In order to promote the convenience, safety and general welfare of the people of the County of Tulare, a coordinated system of street numbers and names and house numbers is hereby established for the County of Tulare.
The definitions set forth in section 7-01-1020 et seq. of Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Part VII of this Ordinance Code shall govern the construction of this Article except where the contest otherwise requires.
Areas surrounding incorporated cities and urbanized unincorporated areas may be excluded from the application of this system. The boundaries of such metropolitan areas surrounding incorporated cities shall, and boundaries of such metropolitan areas surrounding unincorporated communities may, be recommended by the County Planning Commission and established by the Board of Supervisors by ordinance. The boundaries of such metropolitan areas shall be designated on maps which clearly define such areas and said maps shall be progressively adopted pursuant to this Article.
Such metropolitan areas shall be assigned house numbers which need not relate to the County system of house numbers established by this Article, but which do relate to a system within the incorporated city or unincorporated community within each metropolitan area; provided, however, that the County shall exercise its authority within unincorporated areas contained in such metropolitan areas to the extent of adopting only such house numbering systems as, in its opinion, will eliminate duplications, prevent confusion and will generally serve the purpose of this Article. The house numbering system in such metropolitan areas shall relate, in such manner as the County may direct, to regular even fractions of a section mile with preference given to the unit of three hundred thirty (330) feet; provided, that the sequence of numbers shall be so assigned that numerical progression away from any base line shall begin any given hundred series of numbers on parallel or approximately parallel streets or roads at points equidistant in the same direction from the base line.
Such metropolitan areas may also employ a local system of street naming which may be based on a system existing at the time such metropolitan areas are established; provided, however, that such existing local systems shall first be amended, if necessary, to eliminate duplication of names, confusing similarity of names, or the application of more than one name to one street or to segments of streets along a common alignment.
At the request of a city located in a metropolitan area, the area included in the metropolitan area may be included in the coordinated system established for the remainder of the County. In the case of an unincorporated community located in a metropolitan area, the Board of Supervisors, on recommendation of the County Planning Commission, may determine that the area in the metropolitan area shall be included in the coordinated system established for the remainder of the County.
Metropolitan areas surrounding and including incorporated cities shall be established in the following manner:
(a)
The County Planning Commission shall propose boundaries for each metropolitan area.
(b)
The County Planning Commission shall devise and propose a local system of house numbering, as described in section 7-19-1445, for each metropolitan area.
(c)
The County Planning Commission shall propose a local system of road and street names for each metropolitan area and said system shall include proposals for the amendment of the existing local road and street naming system, if necessary to eliminate duplications of names, confusing similarity of names, or the application of more than one name to one street or to segments of streets along a common alignment.
In the case of unincorporated urban areas, metropolitan areas may be established either upon a petition of property owners residing in the proposed area, or upon the initiative of the County Planning Commission or the Board of Supervisors. Except for the method of originating such proposals for the establishment of metropolitan areas the procedure shall be the same as that provided in section 7-19-1460.
A metropolitan area shall be established by the adoption of a map on which shall be shown the exact boundaries and all other pertinent and necessary information. Each such map shall be given a serial number corresponding to the serial number of items adopted pursuant to this Article. Each map may also be assigned a name in addition to such serial number. Such maps shall be part of the Specific Plan of Street Names and Numbers and House Numbers and shall be processed in the manner prescribed by State law for adopting specific plans.
The system shall consist of a single quadrant having an east-west base line and a north south base line. The east west base line shall be a line coincident with the south boundary line of the County of Tulare. The north south base line shall be a line intersecting the east west base line extended and drawn from the southwest corner of Section 35, Township 24 South, Range 22 East, M.D.B.&M., through the southwest corner of Section 34, Township 16 South, Range 22 East, M.D.B.&M.
The base lines defined in section 7-19-1475 shall be used for determining the designation of numbered thoroughfares and house numbering.
(a)
Except as provided herein below, all public thoroughfares having an east west alignment shall be designated "Avenues," those having a north south alignment shall be designated "Roads," and those having a diagonal or curved alignment shall be designated "Drives."
(b)
(c)
All public cul de sacs, including those located in mountainous areas and within metropolitan areas, which are dedicated to the County on or after December 10, 1970, and all private cul de sacs created after January 1, 1992, shall be designated as "Courts."
Beginning at the base lines, there shall be, or deemed to be, a Road or Avenue consecutively numbered outwardly from the base lines at each one eighth (1/8) mile or six hundred sixty (660) feet, more or less.
(a)
For the purposes of this Article, a mile shall be deemed to be the length of one side of a section, unless otherwise specified.
(b)
The Avenue coincident with the east west base line shall be given a name.
(c)
Avenue One (1) shall be one eighth (1/8) mile or six hundred sixty (660) feet, plus or minus, north of the east west base line. Avenues shall be consecutively numbered northward from Avenue One (1) at each one eighth (1/8) mile, or each six hundred sixty (660) feet, plus or minus.
(d)
Road One (1) shall be one eighth (1/8) mile or six hundred sixty (660) feet, plus or minus, easterly of the north-south base line. Roads shall be consecutively numbered eastward from Road One (1) at each one eighth (1/8) mile, or each six hundred sixty (660) feet, plus or minus.
(e)
Avenues and Roads located other than on a one eighth (1/8) mile or six hundred sixty (660) foot interval shall be designated by name, and freeways or other major thoroughfares, even though located on one eighth (1/8) mile intervals, may be designated by name rather than by number.
(f)
All public and private thoroughfares other than Roads and Avenues shall be designated by name.
(a)
When Avenues and Roads are designated by numbers, the words "Avenue" and "Road" shall precede the number.
(b)
When Avenues and Roads are designated by names, the words "Avenue" and "Road" shall follow the name.
(c)
For all thoroughfares subject to this Article, designations other than "Road" and "Avenue" shall follow the name.
All public and private thoroughfares created after January 1, 1992, shall be named in accordance with the provisions of this Article pursuant to the following procedures:
(a)
All public and private thoroughfares created as a condition to or part of a special use permit or a subdivision by either subdivision map or parcel map shall be named and the names approved by the body giving approval to such entitlement as part of the procedure to approve such entitlement.
(b)
All public thoroughfares not named pursuant to subsection (a) hereof shall be named and all public thoroughfares shall be renamed in accordance with Streets and High-ways Code sections 970.5 and 971.
(c)
All private thoroughfares not named pursuant to subsection (a) and all private thoroughfares shall be renamed by the Planning Commission pursuant to the following procedure:
(1)
Action shall be initiated upon direction by the Board of Supervisors or upon petition by the private property owners located or with access on such thoroughfares.
(2)
Petitions by the private property owners shall be submitted and accepted for consideration only in the form and with the information prescribed by the Planning and Development Director.
(3)
The Planning Commission shall notice and hold a public hearing on the proposed name.
(4)
Notice of such hearing shall be given by publication one time in a newspaper of general circulation and shall be mailed to property owners whose property is located on or has access to the thoroughfare at least ten days before such hearing. If the thoroughfare is currently constructed and in use, Notice of the hearing shall be posted in at least three public places along the thoroughfare.
(5)
At the time of the hearing or at any time to which the hearing may be continued, the Planning Commission shall hear and consider proposals to approve or adopt a name for the thoroughfare mentioned in the notice and objections to such proposals. At or after the conclusion of the public hearing, the Planning Commission may approve or adopt by resolution a name for such thoroughfare and shall file such resolution with the Board of Supervisors officially designating the name for such thoroughfare.
(d)
From time to time as new designations are approved or adopted, the Planning and Development Director shall prepare and keep a map, which map shall be known as the Unincorporated Tulare County Specific Map of Street Names and Numbers and House Numbers, indicating thereon the assigned numbers or names for all public and private thoroughfares within the unincorporated area of the County. Such map shall incorporate all prior maps and designations adopted pursuant to this Article.
Petitions under section 7-19-1505(c)(2) shall only be accepted for consideration upon payment of the fee for processing such petition set from time to time by the Board of Supervisors by resolution.
Each mile shall be assigned eight hundred (800) numbers. Each number shall apply to thirteen and two tenths (13.2) feet, plus or minus, of frontage. When a section has a dimension greater or less than one (1) mile of five thousand two hundred eighty (5280) feet, the eight hundred (800) units shall remain the same, but the length of the units shall be proportionately adjusted to a greater or lesser length as the case may be. House numbers assigned to any unit shall be determined by the position of the particular unit in the eight hundred (800) units in the section-mile and the number assigned shall be the number applicable to the unit occupied by the house or establishment to be identified by such number.
The application of eight hundred (800) numbers per mile shall apply to valley areas only. When the plan is extended into mountainous areas where an irregular road pattern applies, the numbers shall be assigned on the basis of eight hundred (800) numbers per road mile of five thousand two hundred eighty (5280) feet.
All numbers assigned on the north or east side of a thoroughfare shall be even numbers and all numbers assigned on the south or west side of a thoroughfare shall be odd numbers. All diagonal or curved thoroughfares shall be deemed to be north south thoroughfares or east west thoroughfares, and odd and even numbers shall be distributed accordingly. For the purpose of assigning odd and even house numbers, a thoroughfare having a northeast southwest or a northwest-southeast alignment or any alignment having a direction within the north quadrant or south quadrant between such northeast southwest and northwest-southeast lines shall be deemed to be a north south thoroughfare. Any other straight or approximately straight thoroughfare shall be deemed to be an east-west thoroughfare. Meandering, loop or other thoroughfares having irregular alignments may be assigned numbers best suited to serving the purposes of this Article and it shall be the duty of the County Planning Commission, as an administrative policy, to determine the system of numbering to be employed.
Every person owning, controlling, occupying or using any house, store, storeroom or building situate on premises fronting on any public thoroughfare in the County of Tulare shall, within thirty (30) days after issuance of a house number, install permanently on such premises the number issued, subject to the following provisions:
(a)
An accessory building need not be numbered but, if located on a separate unit of frontage as defined in section 7-19-1515 of this Article, it may be assigned a number if requested by the owner or proprietor of the principal establishment to which such building is accessory.
(b)
The numbers shall be made of a durable material.
(c)
All such numbers shall be of such type and so placed as to be easily visible and legible from the thoroughfare upon which said premises front.
(d)
The numbers shall be not less than three (3) inches in height.
(Amended by Ord. 3254, effective 3-31-01)
Every person owning, controlling, occupying or using any house, store, storeroom or building situate on premises fronting on any public or private thoroughfare in the County of Tulare shall, within thirty (30) days after issuance of a house number, install permanently on such premises the number issued, subject to the following provisions:
(a)
An accessory building need not be numbered but, if located on a separate unit of frontage as defined in section 7-19-1515 of this Article, it may be assigned a number if requested by the owner or proprietor of the principal establishment to which such building is accessory.
(b)
The numbers shall be made of a durable material.
(c)
All such numbers shall be of such type and so placed as to be easily visible and legible from the thoroughfare upon which said premises front.
(d)
The numbers shall be not less than four (4) inches in height.
(Amended by Ord. 3254, effective 3-31-01)
All numbers and addresses, whether on a public or private thoroughfare, issued within a State Responsibility Area shall also be permanently posted at each driveway entrance, subject to the following standards:
(a)
The address shall be posted at the beginning of construction and shall be maintained thereafter.
(b)
The address shall be visible and legible from the road on which the address is located. Where multiple addresses are required at a single driveway, the addresses shall be mounted on a single post at the driveway entrance. Where the roadway provides access solely to a single commercial or industrial business, the address shall be posted at the nearest road intersection providing access to that site.
(c)
All numbers shall be a minimum of four (4) inches in height with an one half inch (1/2") width and shall be of a reflective color that contrasts sharply with the background.
(Amended by Ord. 3254, effective 3-31-01)
Any house number existing on the date this Article becomes applicable to the premises, and which is different from the new number issued pursuant to this Article, shall be removed within thirty (30) days after notice of the issuance of the new house number.
It shall be the duty of the Public Works Director to establish a standard form and standard placement of signs for identifying public and private thoroughfares assigned names pursuant to this Article and to install such signs on public thoroughfares in conformity to such standards. Within a State Responsibility Area, newly installed roadway or thoroughfare signs shall equal or exceed the requirements set forth in the SRA Fire Safe
Regulations, Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, Division 1.5, Chapter 7, Article 5.5, sections 1274.01 through 1274.05. The Board of Supervisors may from time to time by resolution establish fees for installing signs on private roadways and private thoroughfares.
(a)
Every new building hereafter erected shall be provided with an improved access to a publicly maintained road. The access may consist of a driveway or a private road or combination thereof. The access shall be improved to at least the following standards:
(1)
All accesses shall have a minimum 13 foot 6 inch unobstructed vertical clearance along the entire length of the access. The maximum grade of any access shall not exceed 20%. All bridges or other support structures installed as part of the access shall be constructed to support a minimum load of 40,000 pounds.
(2)
Driveways exceeding 150 feet in length, but less than 800 feet, should provide a midpoint turnout. Driveways exceeding 800 feet should provide turnouts at least every 400 feet. Private roads exceeding 150 feet in length, but less than 800 feet, shall provide a midpoint turnout. Private roads exceeding 800 feet shall provide turnouts at least every 400 feet. Turnouts shall be a minimum of 10 feet wide and 30 feet long with a minimum of 25 foot taper on each end.
(3)
A driveway shall provide a minimum 10 foot wide traffic lane. No parking should be allowed along any driveway of less than 18 feet in width.
(4)
A private road shall provide a minimum 18 foot wide improved surface traffic lane. Private roads with less than an 18 foot wide improved surface traffic lane shall meet the turnout requirements set for a driveway.
(5)
Any private roads providing vehicular access to a single parcel with any industrial or commercial occupancy shall provide a minimum 20 foot wide improved surface traffic lane.
(6)
A bulb turnaround or a hammerhead "T" turnaround shall be provided at all building sites on any access exceeding 300 feet in length and shall be located at the end of the private road or on the driveway within 150 feet of the building(s).
(7)
Direct access from a publicly maintained road shall be improved with a drive approach connection constructed in accordance with County or Caltrans improvement standards and an encroachment permit issued by the County or Caltrans shall be obtained prior to construction.
(8)
As a minimum, all driveways should be constructed with an all weather surface capable of supporting a minimum load of 40,000 pounds and private road surfaces shall be constructed in accordance with a the minimum road improvement standard structural section consisting of 2 inches of asphalt concrete over 4 inches of aggregate base material in accordance with the standards established by the Tulare County Road Improvement Standards as such standards have been adopted by resolution of the Board of Supervisors and are amended from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, the applicant shall submit for review and approval a private road improvement plan prepared by a registered civil engineer detailing the required access improvements. After construction of the access and prior to occupancy under the building permit, the applicant shall submit a letter by a registered civil engineer certifying access construction in compliance with the approved private road improvement plan. If, due to other County requirements, such accesses and private roads would be subject to a higher road improvement standard, the higher road improvement standard shall apply.
(9)
All gate entrances erected on any access or private road shall be at least two feet wider than the access traffic lane and shall be setback a minimum of 30 feet from any publicly maintained road.
(b)
For the purposes of this Section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1)
Driveway: Access to a single parcel or parcels from a publicly maintained road or an improved private road which exceeds 150 feet in length.
(2)
Hammerhead "T": A street or road that provides a "T" shaped three-point turnaround space for emergency equipment, being no narrower than the street, road or driveway that serves it.
(3)
Publicly maintained road: A public road in the County maintained mileage system or a state highway.
(4)
Roads: Vehicular access to more than one parcel; vehicular access to any commercial or industrial occupancy on one or more parcels; or vehicular access to a single parcel with more than two buildings or four or more dwelling units.
(5)
Roadway: Any surface designed, improved, or ordinarily used for vehicular access or travel.
(6)
Bulb turnaround: A street or road, unobstructed by parking, which allows for a safe opposite change of direction for emergency equipment. Bulb turnaround shall have a minimum 40 feet improved surface radius.
(7)
Turnout: A widening in a street, road or driveway to allow vehicles to pass.
(c)
The Tulare County Fire Warden or his duly authorized deputy, upon the receipt of a verified application from the owner of the property affected, stating fully the grounds for the application and the facts relied upon, shall have authority as an administrative act, to grant without notice and hearing certain minor modifications to the terms of this Section as may be in harmony with its general purpose and intent, so that the spirit of this Section shall be observed, public safety and welfare secured and substantial justice done. Such minor modifications shall be limited to the following:
(1)
Decreases not to exceed 10% of the lane width minimum requirements of paragraphs (3) through (5) of Subsection (a).
(2)
Decreases not to exceed 10% of the clearance minimum requirements of paragraph (1) of Subsection (a).
(3)
Increases not to exceed 25% of the maximum distance before a turnout is required in paragraph (2) of Subsection (a).
(Amended by Ord. No. 3254, effective 3-31-01)
The last two digits in a multiple digit number represent the position of the house number in the one eighth (1/8) mile or six hundred sixty (660) feet, plus or minus, as defined in section 7-19-1490. House numbers one (1) to nine (9) inclusive shall be preceded a zero (0) except in the first one eighth (1/8) mile measured from base lines where house numbers alone shall be used. Digits preceding the last two digits, except in the first one eighth (1/8) mile measured from the base lines where no digits will precede the house number, represent the number of the next Avenue number south, or the next Road number west, as the case may be.
All numbers shall be issued through the office of the County Planning Commission. The installation of the house numbering system established by this Article shall be accomplished progressively and in such manner as the County Planning Commission shall from time to time direct.
House numbers conforming to the provisions of this Article shall be assigned by written notice and in such form as shall be directed by the County Planning Commission. Complete and accurate records of numbers issued and assigned shall be kept in map form and such other forms as the County Planning Commission may direct.
No department, official or public employee shall issue any number which is in conflict with the provisions of this Article or use or allow to be used any such conflicting number on any permit, license or other public record.
After the date on which the provisions of this Article become applicable to any thoroughfare, all departments, officials and employees of the County of Tulare, in referring to such thoroughfare in any public record, shall employ the number or name and the descriptive title of the thoroughfare which have been established pursuant to this Article. Previous designations may also be used when necessary to correlate new and old designations.
After the provisions of this Article become applicable to any area in the County of Tulare, every person owning, controlling or occupying any house, store, storeroom or building required by this Article to be numbered, who fails, neglects or refuses to procure, place, attach or maintain numbers on such premises and remove old numbers as provided herein, or who fails to place, attach or maintain the appropriate numbers on any new or altered structures within thirty (30) days after the completion or occupancy of such structure, whichever comes first, shall be guilty of an infraction and shall be punishable as provided in section 125 of this Ordinance Code. Each day during which a violation occurs shall constitute a separate offense.
Maps of the Specific Plan of Street Names and Numbers and House Numbers and amendments adopted heretofore or hereafter under this Article shall not be included in or made a part of this Code. Some of said maps have been designated as parts of the "Official" Plan of Street Names and Numbers and House Numbers because they were adopted prior to the time in 1953 that the former Planning Law of the State of California (Government Code section 65000 et seq.) changed the designation "official plans" to "precise plans." Also, some of said maps have been designated as parts of the "Precise" Plan of Street Names and Numbers and House Numbers because they were adopted prior to the time that the Planning and Zoning Law of the State of California (Government Code section 65000 et seq.) changed the designation "precise plans" to "specific plans."