[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Rotterdam 4-27-1994
by L.L. No. 5-1994. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Subdivision of land — See Ch. 249.
It is the intent and purpose of this chapter to assist in rapid recognition,
by 911 personnel, of the location of a residence/business in an emergency
situation and to ensure that the requirements and standards of the United
States Postal Service are considered in the naming and addressing of streets
located in the Town of Rotterdam.
A.
The County of Schenectady is responsible for developing
and maintaining an official street and address index and an official street
and address map of Schenectady County. These will be called respectively the
"Official Street Naming and Structure Numbering Index" and the "Official Street
Naming and Structure Numbering Map."
B.
The Town of Rotterdam recognizes the street names and
structure numbers as designated on the Official Street Naming and Structure
Numbering Map and the Official Street Naming and Structure Numbering Index.
All street names designated on this official map and index will be current
street names or names recommended and approved by the Town of Rotterdam.
C.
Consideration of any proposed street name shall adhere
to the following principles:
(1)
Use of street names that do not duplicate or sound similar
to existing street names within the county.
(2)
Elimination of existing street names that duplicate other
names within the county, where feasible.
(3)
Avoidance of names which indicate a direction.
(4)
Adoption of existing street names where the proposed
street is an extension or continuation of an existing one.
D.
Street names will be restricted to 28 characters in order
to comply with requirements of the New York Telephone database.
E.
In addition to other requirements of this chapter, streets
will be named in compliance with the United Postal Service Addressing Guidelines
which are attached as Appendix A.[1]
(1)
New streets will be named, initiated and adopted by the
Town Planning Commission in adherence to the principles enumerated in this
chapter.
(2)
Changes to existing street names will be initiated and
adopted by the Town Board.
[1]
Editor's Note: The United Postal Service Addressing Guidelines are
on file in the office of the Town Clerk.
F.
Adoption of a street name or its inclusion in the Official
Street Naming and Structure Numbering Index or the Official Street Naming
and Structure Numbering Map or the subsequent posting of any public sign does
not commit the Town of Rotterdam or the County of Schenectady to maintain
a private road.
G.
All proposed street name changes or additions shall be
sent by the Town Board to the county and the United States Postal Service
for review and comment. The county and the United States Postal Service will
have 30 days to comment on the proposed changes before adoption.
H.
Approved name changes will be sent to the county for
inclusion in the Official Street Naming and Structure Numbering Index and
the Official Street Naming and Structure Numbering Map.
A.
Changes or additions to structure numbers as designated
on the Official Street Naming and Structure Numbering Map for dwelling units,
places of business, industrial locations and all other structures and uses
requiring the same shall be assigned by the Town Planning Commission during
the site plan review processes or by the Building Inspector/Code Enforcement
Officer when granting a building permit. The county and the United States
Postal Service will be given notice of any proposed structure numbering or
changes of current numbering. These offices will have 30 days to comment on
the proposed structure numbering action. The Building Inspector/Code Enforcement
Officer will send all finalized structure numbers to Schenectady County.[1]
B.
The county shall keep a record of all numbers assigned
under this chapter.
A.
Two types of numbers are designated under this chapter:
(1)
Primary numbers will be available to each street frontage of each parcel of land, whether or not the parcel is occupied. New primary numbers will be available at an increment of 10.56 feet per side or 1,000 addresses per mile (500 on each side of the road). Numbers will run east to west and from south to north or originating at a major roadway. Odd numbers will be available along the left side of the street, while even numbers will be available along the right side (left and right are determined by facing from low- to high-numbered addresses). All addresses will be numbered from the point of intersection where the driveway or curb cut intersects the road. Developers submitting site plans to the Town Planning Commission will indicate the appropriate street number as part of the site plan submission. The primary number is assigned and is required to be posted only if the parcel is occupied by a dwelling unit, structure or active use and the owner, occupant or person in charge is notified under § 250-5A of this chapter. Other primary numbers are reserved for future development of parcels and will be assigned at the time of development.
(2)
Secondary numbers may be used when a number of units,
structures and uses coexist on the same parcel of land. Examples of parcels
requiring secondary numbers include apartment projects, condominium projects,
mobile (manufactured) home parks, office parks, planned unit developments,
recreational vehicle parks, recreational areas, shopping centers and other
uses where the use of secondary numbers would clarify the location of an individual
unit for public safety purposes. To provide secondary numbers, the Town Planning
Commission shall work with the owner, principal occupant or person in charge
of the project to determine a logical numbering system under this chapter.
B.
Where the primary number of a complex is not in compliance
with numbering as enumerated in these guidelines but the secondary numbering
system is acceptable, only the primary address will be changed.
C.
A building on a single parcel with more than one and
fewer than five units may be given either letter (preferred) or number designations
as requested by the owner.
D.
A single building on a single parcel of land and with
five or more units shall be given numerical (preferred) designations, such
as "Suite 5", "Apartment 5," etc.
E.
Multiple buildings on the same parcel of land may be
given secondary numbers consisting of number designations if the buildings
are accessed from a main entrance to the complex. Generally, the number designations
should increase in a clockwise direction from the main entrance.
F.
Mobile (manufactured) home parks, recreational vehicle
parks and similar uses shall be given letter designations for lots or sections
and number designations for individual sites within lots or sections.
A.
Notice will be given by the Town of Rotterdam to owners
of each property whose address has been changed as a result of adoption of
this chapter.
B.
The owner or occupant or person in charge of any dwelling
unit, structure or use to which a number has been changed or a new number
assigned after the initial notification by the county shall be notified, in
writing, by the Town Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer.[1]
C.
The owner, occupant or person in charge of any dwelling
unit, structure or use to which a number or numbers have been assigned shall
cause the same to be posted.
(1)
Address numbers will be situated on property which shall
be clearly visible from the roadway fronting the house. The numbers shall
be no less than three inches in height.
(2)
The placement of the address number on a postal mailbox
will occur on both sides of the mailbox, facing the direction of traffic flow
so as to be visible from a distance by operators of approaching vehicles.
(3)
In the case that a building is served by two or more
driveways or curb cuts, the number shall be assigned and posted at the roadside
where it intersects the first (meaning the one first arrived at when approaching
from the direction of the lower street numbers) driveway or curb cut.
(4)
Locations with secondary numbers [see § 250-4A(2)] such as housing projects or strip malls must each post its assigned secondary numbers in such a way as to clearly identify its location. In the case of secondary addresses, a driveway or curb cut may not be an appropriate locator.
(5)
It shall be the responsibility of the owner, occupant
or person in charge of the dwelling unit, structure or use, upon affixing
the number assigned, to remove any different number which might be mistaken
for or confused with the assigned number to the structure.
(6)
In such cases where the assigned number cannot be posted
as required above, the number shall be posted as prescribed by the Town Building
Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer in accordance with the intent of this legislation
and after consultation with the owner, occupant or person in charge. The county
will assist the Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer upon request.[2]
It shall be the policy to avoid changing existing numbered addresses
if the existing system follows a logical and expandable order and can comply
with the Official Street Naming and Structure Numbering Index and the Official
Street Naming and Structure Numbering Map.
The intent of this section is to exclude from this chapter those structures
which do not present endangerment to human life if destroyed by fire or other
events.
A.
The following structures shall be excluded from the provisions:
B.
Buildings used as dwelling units, offices or the nominal
work station of an employee shall not be exempt.
C.
Pay phones will be assigned addresses. The pay phone
will be given a separate primary or secondary address when the location of
the pay phone is independent or distinguishable from the business or residential
phone within the structure.
Any changes in the street names and addresses of streets located in
the Town of Rotterdam that are initiated by the County of Schenectady shall
be submitted to the Supervisor of the Town of Rotterdam by the county at least
14 days prior to approval of the same by the Town and the effective date of
said change.
Failure to comply will be considered violations of the Building Code
and shall result in fines of $5 to $500 per day.
This chapter shall take effect on April 27, 1994, and upon filing with
the Secretary of State as required by § 27 of the Municipal Home
Rule Law.
