Haverford Township desires to provide a fair, uniform, and consistent process for the naming and renaming of certain Township owned or controlled properties, including, but not limited to, Township facilities, parks, recreation areas, fields, streets, or other Township property or facilities deemed appropriate to be named or renamed by the Haverford Township Board of Commissioners.
[Added 5-13-2024 by Ord. No. 2998-2024]
The following words, when used in this Part 12, shall mean the following unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
The assignment or designation of a new name or a change in a previously established or known name.
Real property owned or controlled by Haverford Township and/or improvements or facilities located on property owned or controlled by Haverford Township, including, but not limited to, buildings, rooms, recreation areas, parks, fields, open space, streets, and other property or facilities, or parts thereof, owned or controlled by the Township as deemed appropriate by the Haverford Township Board of Commissioners.
A.
The name given to Township Property should have geographic, historical, botanical, or agricultural significance in or for the Township. The significance of the name should be recognized and known in the area or neighborhood in which the Township property is located and, if possible, generally recognized and known throughout the entire Township.
B.
Township property should only be given a name if one or more of the following applies:
(1)
The property was acquired or significantly enhanced by means of a substantial gift or donation by an individual, family, or organization associated with the name or made pursuant to a gift stipulation or agreement, acceptable to the Board of Commissioners, that a certain name is used to identify the property.
(2)
The name is to recognize an individual or family who has made a significant contribution to the Township, has brought honor to the Township through work or deed, or had a significant historical impact on the Township. In most instances, the person should be honored posthumously and should be deceased at least three years before naming consideration. The individual, or the living relatives of the individual if awarded posthumously, whose name is being considered shall be provided an opportunity to refuse the naming.
C.
Township property should not be named after a person whose contribution to the Township was or is part of the person's normal, paid duties as an employee of the Township. An exception may be made for former Township employees who have contributed volunteer services of an exceptional nature beyond their normal duties as an employee. Further, a Township employee shall not be excluded from name recognition if the recognition is for service, works, or deeds performed before or after such person's employment with the Township.
D.
The name shall not be one that endorses or advocates for any religion or political party or specific religious or political belief; has an obscene connotation; malevolently portrays, demeans, or intimidates any racial or ethnic group or other protected class; is the name of an active political candidate; or is the name of an adjudicated felon.
E.
The naming of Township property is intended for permanent recognition within the Township, and a change in the name of Township property without good cause is strongly discouraged once Township property has been officially named through the process established herein. As such, Township property shall not be provided with a new or different name without good cause, as determined by the Township Board of Commissioners. It is recommended that efforts to change a name be subject to the most critical examination, so as not to diminish the original justification for the name or discount the value of the prior contributions warranting the naming.
A.
Applications for the naming of Township property should come from the public sector through local civic organizations or neighborhood associations. Individuals may not apply for the naming of Township property.
B.
A complete application must include a petition with at least 100 signatures from adult residents of Haverford Township signifying broad support for naming of the Township property. The petition must include:
(1)
A clear description of the proposal to name the Township property with the name proposed and the specific location of the Township property.
(2)
The names, addresses, and signatures of at least 100 adult Haverford Township residents signing in support of the application.
(3)
A clear, detailed description as to the reason(s) why the Township property should be given such name.
(4)
Whether the individual whose name is being considered, or the living relatives of the individual if the person is deceased, has been consulted with and approves of the petition.
C.
The completed application shall be submitted to the Township Manager. If the application is deemed complete, the Township Manager shall submit the application to the Property Naming Committee for review and consideration.
D.
Within 60 days of the Property Naming Committee's receipt of application, the Property Naming Committee shall meet for the purpose of making a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners, along with a written explanation for the recommendation, which shall include background information of the Township property and the person, family, or organization proposed to be honored by the naming.
E.
If the request is to name a park, ballfield, playground, open space, other athletic facility, or a portion of thereof, the Township Manager shall also submit a copy of the application to the Parks & Recreation Board. Within 60 days of receipt of the application from the Township Manager, the Parks & Recreation Board shall meet for the purpose of making a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners and provide a written explanation for the recommendation.
F.
The Board of Commissioners will consider the recommendations from the Property Naming Committee and, if applicable, the Parks & Recreation Board at a public meeting of the Board of Commissioners.
G.
The recommendation(s) for naming the Township property shall be deemed approved by a majority vote of the Board of Commissioners.
H.
The process for reviewing and making a decision on an application for the naming of Township property is intended to take no less than three months and no more than one year.