[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of Grant County 6-16-2015 by Ord. No. 68; amended in its entirety 10-3-2017. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 267.
These regulations are adopted under the authority granted by § 59.54(4) and (4m), Wis. Stats., Public Protection and Safety.
§ 59.54, Wis Stats.
(4)
Rural naming or numbering system. The board may establish a rural naming or numbering system in towns for the purpose of aiding in fire protection, emergency services, and civil defense, and appropriate and expend money therefor, under which:
(a)
Each rural road, home, business, farm or other establishment, may be assigned a name or number.
(b)
The names or numbers may be displayed on uniform signs posted on rural roads and intersections, and at each home, business, farm or other establishment.
(4m)
Rural naming or numbering system; town cooperation. The rural naming or numbering system under sub. (4) may be carried out in cooperation with any town or towns in the county.
A. 
The purpose of this chapter is to establish and maintain a consistent rural address number and road name system within the unincorporated areas of Grant County, Wisconsin. The intent in establishing an addressing system is to assign each location a unique address which will aid emergency services as well as being a convenience for delivery of services and citizenry.
B. 
It is further intended that this chapter is to establish a method by which address numbers are assigned, as well as how address signs are obtained, installed, and maintained, in all unincorporated areas in Grant County. It is further intended to provide for review and acceptance of all private and public road names in order to ensure compatibility with the County's computer-aided dispatch system.
The jurisdiction of this chapter shall include all lands and waters within Grant County outside the limits of incorporated cities and villages.
It is not intended by this chapter to repeal, abrogate, annul, impair, or interfere with any existing ordinances, rules, or regulations adopted by Grant County. However, wherever this chapter imposes greater restrictions, the provisions of this chapter shall govern.
If any section, clause, provision, or portion of this chapter is adjudged unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this chapter shall not be affected thereby.
This chapter shall be known as, referred to, or cited as the "Grant County Address and Road Name Ordinance."
This chapter shall be effective after adoption by the County Board of Supervisors and shall take effect the date of adoption.
It shall be the duty of the Grant County Sheriff's office or their designee to assign an address number to all property within the jurisdiction of this chapter. All homes, businesses, farms, structures for human habitation, multifamily dwellings and other establishments shall have an assigned address. The following standards shall apply when assigning addresses:
A. 
An address number shall be assigned upon the issuance of the first land use permit allowing construction on said property, or with the written request of a property owner or Town Board.
B. 
Address numbers will not be assigned to vacant land unless a permanent structure is to be constructed or placed on the vacant property within a time agreed upon by both the township having jurisdiction and the Grant County Sheriff's office. Property with only a movable structure will not have an address assigned.
C. 
A "permanent structure" is defined for this chapter as a structure that is permanently attached to a slab, footing, or pilings or has permanent electrical utilities provided by an electric company.
D. 
Upon issuance of an address, the Grant County Sheriff's office will notify the affected property owner and the town in which the property is located of the official address.
E. 
The address assigned by the Grant County Sheriff's office shall be the official address for said property and replace any prior address used.
F. 
There shall be no duplication of address numbers assigned along the same road.
G. 
Properties with more than one single-family residence shall have a separate address for each residence.
H. 
Industrial or business complexes shall be assigned one address number with extensions given for individual units.
I. 
Multifamily dwellings of more than two units shall be assigned one address number with extensions assigned for each unit. Multifamily dwellings shall have distinct markings adjacent to the door to identify the individual unit.
J. 
Numbers shall be assigned according to where the access driveway intersects the public road along a grid system extending from the southeast corner of Grant County with numbers increasing to the north and west, starting with fire number 100.
K. 
In the case where the private driveway intersects a public or private road in another county or in a city or village, the number shall be agreed upon by both jurisdictions with deference to the jurisdiction providing emergency services.
L. 
There shall be 400 numbers assigned for every mile of the grid, with even/odd numbers assigned as follows:
(1) 
Along north/south roads: even numbers shall be on the east side of the road and odd numbers on the west side of the road.
(2) 
Along east/west roads: even numbers shall be on the north side of the road and odd numbers on the south side of the road.
An address sign for a property shall be placed by the town in which the property is located according to the following standards:
A. 
The sign shall be installed so that the numbers are perpendicular to the public road, and the post shall be located not more than 10 feet within the right-of-way of the road and not more than 10 feet from the driveway serving the building.
B. 
The sign shall not be less than 3 1/2 feet nor more than 4 1/2 feet from ground level and shall not be concealed from view from the road by trees, shrubs, bushes, etc.
C. 
In cases where more than one property is served by a common private access, an address sign for each property shall be placed as described in this section.
D. 
The town may propose an alternate placement option for an address sign so as to make it best visible for local responding emergency services and so as not to obstruct road maintenance responsibilities, such as snowplowing, grading, etc. The town shall notify the Grant County Sheriff's office of the new location of the address sign and the reason for the alternate location. The sign may be placed after review and approval by the Grant County Sheriff's office or their designee.
E. 
Multifamily dwellings shall have distinct markings on the door or doorway to identify the individual units.
F. 
Any manufactured/mobile home park or campground shall consecutively number the lots. A map of the property showing the lots shall be given to the Grant County Sheriff's office to be used for mapping. Any changes or addition of lots shall require that a new map be sent to the Grant County Sheriff's office.
G. 
Any relocation of an address or road name sign must be done with the consent of the affected town and in compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
A. 
All address signs shall be of a size, shape and design so as to comply with the standards established by the County Board resolution. All posts and fastening hardware shall meet with the approval of the Grant County Sheriff's office.
B. 
Address signs shall include the township name, address and road name.
C. 
All address signs shall be procured by the towns based upon a vendor or vendors chosen by the towns.
D. 
When either damaged, destroyed or aged beyond usefulness, an existing address sign may be requested for replacement by the affected property owner, the town in which the sign is located or the Grant County Sheriff's office. If an emergency response agency feels a replacement sign is needed, they shall contact the town the address is located in to have a new sign ordered. The affected town may then choose to pay the fee and seek reimbursement from the affected property owner. When it is unclear as to whether a sign needs replacement, the town shall make the final decision.
A. 
It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to maintain all address signs for his/her property. Maintenance includes notifying the town of the need for replacement or repairs.
B. 
The property owner is responsible for reinstallation and keeping the sign(s) in a physical condition whereby the address is easily and clearly legible at any time. The property owner shall also ensure the sign is clearly visible from the public road and not obscured by vegetation, structures, snow, etc.
A. 
Addresses which exist at the time of the adoption of this chapter but do not meet all the provisions of this chapter may be allowed to remain the official address for said property if they are registered at the Grant County Sheriff's office as an official address. If it is determined that there is potential risk to life and safety, an existing number shall be changed in order to comply with the provisions of this chapter. Any such address not listed on the index shall be deemed void, and an official address shall be assigned by the Grant County Sheriff's office.
B. 
In all cases, when an existing nonconforming address sign needs replacement, a new address number shall be assigned and a sign obtained in compliance with the provisions of this chapter, and the original existing address shall become null and void. Any existing address sign that is not a valid sign shall be removed.
A. 
All proposed public and private road names, whether new or proposed as a change in name, shall be subject to approval by the Grant County Sheriff's office for compatibility with the County's computer-aided dispatch system and geographic information system (GIS). Duplicate and like-sounding names shall be prohibited.
B. 
No town shall accept any new public road or rename an existing public road without first having the proposed name accepted by the Grant County Sheriff's office.
C. 
Road name signs shall meet the standards established by County Board resolution. Said signs shall be installed and maintained by the affected town.
A. 
There shall be created the Grant County Road Name and Address Map. This map shows the official road names and addresses as accepted under the provisions of this chapter.
B. 
Any address number or road name not shown on this map and its associated database shall not be considered official and may be considered in violation of the provisions of this chapter.
A. 
It shall be the duty of the Grant County Sheriff's office to enforce the provisions of this chapter, investigate complaints, and give notice of violations. Said office shall have the power to issue a written order to correct any violation of this chapter that shall specify the following:
(1) 
The nature of the violation and the steps needed to abate and/or correct it.
(2) 
The penalty or penalties the violator will be subject to if the alleged violation is not abated and/or corrected within a specified time period.
B. 
If the owner does not comply with a written order from the Grant County Sheriff's office, the owner shall be subject to one or more of the following penalties:
(1) 
Full cost of all damages, including sign replacement.
(2) 
Receipt of a citation for each violation with a forfeiture of no less than $250 per violation, plus costs of prosecution.
(3) 
Referral by written complaint to the Grant County Corporation Counsel for prosecution.
C. 
Examples of violations may include, but are not limited to:
(1) 
The placement of a nonofficial address sign or road name sign at or near the location of the official signs.
(2) 
The placement of any sign that resembles the official address or road sign in form, shape, color or design.
(3) 
The destruction, removal, or vandalism of an official address or road name sign.
(4) 
The unapproved relocation of an official address or road name sign.