postal Service
through the creation of a naming and numbering system for all delivery
locations; by decreasing the potential for traffic accidents caused
by motorists searching for address locations; by allowing the use
of information technology to provide for the efficient administration
of Town government; by improving local census data gathering capabilities;
by improving the accuracy of important real property legal documents
requiring location information; and by assisting the planning efforts
of a growing community.
A.
Display of building numbers.
(1)
Each and every building owner in Groton is responsible to ensure
at all times, day and night, and in all seasonal conditions that the
Town-assigned building number is displayed in a fashion and at locations
which facilitate rapid and accurate response by Groton emergency service
agencies as well as responders from surrounding mutual aid communities.
These regulations provide the framework for naming of streets along
with the assignment and display of building numbers. Extensive as
they are, these regulations can neither identify nor define every
building numbering situation that may arise. To come up with a building
number display solution for a particular location, building owners
must work within the spirit and intent of these regulations, apply
common sense, and collaborate with both the Fire Chief and Building
Commissioner to ensure the best solution.
(2)
With regard to the display of building numbers, the building owner's
on-going highest priority must be to display and maintain the assigned
building number in such a manner that it is easy, simple and fast
for emergency service agencies to accurately find the building when
responding to a request for emergency services. Mundane as the topic
may be, it is important to remember that at some point the proper
display of building numbers may make the difference between life and
death.
B.
Enhanced 9-1-1 service.
(1)
In 1990, Massachusetts enacted legislation for Enhanced 9-1-1 on
a statewide basis in the commonwealth. This legislation established
the Statewide Emergency Telecommunications Board (SETB) as the state
agency responsible for coordinating and administering the implementation
of Enhanced 9-1-1 and for promulgating standards to ensure a consistent
statewide approach for Enhanced 9-1-1.
(2)
The Enhanced 9-1-1 system automatically displays the address and
telephone number of the emergency caller on a screen at all 9-1-1
communications centers in Massachusetts, commonly referred to as "public
safety answering points" (PSAPs). There are approximately 270 PSAPs
in the commonwealth, some of which are regionally based to answer
calls for multiple communities.
(3)
In the first half of 2009, the State 911 Department adopted regulations
governing Enhanced 9-1-1 service for multiline telephone systems.
The regulations require that, beginning July 1, 2009, any new or substantially
renovated multiline telephone system (often referred to as PBX, Centrex®,
or key set systems) shall provide the same level of Enhanced 9-1-1
service that is provided to single-line subscribers in Massachusetts.
The regulations require that the operator of a multiline telephone
system provide a sufficiently precise indication of a caller's
location so that emergency response services may be dispatched to
the specific location of the caller to further shorten response times
and help save lives and property. Additional information is available
on the State 911 Department website at www.mass.gov/e911, 560 CMR
4, Regulations Governing Enhanced 9-1-1 Service for Multi-Line Telephone
Systems.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
The Town Manager of Groton or his or her designee.
A lot or parcel of land abutting upon two or more streets
at their intersection or upon two parts of the same street having
street side lines or tangents to side lines forming an interior angle
of less than 135º.
A minor street having one end open for vehicle traffic and
the other end permanently closed by a turnaround for vehicles.
A lot having at least 40 feet of frontage and five acres' area and meeting the requirements of the Code of Groton, Chapter 218, Zoning, § 218-23.1.
Streets that begin and end with connections to the same street.
Multiple-use properties are those with more than one principal
use, either in separate buildings or the same building. Examples of
multiple-use properties are two separate, freestanding dwellings on
the same property; dwelling unit and business on the same lot; or
a building used for commercial and residential uses.
A method by which street numbers are assigned to properties
based on their location in relationship to twenty-foot-wide intervals
scaled along the center line of the properties' vehicular access,
intended to provide flexibility and consistency.
A lot, other than a corner lot, which adjoins more than one
street.
COLLECTORA street with anticipated traffic equivalent to that generated by 50 homes or more or which serves abutting land zoned for business or industry.
DEAD ENDA street or street system which has only one means of ingress from or egress to a collector or minor street. The dead end category includes streets commonly called "cul-de-sacs."
LANEA dead-end street or loop street which cannot serve as access to more than 12 dwelling units and cannot be extended.
MINORA street which cannot qualify as a "lane" but which can be expected to handle less traffic than a collector street and which serves no abutting land zoned for business or industry.
PAPERAny way or right-of-way shown on a plan or sketch but which has not been constructed.
THROUGH STREETA street which connects to another street at both ends.[1]
VEHICULAR ACCESSEmergency vehicle access to a building, as determined by the Fire Chief or Building Commissioner.
Type of dwelling unit normally having two, but sometimes
three, stories; usually connected to a similar structure by a common
wall, and commonly (particularly in planned unit developments) subject
to an arrangement under which owners share and own in common the surrounding
grounds.
[1]
Editor's Note: For example, in Groton Peabody Street
which connects Old Ayer Road to Farmers Row is a through street, and
Champney Street which connects Main Street to Hollis Street is a through
street.)
A.
Campuses: In recognition of their nonstandard roads, driveways, and
building layouts, campuses (e.g., schools, camps with multiple permanent
buildings, retreat facilities, and similar properties) and campus-like
properties shall adopt street names that are agreeable to the campus
owner and to the Groton Fire Chief. In reaching this mutual agreement,
both parties will give the highest priority to facilitating the fastest
and most accurate response by both Town and mutual-aid emergency service
responders.
B.
Selection of street names: To prevent duplication of street names
or the use of similar sounding street names, all street names used
in Groton must be approved, in advance, by the Town Manager. The Town
Manager will collaborate with the Fire Chief, the Building Commissioner,
and the E-9-1-1 Database Liaison prior to approving a new street name.
The Town Manager may solicit and consider, but need not use, street
name suggestions from developers and residents.
C.
Naming of private driveways: Naming of private driveways and shared
driveways serving three or fewer units is prohibited unless the Fire
Chief determines a name is necessary for public safety reasons.
D.
Roadway ownership category: These street naming principles apply
regardless of the legal ownership category of the roadway which vehicles
traverse.
The Town of Groton has a wide variety of street patterns, types
of land use and densities of development. Therefore, the roadway network
and development trends in each area must be carefully studied to determine
the most appropriate building numbers. At times this may require the
use of different methods to assign numbers. In order to provide a
basic framework for consistency in making these decisions, the following
numbering principles shall be used.
A.
Application of numbering principles: It is unrealistic to think that
a numbering method can be described for every possible combination
of building type, building design, road type, building orientation
relative to the street, placement of external entrances, etc. Accordingly,
the Town Manager or his/her designee will generally apply these numbering
principles, using his/her reasonable discretion and judgment, when
assigning numbers. It is important that numbers be assigned consistently
to like or very similar situations. In this regard, when truly new
numbering situations present themselves, the Town Manager will collaborate
with the Fire Chief, the Building Commissioner, the E-9-1-1 Database
Liaison, and the Information Technology Manager and agree on a solution.
The agreed-on solution for the particular situation will be documented
and used each time a like or very similar situation presents itself
in the future. These documented situation-specific numbering solutions
may be consolidated and included in future revisions to these regulations.
B.
Campuses: In recognition of their nonstandard roads, driveways, and
building layouts, campuses and campuslike properties shall adopt a
numbering scheme that is mutually agreeable to the campus owner and
to the Groton Fire Chief. In reaching this mutual agreement, both
parties will give the highest priority to facilitating the fastest
and most accurate response by both Town and mutual-aid emergency service
responders.
C.
Road ownership category. These street numbering principles apply
regardless of the legal ownership category of the roadway upon which
vehicles traverse.
E.
Single street number with unit designation:
(1)
As a general rule, buildings with multiple external entrances will
have each external entrance assigned a unit letter. When frontage
on the street makes this impossible or impractical, the building will
be assigned a street number using the twenty-foot-interval method.
(4)
All units with internal entrances in buildings with multiple floors
will be assigned a floor number followed by an alphabetic unit designation
from left to right alternating along the inside of the hallway. Units
accessed by a separate external entrance shall be assigned a floor
number followed by an alphabetic unit designation as shown on the
following diagram:
F.
Numbers assigned to driveway or front entrance: Numbers shall be
assigned based on the location of the vehicular access to the building.
Consideration may be given by the Building Commissioner, for new buildings,
and by the Fire Chief, for existing buildings, to the assignment of
numbers based on where the building faces the road when there is a
demonstrated need for assigning the number in such a manner.
G.
Numbers assigned to through streets: Through street numbering will
begin at the end of the street with the shortest straight-line distance
to the corner of Main Street and Station Avenue.
H.
Even/Odd numbers: Starting at the end of the street with the shortest
straight-line distance to the corner of Main Street and Station Avenue,
the lefthand side of the street will be assigned odd numbers and the
righthand side of the street will be assigned even numbers.
I.
Hammerhead lots and other lots with obstructed visibility from the
roadway: Within areas where development is situated on hammerhead
lots or lots with obstructed visibility from the vehicular access
to the building, the location of the residential building must be
considered. When a building is located a considerable distance from
the roadway or visibility to the building is obstructed from the roadway,
the building number shall be determined using the vehicular access
to the roadway.
J.
Private rights-of-way (Residential):
(1)
In situations where three or fewer buildings are located on a private unnamed right-of-way (sometimes referred to as a "shared driveway"), each residential building will be assigned a building number off the connecting public right-of-way or street. (See Chapter 381, Part 4, Shared Driveways, of the Code of the Town of Groton.)
(2)
In situations where more than three residential structures are located on a private unnamed right-of-way (sometimes referred to as a "shared driveway"), the private drive shall be named. The Town Manager shall solicit and consider, but need not use, name suggestions from property owners on the road. Once a name has been approved, a Town standard street name sign shall be installed. (See Attachment 1 to Chapter 381, Code of the Town of Groton.)
(3)
The buildings shall be numbered according to these principles using
the number interval method. The property numbers shall be posted in
accordance with the Town's street name sign standards.
K.
Fractional numbers: Fractional numbers shall not be used. Alphabetical
suffixes are acceptable when a secondary property designation must
be assigned and no valid number is available. Alphanumeric suites
and apartment numbers may also be used.
L.
Use of "L" or "R" as a suffix: Use of the letter "L" to designate
"left" or the letter "R" to designate "right" or the rear of a numbered
building shall not be used.
M.
Use of LL as a prefix or suffix: The letters "LL" shall be used only
to designate lower level and may not be used for any other purpose.
N.
Campuses: Campuses and campus-like complexes shall mark each and
every building on the campus using a numbering system that is mutually
agreeable to the Town of Groton and the property owner or owners.
In reaching such mutual agreement, facilitation of rapid and correct
response for public safety personnel shall be the highest priority
consideration. Designation of campuses and campus-like complexes for
numbering purposes shall be at the sole discretion of the Fire Chief.
O.
Duplexes: Each unit in a duplex dwelling shall be assigned an alphanumeric
designation in accordance with the provisions stated for multifamily
houses.
P.
Multifamily Houses: Each unit in a multifamily dwelling shall be
assigned an alphanumeric designation as follows:
(1)
For single-story multifamily dwellings, the unit's designation
shall be composed of one or more alphabetic characters.
(2)
For multistory multifamily dwellings, the unit's designation
shall be composed of one or more numeric characters followed by one
or more alphabetic characters. Spaces or hyphens between the numeric
characters and alphabetic characters are not allowed. The numeric
characters shall identify the floor upon which the unit is located,
and the alphabetical characters shall uniquely identify the unit on
that floor.
(3)
Each floor in a multifamily building shall be assigned a unique floor
number from top to bottom, with the ground floor being the first floor
and increasing sequentially for each floor above the first floor,
except basement units which shall be assigned the prefix "LL" (lower
level).
(4)
Each unit on a floor in a multifamily building shall be designated
alphabetically with Unit A starting at the left corner of the building
when facing the building from the vehicular access to the building.
If there are more than 26 units on a floor, Unit 27 will be designated
"AA," Unit 28 will be "BB" and so forth. Basement units shall be designated
with the prefix LL (lower level) followed by an optional floor number
and unit letter. Examples:
(a)
The eighth unit from the left front corner of the building of
a single-story multifamily dwelling would have the designation "H."
(b)
The fifth unit from the left front corner of the building on
the second floor of a multifloor multifamily dwelling would have the
designation "2E."
(c)
The 29th unit from the left front corner of the building on
the third floor of a multifloor multifamily dwelling would have the
designation "3CC."
Q.
Numbering of accessory apartments: When an accessory apartment has
been authorized on a particular piece of property, the primary residence
shall use the assigned street number for the property . The accessory
residence shall use the assigned street number for the property followed
by an "A."
R.
Apartments and residential condominiums: Each primary private access
road to an apartment or residential condominium complex with three
or more buildings shall be named, and a standard Groton street sign
shall be installed. At the sole discretion of the Town Manager, in
cases where the apartment units or residential condominiums are located
near the vehicular access to the building or along shallow parking
areas along the street, a separate street name may not be required.
S.
Multiple-use properties: Each separate building should be assigned
an individual number. For properties with narrow street frontage,
the numbers may be borrowed from the next available number when necessary.
T.
Commercial, office and industrial complexes: A choice must be made
among several methods:
(1)
Assign the number to the main building where all of the mail is to
be received. Auxiliary buildings may be assigned separate numbers.
(2)
Each principal building in the complex may require a separate number.
(3)
For strip mall type shopping center developments, one number shall
be assigned to each freestanding building in the strip mall, and each
individual business shall be assigned a unique alphabetic unit or
suite designation. Basement units shall be designed with the prefix
"LL" (lower level). For security and emergency response purposes,
the business name and assigned address of each business shall be placed
on all of its entrances and loading areas.
(4)
Interior mall shopping centers shall have one number assigned for
the entire mall. Individual businesses shall be assigned a unique
alphabetic unit or suite number. For security and emergency response
purposes, units in such interior mall shopping centers with individual
external entrances shall display the business name and assigned address
at all external entrances and loading areas.
A.
Street name approval: All proposed street names shall be submitted
to the Town Manager for approval prior to the submission of any tentative
or preliminary subdivision plan to the Planning Board or Building
Commissioner, as appropriate. Only alphabetic characters and no punctuation
shall be used in street names.
B.
Street name length:
(1)
Due to space restrictions on the standard street name sign blades,
street names, including the abbreviated suffix, shall not have more
than 20 letters and spaces.
(2)
To be consistent throughout the Town with street name suffix abbreviations,
only the following standard United States Postal Service abbreviations
may be used:
Full Street Name Suffix
|
Suffix Abbreviation
| |
---|---|---|
Avenue
|
AVE
| |
Circle
|
CIR
| |
Court
|
CT
| |
Drive
|
DR
| |
Lane
|
LN
| |
Path
|
PATH
| |
Place
|
PL
| |
Point
|
PT
| |
Road
|
RD
| |
Row
|
ROW
| |
Run
|
RUN
| |
Street
|
ST
| |
Terrace
|
TER
| |
Trail
|
TRL
| |
Walk
|
WALK
| |
Way
|
WAY
|
D.
Prefixes: Abbreviated prefixes (such as N., S., E., or W.) shall
not be used as part of street names.
E.
Characters used in street names: Street names may only contain alphabetic
characters without symbols, numbers or punctuation marks of any kind.
F.
Cul-de-sac streets: When a cul-de-sac street is proposed as an extension
of an existing street alignment, the cul-de-sac shall take the name
of the existing street.
G.
Private street names:
(1)
When a private, unnamed road, regardless of the legal form of roadway
ownership, provides ingress to and egress from more than three residences,
the private road will be named by the Town. The Town Manager shall
solicit and consider, but need not use, suggestions from the property
owners on the road.
(2)
Street name suggestions that reflect a local historical figure, place
or event will most often be given preference for new street names.
Proper names of current residents will not be accepted. However, proper
names of historical figures may be considered.
(3)
New street signs, conforming to the Town's street name sign
standards, shall be installed on private roads either by the property
owners or by an alternative procedure approved by the Town Manager.
(4)
The Select Board may name any private road, regardless of the number
of residences on the road, when there will clearly be more than three
residences using the road in the near future.
[Amended 10-1-2018 ATM
by Art. 14]
H.
Duplication of street names:
(1)
In no case shall the name of a proposed street duplicate an existing
street name irrespective of the use of the suffix (road, street, place,
way, etc.) which is part of the proposed name.
(2)
In no case shall a street name be used which, in the opinion the
Town Manager, sounds like or can be easily confused with an existing
street name.
A.
General:
(1)
Numbers shall be assigned at intervals determined by the Building
Commissioner. Usually, but not always, the twenty-foot number interval
method will be used.
(2)
Property numbers shall be assigned to each residence upon submission
of the building permit application.
(3)
No building permit shall be issued for any principal building until
a street number has been assigned by the Building Commissioner.
(4)
Street name signs, conforming to the Town's street name sign
standards, shall be installed by the developer prior to the issuance
of any building permits for new subdivision development.
(5)
No certificate of occupancy shall be issued until the assigned property
number has been displayed in accordance with these regulations and
street signs, conforming to the Town's street name sign standards,
have been installed.
B.
New subdivision development:
(1)
All proposed street names must be submitted to the Planning Board
for approval.
(2)
No subdivision plan shall be approved without approval of proposed
street names.
(3)
No subdivision plan shall be approved without assignment of street
numbers by the Building Commissioner.
(4)
Endorsement of said plan by the Planning Board shall constitute the
assignment of building numbers to the lots shown on the plan.
C.
Site plan review:
(1)
All proposed street names must be submitted to the Planning Board
for approval.
(2)
New property numbers will be determined, based on the number principles
contained herein, for the particular type of development.
(3)
Final property numbers will be provided by the Building Commissioner
prior to site plan approval or prior to the issuance of a building
permit.
D.
Other developments (including ANR): This includes developments shown
on a plan for which approval under the Subdivision Control Law[1] is not required and development projects approved prior
to the effective date of these regulations.
(1)
For all types of developments, the correct property number is required
to be shown on the building permit application and all other application
documents.
(2)
Applications should be directed to the Building Commissioner in order
to have a property number assigned.
(3)
Endorsement of an "approval not required" plan by the Planning Board
shall constitute the assignment of building numbers to the lots shown
on the plan.
E.
Building permit approval:
(1)
Property numbers will be assigned to new building permit applications
based on the location of the property's primary vehicle access.
(2)
Property numbers will not be changed after the issuance of the building
permit except due to changes in the primary vehicle access to the
residence or business or when it has been determined by the Building
Commissioner, after consultation with the Fire Chief, that a change
is warranted to ensure public health, safety, or welfare.
(3)
If the location of the primary vehicle access to the property should
change after the issuance of the building permit, the applicant, or
his authorized representative, must contact the Building Commissioner
to obtain a revised property number.
A.
General:
[Amended 10-1-2018 ATM
by Art. 14]
(1)
Street name changes may be made by the Select Board in accordance
with MGL c. 85, § 3, to avoid confusion or duplication due
to: duplication of street names, multiple street names for the same
alignment, multiple spellings of suffixes for the same street alignment,
sound-alike street names with different spellings; error in assignment
of twenty-foot intervals; and errors in the property numbers, such
as even and odd numbers mixed out of sequence.
B.
Property numbering changes: When it is necessary to correct an existing
property number problem, all affected property owners shall be notified
of the proposed action by the Fire Chief. The written notice shall
advise each that the proposed action shall become effective 60 days
from the date of notice.
C.
New street names or street name change to correct address problems:
(1)
Street name changes will be made by the Select Board upon instances
of: similar sounding street names with different spellings, multiple
suffixes for the same street alignment, or other instances where the
Select Board determines that confusion may exist that will affect
emergency service response.
[Amended 10-1-2018 ATM
by Art. 14]
(2)
Written notice shall be sent to all affected persons. The notice
shall confirm the street name or street number change and effective
dates.
(3)
Street signs, maps and street name directories shall be changed upon
the final action.
D.
Existing street name change requests:
(1)
Any person, firm, or corporation who or which owns property which
has direct access from a street may request the change of said street
name by submitting the Street Name Change Form.
(2)
Except as noted in the “New street names or street name changes
to correct address problems” subsection above, street name change
applications shall be processed as follows:
(a)
Street renaming applications where the original street name
was approved as part of a subdivision plan approved by the Planning
Board will be considered by the Planning Board until the road is accepted
as a public way;
(b)
All other street renaming applications will be considered by
the Select Board;
[Amended 10-1-2018 ATM
by Art. 14]
(3)
In determining if a proposed street name change is appropriate, the
consideration shall be whether the proposed name change will enhance
public safety; specifically, whether the street name change will lessen
confusion and not be detrimental to public safety. Street name change
applications will be processed in accordance with established procedures,
including scheduling consideration of the application.
(4)
The Select Board may choose not to consider a street renaming request.
[Amended 10-1-2018 ATM
by Art. 14]
(5)
For existing street name changes, all residents or businesses located
on the road should be notified of the proposed name change. The Select
Board shall make the final determination on the street name, in accordance
with MGL c. 85, § 3. Once a street name has been selected,
all affected property owners, residents and businesses will be notified
via letter by certified mail.
[Amended 10-1-2018 ATM
by Art. 14]
A.
Purpose: To ensure prompt delivery of emergency and routine services,
it is important that the assigned property numbers be displayed on
each property. Postal Service regulations require that each mailbox
be identified. However, along many streets, mailboxes are not suitably
located to provide for the identification and location of each residence.
Therefore, some residents will need to display their property numbers
in two locations, at the point of vehicular access from the right-of-way
to the property and on the building.
B.
Responsibility for display: It is the duty of the owner to ensure
that the assigned property number is displayed in a conspicuous place.
C.
Regulations for display:
(1)
The numbers on the building shall be affixed in a place visible from
the vehicular access to the building and driveway access area, as
applicable.
(2)
Whenever possible, the numbers shall be displayed near a light source
to improve visibility at night.
(3)
The numbers shall be on a background of highly contrasting color
(light on dark or dark on light). The use of brass numbers as well
as gold- and silver-colored numbers is strongly discouraged but may
be used if the width of each number outline is at least 3/8 of an
inch, at least three inches tall, and the number or numbers are displayed
on a strongly contrasting background.
For example, the combination of brass, gold-colored or silver-colored
numbers on a natural color pressure-treated wooden post does not meet
the strongly contrasting background requirement.
|
(4)
The numbers shall be large enough (three-inch minimum) to be readable
from the street.
(5)
If the principal building is not visible from the street, the numbers
shall be displayed on a granite post, gate post, or other conspicuous
location on the property near the driveway. The numbers must be visible
from both directions year round.
(6)
If the principal building is shared with another person or occupant/user
who has a separate entrance, and each entrance has been assigned an
individual building number, then each should display his number near
his doorway. Both numbers shall also be displayed in accordance with
the regulation for display, stated above.
(7)
If a building has more than one unit and the units are accessed by
separate driveways, each building number and unit designation shall
be displayed at the vehicular access to each unit.
(8)
If the mailbox is not located on the street (public or private) by
which the number has been assigned, the entire address (number and
street name) shall be shown on the mailbox to avoid confusion. In
these cases, it will be necessary to also display the number on the
building, as described above.
(9)
On corner lots, only one number will be assigned. To avoid confusion,
the number must be displayed to face the vehicular access to the building.
D.
Directional indicators for named street serving three or fewer residences:
In addition to compliance with the regulations for display above,
a directional marker must be displayed at the entrance to each individual
driveway. The specifications for these directional markers are shown
in Diagram 2, at the end of these regulations.
E.
Removal of other numbers: It shall be the duty of the property owner
and occupant, upon affixing the new number, to remove any different
number which might be mistaken for, or confused with, the number assigned
to that property by the Fire Chief.
F.
Maintenance of Property Numbers: It shall be the duty of the property
owner and occupant to maintain property numbers in accordance with
these regulations.
If any provision, paragraph, sentence, or clause of these regulations
is held invalid for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction,
all other provisions shall continue in full force and effect.