The purpose of this chapter is to establish and enforce a County-wide, systematic and uniform address numbering and road naming system to protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents of Clatsop County by facilitating the location by emergency services and others of dwellings and businesses by address. The provisions of this chapter are designed to serve that end by providing procedures and standards for systematic County-wide address numbering and road naming and renaming that will eliminate problems associated with the route and box system and also prevent incorrect and duplicate addresses and street names.
(Ord. 00-07 § 7; Ord. 21-01 § 4)
As used herein:
“Address”
means a number and a road name that is determined at the location where the access driveway intersects a public or private road which has a name adopted by Clatsop County.
“Board”
means the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners.
“Building”
means a structure designed for human occupancy, such as a residence or place of business, or other structures as determined by the Planning Department. For purposes of this chapter, it also denotes locations having telephone service and an assigned telephone number.
“Commercial lessee”
means a lessee occupying a structure or a portion of a structure having a separate street address for business purposes under a lease of one year’s duration or more.
“County road”
has the meaning given that term in ORS 368.001.
“Department”
means the Clatsop County Planning Department.
“Driveway”
means a private way that provides vehicular access to less than three buildings, as defined above.
“Dwelling”
means a building or portion of a building designed or used as the residence or sleeping place for one or more persons.
“East/west lane”
means a lane that runs predominately east and west, and includes lanes that lie predominately at an angle greater than 45 degrees from due north or south.
“North/south road”
means a road that runs predominately north and south, and includes roads that lie predominately at an angle less than 45 degrees from due north or south.
“Private road”
means a road that is not a County or public road, and provides vehicular access to three or more buildings as defined above.
“Public road”
has the meaning given that term in ORS 368.001.
“Road”
has the meaning given that term in ORS 368.001.
(Ord. 00-07 § 7; Ord. 21-01 § 4)
The Department is delegated authority to assign and change address numbers for vacant lots, dwellings and other buildings requiring addresses as provided by this chapter.
(Ord. 00-07 § 7; Ord. 21-01 § 4)
The procedures for assigning new address numbers are as follows:
A. 
When a development permit is issued for a new dwelling or other structure on a lot or parcel that does not have an address, the permit shall be considered a request for an address. The Department shall verify the property location and appropriate access road, and assign an address number based on the location of the access onto a road and its location in the Clatsop County Addressing System.
B. 
Addresses involving sites not requiring permits may be assigned if the site may have cause for emergency dispatch.
C. 
Buildings accessed from roads predominantly extending north-south will have a modified five-digit number derived from the north-south axis, or y-axis of the State Plane Coordinate System. Addresses for buildings west of a road shall end in an even number and addresses for buildings east of a road shall end in an odd number.
D. 
Buildings accessed from lanes predominantly extending east-west will have a modified five-digit number derived from the east-west axis, or x-axis of the State Coordinate System. Addresses for buildings essentially south of a lane shall end in an even number and addresses for buildings north of a lane shall end in an odd number.
E. 
Each new single-family dwelling shall have one address.
F. 
Address numbers are derived from the Oregon State Plane Coordinate System.
G. 
New duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and apartment complexes, mobile home parks, and other multi-unit complexes shall be given an address number as one dwelling, and the owner shall assign individual unit address numbers in a manner that is acceptable to the Department.
H. 
An application fee, if established by order of the Board, shall be charged.
I. 
Address numbers assigned to buildings erected after the date of this chapter, must be permanently displayed before occupancy or use. At the time of final inspection of a new structure, the building official or designee shall verify that the assigned address numbers have been affixed in the manner required herein.
J. 
The Department shall notify the offices of the County Clerk, County Assessor, and any other County-designated agency, the post office and public safety answering points of a changed address within 30 days of the date the new number becomes effective.
(Ord. 00-07 § 7; Ord. 21-01 § 4)
The provisions of Section 12.16.040 shall apply to the changing of existing address numbers. In addition, the following procedures and standards also apply:
A. 
The changing of an existing address may be initiated by the Department, or by application by the property owner or any public agency that may be affected by the address number.
B. 
All changes in address numbers shall conform to the Clatsop County Addressing System and the standards for address numbers set forth above. Any application or proposed change not in conformance with these standards shall be denied.
C. 
An existing address may be changed by the Department if it is not in conformance with the Clatsop County Addressing System and the standards for addresses set forth in this chapter.
D. 
An application to change an address shall be made to the Department and shall include, at a minimum, the following:
1. 
The name of the property owner;
2. 
The location of any dwelling or structure;
3. 
The existing address;
4. 
The reason for the address change;
5. 
An application fee as established by order of the Board, except if the existing address was incorrectly assigned by the County;
6. 
Assessor’s Tax ID number; and
7. 
Names and addresses of adjacent property owners.
E. 
If the Department determines that the application is consistent with the standards set forth in this chapter, it shall issue a new address.
F. 
The Department shall provide notice of an address change to the affected property owner. The address change will go into effect ten days after the notice is provided.
G. 
The Department shall notify the offices of the County Clerk, County Assessor, and any other County-designated agency, the post office and public safety answering points of a changed address within 30 days of the date the new number becomes effective.
(Ord. 00-07 § 7; Ord. 21-01 § 4)
A. 
All property located outside of municipal boundaries in Clatsop County on which a building is located and which may require emergency service response shall display an address number.
B. 
Address numbers shall be permanently affixed in a location on the property that is clearly visible from the road used as the basis for numbering. The numbers shall be in common Arabic form, and should not be less than three inches in height, and if painted upon or affixed to the dwelling or building it shall be in a contrasting and visible color, and shall comply with zoning ordinances.
C. 
In cases where the dwelling or structure is not visible from the access road, the assigned numbers shall be displayed in a conspicuous manner at or near the point at which the driveway serving the building accesses the road.
D. 
All buildings under construction that have been issued an address shall display a street address number. The numbers as displayed shall conform to the requirements in subsections B and C of this section, except that the numbers may be affixed to a sign visible from the road used as the basis for numbering.
E. 
Every owner and commercial lessee of a structure shall display an address number in conformance with this section.
F. 
Address numbers assigned or changed by the Department must be displayed within 30 days from the date on which construction begins or on which the address becomes effective.
G. 
Address numbers assigned to buildings erected after the adoption date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, must be permanently displayed before occupancy or use. At the time of final inspection of a new structure, the Building Official or designee shall verify that the assigned address numbers have been affixed in the manner required herein.
H. 
In the event that address numbers and/or posts are stolen or damaged to the point of being illegible, owner is responsible to replace address number and/or post within 30 days.
(Ord. 00-07 § 7; Ord. 21-01 § 4)
The Department is delegated authority to assign and change road names pursuant to the standards set forth in this chapter.
(Ord. 00-07 § 7; Ord. 21-01 § 4)
Each unnamed private road and each unnamed public or County road shall be assigned a name in accordance with the procedures set forth herein if:
A. 
The road provides access to three or more buildings; or
B. 
The Department determines that assigning a name is necessary in order to adequately direct emergency service providers.
(Ord. 00-07 § 7; Ord. 21-01 § 4)
A. 
The naming of a road may be initiated by the Department, the Board, or by application of adjacent property owners, developers, or public agencies which may be affected by road names.
B. 
An application to name a road shall be submitted to the Department and shall include, at a minimum, the following:
1. 
The name of the applicant;
2. 
The location of road by description and map;
3. 
The legal status of road, if known;
4. 
The proposed road name, with two alternatives;
5. 
The reason for the name request;
6. 
The original of any petition;
7. 
An application fee as established by order of the Board; and
8. 
Names and addresses of property owners having access to the road.
C. 
Notice of a proposed name assignment shall be sent by the Department to all persons owning property abutting the affected road or having an address on the affected road. The notice shall be sent within 30 days of the receipt of an application or other action initiating the proposed name assignment.
D. 
Persons receiving notice under subsection C of this section shall promptly notify any tenants or other occupants of the affected property of the proposed name assignment.
E. 
Any person receiving notice under subsection C or D of this section may comment in writing on the proposed name within 10 days from the date of the notice.
F. 
The proposed name shall:
1. 
Not duplicate existing road names, except for continuations of existing roads, within any one zone.
2. 
Not sound so similar to other road names as to be confusing.
3. 
Be limited to a maximum of 15 letters and three words, excluding the suffix indicator; i.e., “Road,” “Lane,” “Loop” or “Drive.”
4. 
Improve or clarify the identification of the area.
5. 
Be an historical name or theme name when appropriate.
6. 
Reflect a consensus of affected owners and occupants when possible, subject to the other standards contained in this subsection.
G. 
In the following circumstances, a proposed road name shall generally conform to the following additional standards:
1. 
Roads running in a generally north-south direction shall be called “roads.” Roads running in a generally east-west direction shall be called “lanes.”
2. 
Roads dead-ending in a turnaround 1,000 feet or less from their beginning points may be called “courts.”
3. 
Roads of reduced right-of-way or curving roads of less than 1,000 feet may be called “drives.”
4. 
Roads that begin at and circle back onto the same road, or that are circular or semicircular, may be called “circles” or “loops.”
5. 
Road designator abbreviations for new and existing roads shall conform to the current standards established by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA).
H. 
The Department shall review road name applications and shall assign a road name after performing the following procedures:
1. 
Verifying applicant’s compliance with this chapter.
2. 
Verifying the legal status of the road with the County Clerk’s office, County Assessor’s office, and County Public Works Department.
3. 
Verifying that the proposed road name will not duplicate or be confusingly similar to another existing road name, with a road name on an approved preliminary land division, or with a road name approved for future use.
4. 
Performing a field check when necessary.
5. 
Assisting the applicant or other affected persons to find alternative names when required.
6. 
Reviewing and considering all comments submitted.
I. 
Following the assignment of a proposed name by the Department, the Department shall send notice of the assigned road name to all persons entitled to notice under subsection C of this section.
J. 
Affected property owners and occupants shall have the right to appeal the proposed road name to the Board. An appeal pursuant to this subsection must be filed within 10 days from the date of the notice provided under subsection I of this section.
K. 
If an appeal is timely filed pursuant to subsection J of this section, the Board shall conduct a public hearing on the matter. All interested persons may appear at the public hearing and be heard. The issue on appeal shall be limited to whether the Department correctly applied the criteria set forth in this section. If the Board finds that the Department properly applied the criteria set forth in this section, the Board shall enter an order of approval.
L. 
If no appeal is timely filed pursuant to subsection J or upon entry of an order of the Board, the road name shall be deemed approved. The Department shall send notice of the approval to the applicant requesting the road name, each affected property owner, the Assessor’s office, the County Clerk’s office, the Planning Department, the Road Department, each affected telephone and other utility company, the affected fire department, each affected emergency agency, the United States Post Office, affected school district and adjacent urban jurisdictions.
M. 
Affected property owners and occupants shall have 90 days from the date of Board approval of a proposed road name to begin using the road name.
(Ord. 00-07 § 7; Ord. 21-01 § 4)
The procedures and standards provided in Section 12.16.090 shall apply to the changing of existing road names, in addition to the following procedures and standards:
A. 
An existing road name may be changed by the Department if the existing name:
1. 
Duplicates a pre-existing road name within the same addressing zone or geographic area;
2. 
Sounds like or is spelled so similarly to a pre-existing road name in the same addressing zone or geographic area as to cause confusion between the two roads;
3. 
Is known by more than one name;
4. 
Is different than the name of the road that it is a continuation of; or
5. 
Is not consistent with County road naming standards set forth herein.
B. 
In choosing which road name to change as between two roads with the same or similar names, the Department shall consider the following factors:
1. 
The number of properties, developed and undeveloped, abutting each affected road;
2. 
The length of time a name has been in use to designate each affected road and whether the name used to designate each affected road has any historic significance;
3. 
Whether one affected road as named is relatively better known by the general public than the other affected road as named; and
4. 
Any showing that a proposed road name change would be relatively more burdensome to abutting property owners than if another affected road name were changed.
(Ord. 00-07 § 7; Ord. 21-01 § 4)
A. 
Private and public road signs shall be signed in accordance with County standards.
B. 
Road signs shall be installed in accordance with County standards and maintained so they are fully visible from all intersecting roads.
C. 
Road signs for newly established opened or developed public roads shall be paid by the persons dedicating, opening or developing said road, and installed with all other public improvements required by the County Code or subdivision improvement agreement.
(Ord. 00-07 § 7; Ord. 21-01 § 4)
The Director of the Department may waive or modify a standard set forth herein if an unusual circumstance necessitates a waiver in the interests of public safety.
(Ord. 00-07 § 7; Ord. 21-01 § 4)
The Board may, by resolution and order, establish fees for changing road names or addresses, naming new roads, providing new addresses, providing signage and number stakes, or any other fee necessary to achieve the purposes of this chapter.
(Ord. 00-07 § 7; Ord. 21-01 § 4)
Violation of this chapter shall be a Class B violation under Chapter 1.11.
(Ord. 00-07 § 7; Ord. 21-01 § 4)