[Adopted 2-25-2015 by Ord. No. 317 as Ch. 6, Art. III, of the 2015 Pittsfield
Charter Township Code]
The Township Board of Trustees deems that it is advisable and
necessary that, to provide proper police, fire, health, welfare and
emergency services, public or private, to residences, businesses and
property, every developed parcel shall display a property identification
number (address) visible from the public and private roadways adjacent
to the property in the Township.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article,
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where
the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
The address, when available, or lot number until the address
is established, established for developed property, or property proposed
for development within the Township.
A.Â
All property upon which houses, dwellings, buildings, mobile homes,
businesses or other structures are located or proposed to be located
or constructed within the Township shall be considered developed and
shall have property identification numbers, which shall be posted
on the face and/or other appropriate side of the house, dwelling,
business or structure in a manner and location so that the numbers
are clearly and readily readable, to a person of normal vision, from
the adjacent roadway, and in compliance with the land development
standards of the Township. Mobile homes located in mobile home parks
identified by a single property identification number shall have an
individual space identification number at least four inches in height
on the side of the mobile home facing the road. The operator of the
mobile home park shall be responsible for assigning lot numbers. If
the house, dwelling, mobile home, business or structure is located
on the property so that the posted numbers are not clearly readable
from the roadway, due to distance or intervening sight barriers, such
as but not limited to shrubbery, terrain features or structures, the
identification numbers shall also be posted separate from the main
structure (i.e., on a yard light post, entrance gate, driveway marker,
mailbox, etc.) in a fashion that is clearly readable from the adjacent
roadway. Such additional identification numbers shall be either centrally
located between the side boundaries of the property or located immediately
adjacent to the driveway providing ingress to the property and leading
to the building or structure, and shall be located on the same side
of the adjacent roadway as the property it identifies.
B.Â
The property identification number or address shall use numbers not
less than four inches in height and 1/2 inch in line width. If the
dwelling, building, mobile home, business or structure is located
more than 75 feet from the center line of the traveled portion of
the adjacent roadway, the identifying numbers shall be not less than
six inches in height and one inch in line width; and if 90 feet away,
the numbers shall be nine inches in height with a one-and-one-fourth-inch
line width; but, in any case, the number shall be of a size sufficiently
large so that the numbers are readable from the center line of the
adjacent roadway by a person of normal vision. Numbers and letters
shall be of standard block style. Script numbers shall be prohibited.
C.Â
The color of the numbers shall be in direct contrast with the immediate
background on which they are mounted.
D.Â
In the case of multiple units, either business or residential, the
property identification number, or unit number, shall be posted on
the entrance door to each individual unit. The owner of the property
shall be responsible for assigning individual unit numbers. In any
building or structure in which every individual unit is not accessible
through every entrance, it shall be clearly indicated at each entrance
the property identification number, or unit numbers, of those apartments
or businesses accessible through such entrance. In addition, in multiple-family
buildings, the building number, as indicated on the approved site
plan, shall be permanently and prominently displayed on each building,
in numerals a minimum of 12 inches in height with a one-and-one-half-inch
line width, so as to be clearly readable from the main entrance or
drive.
E.Â
The occupants of all buildings in the Township used for commercial
and/or industrial purposes that are connected with or located so close
to other buildings as to prevent access between such buildings, and/or
which require a different route to the rear of the building than to
the front, shall cause the correct business name and property identification
number to be placed on the rear entrance door, or immediately adjacent
to the door. Such names and numbers shall be not less than three nor
more than six inches in height and may consist of standard manufactured
letters and/or numbers. If painted on the building or door, such names
shall be applied with standard letter and number stencil. The name
and number shall be placed as to be plainly visible and readable from
the alley, service drive, easement, parking lot or any other rear
access.
F.Â
The Community Development Department or its duly appointed designee
shall have sole authority to assign property identification numbers
in the Township. The Department shall also have authority to change
existing numbers as may be required to maintain a uniform numbering
system throughout the Township.
All existing developed property shall be identified as required in § 6-14 within 60 days after the effective date of the ordinance from which this article is derived or be considered in violation of this article.
Applicants for building permits, for other than single-family residential construction, may be required to submit a plan showing the proposed location of their property identification numbers prior to the issuance of the permit. In all cases, compliance with this article shall be a prerequisite to the issuance of any type of certificate of occupancy. Properties under construction shall display a temporary number that meets the requirements of § 6-14 at all times prior to the installation of the permanent number.
The owner, occupant, lessee or other person in control of any
developed property shall each be individually responsible for identifying
the property in compliance with this article.
The Ordinance Enforcement Officer shall be responsible for the enforcement of, and may issue citations for violation of, this article. Violation of this article shall be a municipal civil infraction, subject to the penalties established by Chapter 2, Article V, Municipal Civil Infractions; Civil Fines and Penalties, of this Code. Each day a violation exists shall be deemed a separate offense. The imposition of any sentence shall not exempt the offender from compliance with the requirements of this article.
