[Adopted 11-8-1994; amended 6-14-2005; 6-15-2016]
This article will henceforth be known as the "NG-911 Addressing Ordinance."
The purpose of this article is to permit the Town of Camden to establish names for roads which are not confusing, which do not duplicate of other road names, and which avoid multiple names for the same road; and to number structures and dwellings on new or existing parcels within the Town. Confusing road names and numbers adversely affect the provision of police, fire and ambulance services for the Town of Camden.
This article is adopted pursuant to and consistent with Municipal Home Rule Powers as provided for in Article VIII, Part 2, Section 1, of the Constitution of the State of Maine and Title 30-A M.R.S.A. § 3001.
A. 
This article shall be administered by the NG-911 Street Addressing Officer (henceforth to be known as "SAO"), who is authorized to assign road names and numbers to all properties, both on existing and proposed roads, in accordance with the criteria in §§ 231-6 and 231-9. The SAO shall be responsible for maintaining the following official records related to this article:
(1) 
Municipal maps showing road names and numbers;
(2) 
An alphabetical list of all property owners, as identified by current tax records;
(3) 
An alphabetical list of all roads with property owners listed in order of their assigned numbers.
B. 
The Town Manager shall appoint the SAO for a term of one year to three years, and the SAO shall be responsible for and authorized to provide all required addressing and database information to the state agency responsible for the implementation of Next Generation 911 service. The SAO may also seek advice from the Fire Chief, Police Chief, Assessor and Code Enforcement Officer in to assist in determining when a driveway or private road shall be assigned a name, as well as the assignment of some street numbers to properties. All decisions of the SAO in the administration of this article shall be final and are not subject to appeal.
For purposes of this article:
PRIVATE ROAD
Any unaccepted right-of-way for access to a lot or lots, whether developed or undeveloped, within the Town of Camden.
A. 
All roads that serve two or more businesses or dwellings 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 Town of Camden shall not constitute or imply acceptance of the road as a public way.
(1) 
No two roads shall be given the same name (example: Pine Road and Pine Lane).
(2) 
No two roads shall have similar-sounding names (example: Beech Lane and Peach Lane).
(3) 
No road name shall contain vulgar language.
(4) 
Each road shall have the same name throughout its entire length.
B. 
Public subdivision roads shall be named by the developer as part of the subdivision review process, following approval by the SAO.
C. 
All requests for naming private roads shall first be submitted to the SAO with the following documents:
(1) 
A written request stating the proposed name;
(2) 
A plan of the road showing all abutting parcels, the road length and width;
(3) 
Relevant deeds;
(4) 
Sign-offs from the Fire Chief and Police Chief;
(5) 
Documentation from the neighboring municipality as to the official name of the road if it crosses a Town line.
All new construction and new subdivisions shall be numbered in accordance with the provisions of this article and as follows:
A. 
Subdivisions. A proposed subdivision shall show the lot numbering system on the preliminary and final plan submission to the Planning Board. The numbering system shall be indicated with lines or dots in the center of the proposed street, every 50 feet. Approval of the numbering system by the SAO and final approval of the subdivision by the Planning Board shall constitute the assignment of numbers to lots in the subdivision.
B. 
Other new construction. Whenever any residence or other structure is constructed or developed, it shall be the responsibility of the new owner to obtain an assigned number from the SAO. This shall be done at the time of the issuance of the building permit.
A. 
The designation of an official name for a private road shall be effective immediately after the approval by the SAO.
B. 
Each private road shall have a posted road sign at each intersection with another public or private way. Once effective, the applicant will be given contact information for ordering a street sign; as well as directions for installation. The property owner(s) or developer(s) along a private road shall bear the responsibility for properly installing the road sign(s) as well as the costs of signage for the road. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Department of Public Works with questions or concerns for further installation guidance.
C. 
The official road name shall be used for all purposes for the provision of municipal services by the Town of Camden and shall also be reported to the U.S. Postal Service for consideration in connection with delivery of mail. Police, fire and ambulance dispatching services shall use that official road name in all official business.
All numbering should comply with these guidelines to the greatest practical extent. When faced with unusual circumstances, addressing decisions shall provide for the shortest possible route and the most accessible, clearly identified location for public safety personnel to reach citizens in need. The following criteria shall govern the numbering system:
A. 
Numbers shall be assigned at fifty-foot intervals 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.
B. 
All number origins shall begin at the center of Town or at the end of a road closest to the designated origin. Numbering of crossroads shall ascend from the most heavily traveled road. Semicircular roads shall be numbered from the intersection closest to the center of Town. Culs-de-sac shall be numbered as if the center line of the road bisects the cul-de-sac. For dead-end roads, numbering shall originate at the intersection of the adjacent road and terminate at the dead end.
C. 
The number assigned to each structure shall be that of the numbered interval falling closest to the front door; however, the SAO may assign a number adjacent to the driveway when necessary. Buildings on the corner of two roads with a single entrance shall be assigned a number adjacent to the front of the structure, as determined by the SAO. Street numbers shall not include alphas, hyphens, subnumbers or fractions.
D. 
Numbering system.
(1) 
Every structure with more than one principal use or occupancy shall have one primary street number and a separate (STE or APT) number for each use or occupancy.
(a) 
Multifamily dwellings, apartments and multiple offices.
[1] 
Residential units shall be designated by an apartment (APT) number.
[2] 
Commercial units shall be designated by a suite (STE) number.
(2) 
Each unit in a duplex or condominium shall have a separate number.
(a) 
If separate numbers are not available, the structure will have one primary street number and separate (UNIT) unit numbers.
(3) 
Single-story buildings and buildings in which each apartment or suite has a first-floor entrance shall number the units beginning with No. 1 (i.e., 4 Privet Drive, STE No. 1, No. 2, No. 3).
(4) 
Buildings with apartments/suites that do not have first-floor entrances shall designate the floor with the first digit and the unit number with the second digit (i.e., 45 Gray Street, Apartments No. 29, No. 34). Floors with more than 9 units shall designate each unit with a three-digit number (i.e., 2 Black Street, STE No. 101, No. 212, No. 325).
(5) 
Buildings located on two streets with separate street addresses shall number all units sequentially by floor as if the building had a single street address.
(6) 
Dwelling units within accessory or secondary structures on a parcel must each have their own addresses.
All owners of structures shall display and maintain assigned numbers in a conspicuous place on said structure that is visible at all times of the year, in the following manner:
A. 
Number on the structure or residence. Where the residence or structure is located 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 in the vicinity of the front door or entry. If not clearly visible, then the number shall be located so that it is visible.
B. 
Number at the road line. Where the residence or structure is more than 50 feet from the edge of the road right-of-way, the assigned number shall be displayed on a post, fence, mailbox, or other structure at the property line adjacent to the walkway or access drive to the residence or structure.
C. 
Size, color, and location of number. All street numbers shall be a minimum of four inches in height and shall contrast with the background. Numbers shall be located to be visible from the road at all times of the year.
D. 
Owners of buildings with multiple apartments or suites are requested to provide a directory at the main entrance, listing the location of units by floor.