The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Benefactor naming
means naming opportunities in recognition of substantial financial contributions by donors to the City in accordance with applicable City policies on the value of gifts.
City facility
means any building, road, parkland, or other property owned or managed by the City.
Department director
means the director or department head of the City Department that has control over the City facility at issue, or that person's designee. An executive employee, such as the City Manager or an Assistant City Manager, may also qualify as the department director for purposes of this article if he or she is the City employee who is charged with management of control of the City facility at issue.
Gift
means financial support or property given voluntarily by a third party with nothing received in exchange.
Honorific naming
means naming opportunities considered in recognition of the dedication and extraordinary service to the City of Kyle by an individual or entity, without consideration of financial contributions.
Less prominent City assets
means respite areas, trail heads, landscaping beds, roundabouts, and other areas that the responsible department director determines are less prominent and, therefore, not within the category of prominent City facilities or other prominent City components.
Naming
means the initial name associated with a City facility.
Other prominent City components
means areas such as wings and other major components of City facilities as well as playgrounds, bridges, pavilions, sport complexes, rooms within buildings, paved trails, and prominent outdoor spaces that the responsible department director determines are other prominent City components and, therefore, not within the category of prominent City facilities.
Prominent City facilities
means all City-owned buildings, City-owned developed and undeveloped park land, and City-managed streets, roads, or highways.
Prominent naming
means the naming of prominent City facilities.
Renaming
means assigning a new name to a City facility that already is known by another name.
(Ordinance 747, adopted 10/2/2013; Ordinance 1403 adopted 4/21/2026)
(a) 
The Council shall be the final authority on the naming or renaming of any City facility and shall memorialize said naming or renaming by the passage of a resolution of the governing body.
(b) 
The Council shall be duly authorized to remove the name of any City facility should removal be affirmed by the same.
(c) 
Before the Council will take a vote to ratify a resolution naming or renaming a City facility, a public hearing must be held as provided in section 38-337 or at a City Council meeting where the proposed naming or renaming is publicly discussed.
(d) 
Existing names of City facilities carry recognition and should take priority over considerations for renaming except in special circumstances as determined by the Council.
(e) 
City staff will bring any recommended or requested naming or renaming of City facilities forward to City Council in accordance with this article and with policies approved by the City Manager, or designee.
(f) 
An exemption to the naming of City facilities shall be the naming of roads or a subdivision as a result of an approval and recordation of a subdivision plat.
(Ordinance 747, adopted 10/2/2013; Ordinance 851, § 3, adopted 6/2/2015; Ordinance 1403 adopted 4/21/2026)
(a) 
The policy of the City is to reserve the naming or renaming of City facilities or prominent components thereof to those circumstances which tradition and practice have shown to best serve the interests of the City and assure a worthy and enduring legacy for the City's assets. To this end, the City supports consideration of naming requests in the following three broad categories:
(1) 
Exceptional individuals.
Recognition of an exceptional City leader or a dedicated supporter of the City that has demonstrated substantial community service that has had a major impact or benefit to a large sector of the City and/or volunteered and given extraordinary help to individuals, families, groups or community service. The following guidelines apply to naming or renaming requests that result from either a community process or major gift:
(A) 
Naming of City facilities is encouraged only after the person has been deceased for a minimum of one year except as outlined in subsection (a)(1)(C) below.
(i) 
Proposed names commemorating a deceased person(s) shall be considered only if the living next of kin have approved the request.
(ii) 
The person's historical significance and good reputation have been secured in the history and lore of the community or the nation.
(iii) 
Priority for naming after deceased persons should be given in the following order to those who have [made] significant and lasting contributions: to the City or to the nation. Naming after national or international figures should be rare and only upon a substantial demonstration of the figure's connection to or special importance in the Kyle community or the State of Texas.
(B) 
Evidence of community support for the proposed name.
(i) 
In the case of honorific naming, a petition must be submitted according to the section 38-334(b), Honorific naming, with respect to petition guidelines.
(C) 
Naming of City facilities after a living person or organization is not recommended. However, there are times when the community believes it to be the proper and necessary thing to when the person or organization has contributed to the City of Kyle in either deed or monetary contribution. Guidelines in section 38-334(a) and (b) should be adhered to. The honoring of living City elected officials, management, staff or appointed public officials may only be considered after their employment or public service has been concluded for a minimum of two years.
(D) 
Naming of City facilities after people or a group of people who perished in or survived a tragic event or war should be considered only well after the public shock generated by the tragic event or war has lessened. Potential sites for such memorials should be focused on City facilities that are more known for their serene and contemplative nature rather than active recreational locations, such as playing fields and recreation centers. Emphasis should be placed on the contributions or heroic actions of these people during their lifetime, rather than the circumstances of their death or survivorship.
(2) 
Historical events, places, and persons.
When a City facility is located near or otherwise associated with events, places, and people of historic, cultural, or social significance, it is appropriate to consider naming such City facility after such events, places, and people. The relationship of the City facility to the events, places, and people of historic, cultural, or social significance should be demonstrated through research and documentation. The appropriateness of naming the City facility after such an event, place, or people is further supported if people of Kyle or the surrounding neighborhood have already identified the City facility with the name of the event, place, or people.
(3) 
Major gifts.
The donation of gifts to the City should be a reward in itself, with recognition being given as set forth in the policies adopted by the City Manager, or designee. On a rare occasion, a gift will be made to the City that is of such magnitude and generosity that naming of such City facility in honor of or at the request of the benefactor will be considered.
(A) 
Naming for persons.
Benefactors seeking naming rights on City facilities will be encouraged to follow the guidelines in subsection (a)(1)(A) on exceptional individuals with respect to naming of City facilities after persons. An exception will be considered on its own merits. The City reserves the right to rename any City facility if the person for whom it is named turns out to be disreputable or subsequently acts in a disreputable way.
(B) 
Naming for entities.
A corporation, association, and other legally created entity making a gift may request that the name of the entity be associated with the name of the City facility which is the subject of the gift. Each request is evaluated on its own merits and requires public input. In making a recommendation for a corporate name, the reputation of the company and community support should be considered. No corporate logos, brands, insignias, or direct advertising text may be used as part of any name association or naming. As noted in section 38-338, Renaming of any existing City facility is discouraged even when associated with a major enhancement gift. The City reserves the right to remove an entity name association on a City facility or rename a City facility if the entity turns out to be disreputable or subsequently acts in a disreputable way.
(Ordinance 747, adopted 10/2/2013; Ordinance 1403 adopted 4/21/2026)
(a) 
Benefactor naming.
Prominent City facilities under this category may be named under the terms of a negotiated gift agreement to memorialize or otherwise recognize substantial gifts and significant donors or individuals designated by donors, that meet the requirements of section 38-333, Naming criteria, in respect to the person or organization.
(1) 
Threshold.
As a guideline but not a limitation, the threshold for naming rights on prominent City assets would include one or preferably more of the following:
(A) 
When eighty percent (80%) or more of the cost of the property acquisition is donated;
(B) 
When eighty percent (80%) or more of the cost of development is donated;
(C) 
When a donor sells open space to the City at a maximum twenty percent (20%) of fair market value;
(D) 
Deeding to the City most if not all of the land on which the City facility to be named will be situated;
(E) 
When a long-term endowment of a minimum of twenty (20) years for the repair and maintenance of the donated City facility is gifted; or
(F) 
When the provision of significant program costs is made for facilities that will serve community needs.
(b) 
Honorific naming.
As a matter of general practice, namings of prominent City facilities will recognize significant philanthropic gifts. Under special circumstances, honorific namings may be considered. Honorific namings are exceptional in nature and shall be granted to individuals or organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to the City, the state or nation. Recommendations for honorific namings may be proposed by the City Manager to the Ad-Hoc Committee, who will determine on a case-by-case basis whether to advance the request to the City Council for consideration. Applicants should refer to section 38-333, Naming criteria, in respect to the person or entity.
(1) 
Petition process.
An applicant must compile a petition and submit documentation to the City Secretary's Office for the City Manager to recommend naming or renaming a prominent City facility. Details of the process include:
(A) 
Written notification to the City Secretary's Office to start the process. It should include two to three sentences of the reasons for the request. The applicant shall provide written background information regarding the rationale supporting the request, including biographical information if the request is to name the property for an individual.
(B) 
Once received, the City Secretary will provide the City facility naming petition to the applicant, which form is provided as Exhibit A to this article.[1] The City facility naming petition can be picked up or emailed.
[1]
Editor's note—Exhibit A is on file in the City offices.
(C) 
Once given a notice to proceed, the applicant must file the petition with the City Secretary's Office as soon as necessary signatures have been gathered. The applicant must notify the registered homeowners' associations of the proposed petition before it will be considered. The following criteria for the petition must be included:
(i) 
Statement of the reasons for the proposed name;
(ii) 
Description and/or map depiction of the boundaries of the City facility to be named or renamed;
(iii) 
Signatures of persons residing in the City of Kyle;
(iv) 
Names, home addresses, and phone numbers of each person signing the petition;
(v) 
A minimum of 150 signatures for a close-to-home park (pocket, neighborhood or community type) and its prominent City components, or a minimum of 250 signatures for a regional park (generally over 40 acres) and its prominent City components; and a minimum of 500 signatures for special use and civic parks or other prominent City facilities and their prominent City components, except that naming and renaming of public roads shall be handled in accordance with subsection (c) below.
(D) 
The applicant must file the fully executed and completed petition within ninety (90) days of receipt of the forms from the City Secretary's Office, unless the City Manager grants additional time for submitting the completed petition.
(E) 
Upon completion of all of the steps and validation of the signatures, the department director will make a presentation on the naming or renaming petition to the Ad-Hoc Committee as well as any standing board or commission that the department director believes should be included in the process.
(2) 
Ad-Hoc Committee.
An Ad-Hoc Committee is created to review any valid petition for naming or renaming of a prominent City facility and make recommendations to City Council.
(A) 
The Ad-Hoc Committee will consist of the City Manager, or designee, the department director, and three City Council members appointed by the Mayor.
(B) 
Within 45 days after the completed petitions are filed, the Ad-Hoc Committee will determine whether or not to recommend the proposed new name to the City Council. The Ad-Hoc Committee will not recommend a proposed name to the City Council unless the criteria set forth in section 38-333, Naming criteria, are met. An affirmative vote of a majority of the quorum of the Ad Hoc is necessary to recommend approval of a new name.
(c) 
Public roads.
(1) 
The following applies when an applicant, other than City staff or the City Council, submits a petition or request for the naming or renaming of a public street, road, or highway.
(A) 
The requirements of sections 38-333 and 38-338 also apply to the naming or renaming of a public road.
(B) 
A public road shall not be renamed unless the owners of two-thirds of the linear feet of the abutting properties agree to change the name of the road to the proposed name. Individuals and groups submitting the renaming request shall be required to provide a notarized list of the concurring property owners, including names, address, and phone number, documenting their agreement to the proposed name.
(C) 
The name of a street that is located within a designated historical district shall not be changed unless there are compelling reasons for such change.
(2) 
The following applies when the City staff and/or City Council initiates a proposal to rename a public road.
(A) 
The requirements of sections 38-333 and 38-338 also apply to the naming or renaming of a public road.
(B) 
Written notice of the proposed name change shall be mailed to the owners of the abutting properties according to property records. The notice shall state the proposed name change and allow the property owners 30 days from the date of the notice to submit comments to the City either for or against the name change.
(C) 
All responses and comments received following the mailed written notice shall be provided to City Council for review.
(Ordinance 747, adopted 10/2/2013; Ordinance 851, § 3, adopted 6/2/2015; Ordinance 1403 adopted 4/21/2026)
Each naming for other prominent City components may be approved by the City Council with recommendation of the standing City board or commission with jurisdiction over the City facility. The City Manager has delegated naming authority for other prominent City components to each department director in compliance with the procedures set forth above in section 38-334. The same petition requirements in section 38-334(b) and procedures in section 38-337 still apply, except instead of an Ad-Hoc Committee, the reviewing body will be the City board with jurisdiction over the City facility in the naming request. The request will still need City Council approval through a resolution.
(1) 
Benefactor naming.
Other prominent City components under this category may be named under the terms of a negotiated gift agreement to memorialize or otherwise recognize substantial gifts and significant donors or individuals designated by donors, that meet the requirements of section 38-333, Naming criteria, in respect to the person.
(A) 
Threshold.
As a guideline but not a limitation, the threshold for naming rights on other prominent City components would include one or preferably more of the following:
(i) 
When eighty percent (80%) or more of the value or the cost at the current market value;
(ii) 
When eighty percent (80%) or more of the cost of a significant or approved renovation is donated; or
(iii) 
When a long-term endowment of a minimum of ten (10) years for the repair and maintenance of the donated City asset.
(Ordinance 1403 adopted 4/21/2026)
Each naming for less prominent City assets may be approved by the City Council with recommendations of the standing City board or commission with jurisdiction over the less prominent City asset. The City Manager has delegated naming authority for less prominent City assets to each department director in compliance with the procedures set forth above in section 38-334. The same petition requirements in section 38-334(b) and procedures in section 38-337 still apply, except instead of an Ad-Hoc Committee, the reviewing body will be the City board or commission with jurisdiction of the less prominent City asset in the naming request. The request will still need City Council approval through a resolution.
(1) 
Benefactor naming.
Less prominent City assets under this category may be named under the terms of a negotiated gift agreement to memorialize or otherwise recognize substantial gifts and significant donors or individuals designated by donors, that meet the requirements of section 38-333, Naming criteria, in respect to the person. Amenities such as small furnishings (e.g., benches, small fountains, tables, etc.) are not formally named. Recognition for donated amenities is covered under each department's gift guidelines.
(A) 
Threshold.
When $50,000 or more of the full cost of the installation and/or improvements is donated.
(Ordinance 1403 adopted 4/21/2026)
(a) 
Submission of requests.
Requests for the naming or renaming of City facilities shall be submitted in writing to the City Secretary's Office. The applicant will then be directed to fill out the City facility naming petition. After reviewing the petition, the City Secretary's Office will submit documentation to the City Manager. The petition will be reviewed in accordance with the requirements of section 38-334.
(b) 
Submission to reviewing body.
The City Manager, department director, or designee, shall submit the petition and all provided information to the reviewing body, either the Ad-Hoc Committee or the standing City board or commission with jurisdiction of the City facility as provided in this article. The City Manager or the department director shall consult with appropriate City staff and shall bring to the reviewing body any information from staff that will assist in the reviewing body's review and consideration of the request.
(1) 
Prior to committee review, the City shall provide written notice to the area property owners and provide an opportunity for comments, in the form of a public hearing, at the reviewing body's meeting. The written notice shall:
(A) 
Be mailed not less than 15 days before the date set for the public hearing meeting where they will present their formal written report;
(B) 
Mailed notices must be sent by first class U.S. Mail to all owners of real property situated within 200 feet of the City facility on which the proposed action would occur as recorded on the current Hays Central Appraisal District tax roll;
(C) 
Outline and/or summarize the petition and the reasoning provided by the applicant;
(D) 
List the date, time, and location of the public hearing;
(E) 
Notify the property owner that he/she will be provided an opportunity to make comments at the public hearing; and
(F) 
A statement informing the property owner that if the reviewing body approves of the request, it will be forwarded to the City Council for consideration.
(c) 
Submission to City Council.
The reviewing body shall provide its recommendation to the City Council, which shall review all petitions. An additional public hearing may be held at the City Council meeting when the petition is considered. Notice provided in accordance with subsection (b)(1) above, as well as the posting of an agenda as required by the Texas Open Meetings Act, shall constitute sufficient notice of any public hearing held at City Council.
(d) 
City Council may approve or deny the requested naming or renaming of a City facility in its sole discretion. City Council action on the naming or renaming of a City facility must be by resolution.
(Ordinance 1403 adopted 4/21/2026)
(a) 
Renaming City facilities.
Renaming of City facilities is strongly discouraged. Once public property is named after an individual, the name of the public property should not be changed unless there are compelling reasons presented for such change. Requests to change the name of public property will be subject to the most critical examination so as not to diminish the original justification for the existing name or discount the value of the prior contributors.
(b) 
Road names.
The following restrictions apply to the naming or renaming of a street, road, or highway:
(1) 
New road names shall not duplicate or sound phonetically similar to the name of a road already in use in the City or the City's extraterritorial jurisdiction or designated as a future extension in the current thoroughfare plan;
(2) 
Multiple names along the continuity of a single road or along two roads that are in substantial alignment shall be avoided whenever possible; and
(3) 
No new road name shall be identical to any other road name in all aspects apart from the addition of a designation, such as "Avenue," "Way," "Boulevard," etc.
(c) 
Limitations on individuals recognized.
No prominent City facility or other prominent City component may be named for a current City elected official, a current member of a City board or commission, a current employee of the City of Kyle, or a current state or federal official unless the naming is a result of a major financial contribution made by or on behalf of the individual and receives the unanimous approval of all City Council present at a regular City Council meeting.
(d) 
Limitations on entities recognized.
Entities submitting a naming request must not be connected to any grant awarded to the City; grantors are prohibited from submitting naming requests for grants they have previously provided. For benefactor naming requests, only new financial contributions may be applied toward the required threshold. Previous donations or grants will not be counted.
(Ordinance 1403 adopted 4/21/2026)
(a) 
Time horizon on naming recognition.
Naming recognition is understood to have a time horizon of 40 (forty) years or the reasonable useful life of the City asset that is 39 years or less, unless otherwise established in a negotiated agreement or by the City Council.
(1) 
Removal of a name or renaming may occur at the end of the useful life for a building or organizational entity.
(2) 
Benefactor namings must include a specific time horizon. The time horizon must be set out in a written contract finalized prior to the submission of the petition to City Council for approval.
(b) 
Fees.
(1) 
A petition shall be require the payment of any fee that as provided in Appendix A to the Code of Ordinances, which fee shall be intended to recover the costs of processing the petition. Any required fee may be waived upon request of the applicant and at the discretion of the City Council.
(2) 
Additional fees for the manufacture and installation of replacement signs when the renaming of a street, road, or highway is approved as a result of a City facility naming petition when required by City Council.
(c) 
Park lands.
(1) 
Regional/City level parks may be named after a geographical designation, a predominant physical feature of the land, or a historical name of an organization or an individual.
(2) 
Community and neighborhood level parks should be named after the subdivision which dedicated the land, the name of the neighborhood, adjacent street name or geological feature, an organization, or the name of an individual.
(3) 
The word "Park" must be included in the name of any park.
(4) 
Areas, facilities, and accessories (such as playgrounds, pavilions or sports fields) within a park may individually be named as either other prominent City components or less prominent City assets.
(5) 
Typically, a park should not be subdivided for the purposes of naming unless there are readily identifiable physical divisions (major roads, waterways, etc.) in the park and other compelling reasons for having more than one name. This limitation on naming a park should not prevent giving a different name for a trail, City facility, or a City component located in or near the park. However, care should be taken in giving a name to a City facility, or City component that is different from the name of the park to avoid confusion.
(d) 
Other.
(1) 
Facilities that are held by the City or department through a short-term lease or use agreement and improvements that have limited lifespan or occupancy should not be named.
(2) 
All signs on City facilities must meet the City's graphic and signage standards as well as the policies of the department director and City Manager. No specialized signage will be displayed.
(3) 
If a new City facility is completed or acquired and no suggestion for a name has come from the community or in association with a gift, the City Council will recommend a name, using any organized public process that they decide upon. For deed names, the responsible department director may create a placeholder name using the subdivision name, adjacent street name, adjacent geological feature, or other generic name.
(Ordinance 1403 adopted 4/21/2026)
(a) 
The United States Board on Geographic Names (USBGN) is responsible for final approval of naming geographic features (e.g., tributaries, water bodies, geological features, etc.).
(b) 
Proposed names must be submitted to the USBGN to verify if the proposed name complies with the Principles, Policies, and Procedures of Geographic Names, the appropriateness of the name, and/or whether the feature is officially named.
(c) 
Once compliance and appropriateness is affirmed by USBGN, the proposed name must follow all criteria and procedures of this article.
(Ordinance 1403 adopted 4/21/2026)