Commemorative street name signs.
Additions to the street name and will not change the street address. Existing street name shall be retained, and a supplemental sign or plaques shall be installed. Commemorative street name signs shall consider the same criteria for naming the streets.
Directional prefix.
An indicator of the direction a roadway passes. For example, in the street name "North Smithton Road," north is the directional prefix.
Directional suffix.
An indicator of address location. For example, in the address "135 Smithton Road W," W is the directional suffix.
Functional classification.
The systematic classification of roadways in categories according to their access and movement attributes. Minor streets, residential and community collectors, minor and principal arterials, and freeway and expressways are functional classification of roadways. Minor streets usually provide access to individual lots. Collector streets provide access between the minor streets and arterials. Arterials link areas of the city and carry traffic to freeways and expressways, which primarily provide movement to locations throughout the region.
Historic street name.
A street name that commemorates:
(1) 
A person who significantly contributed to the cultural, economic, social, religious, or political heritage of the city;
(2) 
A site or area where there occurred historic events which significantly contributed to the cultural, economic, social, religious, or political heritage of the city; or
(3) 
A person or family founding or traditionally associated with the area where the street is located.
Label.
The portion of a street name that attached a creative identity to a roadway. For example, in the street name "Smithton Road," Smithton is the label reserved.
Major roadway.
A roadway on the city's thoroughfare plan.
Minor roadway.
A roadway not on the city's thoroughfare plan.
Roadway.
Any official vehicular course for travel, regardless of length of service characteristics.
Street name.
The street label together with the street-type designation but does not include a directional prefix or suffix. For example, in the street identified as "North Smithton Road," Smithton Road is the street name.
Type.
The portion of a street name that identifies the kind of roadway but does not necessarily attach a functional classification. For example, in the street name "Smithton Road," road is the type.
(Ordinance 1246 adopted 11/15/2022)
(a) 
Only public street names may be changed by the process contained in this division.
(b) 
A street name change application may be initiated only by:
(1) 
An owner of property abutting the street;
(2) 
The director of building development if necessary to address public safety concerns; or
(3) 
A city council member with concurrence by one (1) other city council member.
(c) 
The definitions and standards in this division apply to both original street naming and street name changes. Applicable procedures for assigning original street names are contained in "subdivision regulations."
(Ordinance 1246 adopted 11/15/2022)
An application for a street name change must be filed at the development services counter on the application form furnished by the planning department. The application must include the following:
(1) 
The application fee: The city council may waive the application fee if the city council finds that payment of the fee would result in substantial financial hardship to the applicant.
(2) 
A compelling statement of the reasons supporting a street name change.
(3) 
The existing and proposed street names.
(4) 
Noting choice of permanent street name change versus commemorative street name sign being added to an existing street.
(5) 
The roadways status as an arterial street or a minor roadway.
(6) 
For all applications except those made by the planning department to address public safety concerns, a petition indicating that at least 51 percent of the owners of all lots abutting the street section proposed to be changed, favor the name change.
(7) 
A vicinity map showing the location of the street.
(Ordinance 1246 adopted 11/15/2022)
(a) 
In general.
(1) 
A proposed label in a street name may not duplicate any existing label.
(2) 
A proposed street name may not be similar to an existing street name so that it creates confusion or an obstacle to the provision of emergency services.
(3) 
A street name that uniquely identifies a particular tract, tenant, or product name is prohibited.
(4) 
A street name may not contain more than 14 characters providing, however, that the street-type designation may be abbreviated to comply with this requirement.
(5) 
Hyphenated and apostrophized street names are prohibited.
(6) 
Attendance by the applicant is required at any public hearing scheduled in order to present their case and answer questions about their request for a name change.
(b) 
Number of names for a roadway.
(1) 
Except as provided in this subsection, a roadway must only have one name.
(2) 
Different names must be given to the same roadway under the following conditions.
(A) 
If minor roadway deviates from its predominant course at a 90-degree angle for more than 300 feet, a different name must be used for the predominant course and for each portion of the roadway deviating from the predominant use.
(B) 
If two segments of a minor roadway are separated by an intervening land use that prohibits vehicular passage, and if future connections of the street segments through the use is unlikely, the segments of roadway on each side of the intervening use must have different names.
(C) 
If a street is interrupted and offsets more than 150 feet at a cross street, different names must be given to the offset street segments.
(c) 
Historic street names.
A historic street name may not be changed.
(d) 
Street type and label designation.
(1) 
A street name may not contain more than one street-type designation. For example, the street name "John Does Place Road" is not permitted.
(2) 
The designation of the street type must be based upon the features of the roadway, such as the traffic volumes carried by the roadway, its physical design and construction characteristics, and its role in the surrounding street network.
(3) 
No street name may have more than two labels before the street-type designation.
(e) 
Directional prefix and suffix.
(1) 
A directional prefix is permitted only when the roadway of intersects one of the official baselines used by the city.
(2) 
A directional suffix is permitted as an indicator for address location.
(f) 
Guidelines.
(1) 
A street name may be based upon physical, political, or historic features of the area.
(2) 
The name of a subdivision and name thematically related to the name of a subdivision may be given to a street within the subdivision.
(g) 
Allowed reason for street name change.
(1) 
To establish continuity of a street name, including establishing one name for a roadway with staggered centerlines that is commonly traveled as a single thoroughfare;
(2) 
To eliminate duplication of name spelling or phonetics;
(3) 
To correct a misspelling;
(4) 
To enhance ease of location;
(5) 
For consistency with the street numbering system designation, including compass direction;
(6) 
To provide a necessary roadway designation, including street, road, lane, circle, drive, or boulevard.
(7) 
To honor a person, place, institution, group, entity, or event.
(A) 
A street name commemorating a person, or a historic site or area is prohibited until at least two years after the death of the person to be honored or the occurrence of the event to be commemorated; or
(B) 
Names honoring a person, place, institution, group, entity, or event should be based one or more of the following criteria:
(i) 
Made lasting and significant contributions to the protection of natural or cultural resources of the city.
(ii) 
Made substantial contributions to the betterment of the city which has positively impacted the lives of the citizens of the city.
(iii) 
Be associated to an economic development or redevelopment activity in fulfillment of the city's mission.
(iv) 
Commemorates a significant historical event.
(v) 
Contributed outstanding civic service to the city for a minimum period of ten (10) years.
(8) 
To enhance a neighborhood through the association of a street name with its location, area characteristics, and history.
(h) 
Waiver.
The city council, by a three-fourths vote of its members, may waive any of the standards contained in this section when waiver would be in the public interest and would not impair the public health, safety, or welfare.
(Ordinance 1246 adopted 11/15/2022)
(a) 
Within ten (10) working days after receipt of a complete application for a street name change, the planning department shall notify and request comment regarding the potential impacts of the name change on any and all affected city department, public utilities, and others.
(b) 
The planning department shall formulate a recommendation on the proposed street name change base upon review of the application, the standards list in section 3.15.064.
(Ordinance 1246 adopted 11/15/2022)
(a) 
After review of the application, the planning department shall set the application for hearing by the planning and zoning commission.
(b) 
Notice of the public hearing before the planning and zoning commission must be advertised in the official newspaper of the city not fewer than fifteen (15) days before the date of the hearing. The planning department must also send written notice of the public hearing to abutting property owners as ownership appears on the last approved ad valorem tax roll no fewer than fifteen (15) days before the date of the hearing. Notification signs must be posted along the street for not fewer than fifteen (15) days before the date of the hearing.
(c) 
The planning and zoning commission shall make a recommendation to the city council of either approval or detail of the application based upon the testimony presented at the public hearing, the recommendations of the planning department, and the standards contained in the standards listed in section 3.15.064.
(Ordinance 1246 adopted 11/15/2022)
(a) 
If the planning and zoning commission recommends denial of a street name change, the action of the planning and zoning commission is final unless the applicant files a new request for appeal to the city council within ten (10) day of the hearing at which the action was taken. The request for appeal must be in writing and must be submitted to the planning department.
(b) 
The planning department shall schedule a city council hearing on all applications for street name changes in which the commission recommends approval, and in all applications in which the commission recommends denial if an appeal is requested in accordance with this section.
(c) 
Notice of public hearing before the city council must be advertised in the official newspaper of the city no fewer than fifteen (15) days before the date of the hearing. The planning department must also send written notice of the public hearing to abutting property owners as ownership appears on the last approved ad valorem tax roll no fewer than fifteen (15) days before the date of the hearing.
(d) 
A favorable vote of three-fourths of all members of the city council is required if:
(1) 
The street name change has been recommended for denial by the planning and zoning commission; or
(2) 
A written protest against the street name change has been signed by the owners of 20 percent of all lots abutting the street.
(e) 
The city council shall either approve or deny the application based upon the testimony presented at the public hearing, the recommendation of the planning and zoning commission, the planning department, and the standards contained in section 3.15.064.
(Ordinance 1246 adopted 11/15/2022)
If the request for a name change is approved by the city council, the planning department shall notify those listed in section 3.15.066 and other requesting notification of the name change. The planning department shall send written notice of the city council's action to abutting property owners.
(Ordinance 1246 adopted 11/15/2022)
Provided that all required fees and costs for sign materials have been paid by the applicant, a name change approved by the city council takes effect sixty (60) days after the date of its approval unless city council sets a later effective date.
(Ordinance 1246 adopted 11/15/2022)