The purpose of this article is to provide each street, road
and way (hereinafter referred to as "street"), both public and private,
with one official and approved name and all residences and businesses
thereon assigned numbers that will enable quick, easy identification
and location of same by police, fire, emergency medical personnel
and mercantile delivery services, as well as the U.S. Postal Service
address. Use of a post office box for mail delivery does not defeat
the purpose of this article.
This article is adopted pursuant to, and consistent with, the
Municipal Home Rule Powers as provided for in Article VIII, Part Second,
Section 1, of the Constitution of the State of Maine and 30-A M.R.S.A.
§ 3001.
Roads that serve two structures may be named regardless of whether
the ownership is public or private. All roads that serve three or
more structures shall be named regardless of whether the ownership
is public or private. A "road" refers to any highway, road, street,
avenue, lane, private way, or similar paved, gravel, or dirt thoroughfare.
A road name assigned by the municipality shall not constitute or imply
acceptance of the road as a public way. The following criteria shall
govern the naming system:
A. No two
roads shall be given the same name (e.g., Pine Road and Pine Lane).
B. No two
roads shall have similar-sounding names (e.g., Beech Lane and Peach
Lane).
C. Each road
shall have the same name throughout its entire length.
D. Roads
named prior to the adoption of this article shall, unless requested,
remain the same.
E. Should two roads/streets that are currently dead ends ever be connected to improve public safety conditions, they may keep their individual names up to the point of connection, unless the combined residences of the two roads wish to rename the newly configured road as outlined in §
147-45 of this article.
All privately owned streets serving two properties may be named. All privately owned streets serving three or more properties will be named, either by the developer, subdividing property owner, or abutting property owners, or the Town. The Town will name privately owned streets that meet the established criteria if the developer, subdividing property owner or abutting property owners do not come to an agreement on an acceptable name that meets Town criteria. A developer, subdividing property owner or abutting property owners shall submit proposed street names with the development or subdividing plan. If all property owners use this right-of-way to access their occupancy, all occupancies on this street will be addressed using the new street name and the number assigned. Occupancies on a corner lot will follow §
147-47 of this article.
The following criteria shall govern the numbering system:
A. Numbers shall be assigned every 50 feet along both sides of the road,
with even numbers appearing on the left side of the road and odd numbers
appearing on the right side of the road, as the numbers ascend. A
twenty-five-foot or less interval may be applied in more densely structured
areas. Existing street numbers assigned on the 100-foot interval will
remain, so long as there are no addresses containing the use of alpha
or rear designate and reasonable conditions allow for new street numbers
to be assigned.
B. Streets will be defined as "running from" one street "to" another
street, dead end or Town line. The "from" end will be known as the
"origin" of the street; the "to" end will be the "terminus." The numbering
shall start at the origin of a street, with odd numbers on the right
and even numbers on the left, in ascending order to the terminus of
the street. Four streets, River Road, Woodlawn Avenue, Arbor Ledge
Drive and Poets Lane, have odd numbers on the left and even on the
right are grandfathered.
C. The number assigned to each structure shall be that of the numbered
interval falling closest to the front door of said structure. If the
front door cannot be seen from the main road, the number assigned
to that structure shall be that of the numbered interval falling closest
to the driveway. For structures situated on a corner of two streets,
the structure will be addressed (street and number) based on the front
door location. If the front door is not visible from the street, the
address (street and number) shall be on the street adjacent to the
driveway.
D. Every structure with more than one principal occupancy may have a
separate number for each occupancy, i.e., duplexes may have two separate
numbers. The decision of which structures are given one or two numbers
is made by the Addressing Officer and not the property owner. If the
decision is one number, each occupancy in the building would be given
a unit designation that goes along with the single address number.
If the decision is two numbers, each occupancy will have a single
address number with no apartment designation. For example, with a
single number, a duplex could have an address of 235 Maple Road, Apartment
1 or 2. With two numbers assigned to one structure, a duplex could
have 235 to 237 Maple Road, where each apartment is given a street
number. In buildings with three occupancies or more, the building
will have one street number and each occupancy will have its own unit
number. For example, an apartment building would be 235 Maple Road,
Apartment 1, 2 or 3.
E. (Existing) condominium complexes will be numbered from the access
point and assigned unit numbers, such as 272 Mills Road, Unit 1F,
regardless of the size of the complex.
F. Any new subdivision approved by the Planning Board will have all
interior roads named as part of the application/plan process. In the
case of the subdivision with condominium units, they will be numbered/addressed
on the road as either a single structure or duplex.
G. An in-home business will have the same street number as the residence.
All owners of structures shall display and maintain, in a conspicuous
place on said structure, assigned numbers in the following manner:
A. Number
on the structure or residence. Where the residence or structure is
within 50 feet of the edge of the road right-of-way, the assigned
number shall be displayed on the front of the residence or structure
near the front door or entry.
B. Number
at the road line. Where the residence or structure is over 50 feet
from the edge of the road right-of-way, the assigned number shall
be displayed on a post, fence, wall, the mailbox, or on some structure
at the property line adjacent to the walk or access drive to the residence
or structure.
C. Size,
color, and location of number. Numbers shall be of a color that contrasts
with their background color and shall be a minimum of four inches
in height. Numbers shall be located to be visible from the road at
all times of the year.
D. Proper
number. Every person whose duty is to display an assigned number shall
remove any different number which might be mistaken for, or confused
with, the number assigned in conformance with this article.
E. Owners
of properties failing to exhibit their assigned number(s) in accordance
with this article shall be notified by the street naming and numbering
delegate through regular mail, using the current address to which
the real estate tax assessment is mailed. The first notice of violation
shall explain to the property owner that their assigned number display
does not comply with this article and they have 30 days from the Town's
mailing date for the number display to be brought into compliance
without any fine. If the property is not brought into compliance,
a second notice of violation will be sent by certified mail. The second
notice shall include a copy of this article, without appendices, and
advise that the owner is in default of this article and that a fine
of $50 will be assessed to the property if compliance is not accomplished
within 45 days of the date of the mailing of the certified letter.
Additionally, a fine of $1 will be assessed for each day after the
45th day that the owner remains in noncompliance. It shall be the
owner's responsibility to have compliance verified by the street naming
and numbering delegate after notification of default.
F. All monies, if any, collected in accordance with Subsection
E above will be used to administer this article. At the Annual Town Meeting, the balance, if any, at the end of the fiscal year shall either be reappropriated to this account or designated as unappropriated surplus.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
CUL-DE-SAC
A loop on the dead end of a street to provide a convenient
turnaround without encroaching upon private driveways.
DRIVEWAY
A vehicular access from a street to a residence or business.
SQUARE
A center of activity, usually business and usually the intersection
of several streets. It also can be a memorial or historical plot.
Residences and businesses located in a square may be numbered as on
the square or on a street forming the square.
STREET
Any way that provides vehicular access to two or more residences,
businesses or properties (existing or planned) or has the potential
for same, whether public or private. It may be called an "alley,"
"avenue," "boulevard," "circle," "court," "drive," "lane," "parkway,"
"place," "road," "way," or other such descriptive title.
TURNAROUND
A bulbous end of a dead-end street to facilitate a reversal
of direction with a minimum of backing and filling usually made to
accommodate automobiles not larger trucks.