[HISTORY: Adopted by the County Commissioners of Caroline County 11-10-1992
as Ord. No. 92-006. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter is adopted under authority of Article 41, §§ 18-101
through 18-108, Annotated Code of Maryland.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish a system for the assignment
of road names and numbering of property in Caroline County, Maryland. The
County Commissioners deem it in the best interest of the health, safety and
welfare of the county and its citizens that such a system be adopted to provide
automatic location identification for enhanced 911 services and to provide
a better system for the delivery of emergency services, the delivery of mail
and goods, and other private and public purposes.
A.
This chapter shall apply to all the lands, properties,
buildings and other structures within the territorial limits of Caroline County
as of the effective date of this chapter. In no case, however, shall any provision
of this chapter be deemed applicable within the incorporated territory of
any municipality in Caroline County unless the County Commissioners and the
governing body of said town have passed appropriate resolutions authorizing
entering into an agreement between the local governments.
B.
Any agreement to apply this chapter within a town shall
include provisions for coordinating the issuance of subdivision and building
permit approvals and approval of new road or street names. The agreement may
also include the collection, distribution and use of fees, if any. Such an
agreement shall specify the Caroline County Department of Planning and Codes
Administration as the clearinghouse for coordinating these actions.
C.
Any action of a municipality to annex property under
the territorial limits of the county shall require the municipality to enter
into an agreement with the County to recognize and utilize the addressing
system authorized by this chapter.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
The committee of persons appointed by the County Commissioners of
Caroline County to develop guidelines and criteria for the implementation
and maintenance of the new numbering system.
The County Commissioners of Caroline County, Maryland.
The person, or an authorized representative, designated by the County
Commissioners to administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter.
A public or private way for vehicular traffic, including a right-of-way,
street, avenue, drive, lane, terrace, boulevard, circle, court, parkway, highway
or other similar terms.
A.
The Director of Planning shall keep and maintain a Road
Naming and Addressing Manual which describes in detail the criteria, procedures,
and methods used to name roads and to assign address numbers to properties
in Caroline County. This manual shall include the development of a grid system
from which the address numbers will be derived.
B.
The Director of Planning shall keep and maintain a set
of maps of Caroline County which display the address grid system and the names
and route numbers of roads.
A.
The County Commissioners shall approve by resolution
an Official Road Name List for Caroline County. For each road, the list shall
include the following minimum information:
B.
The Address Committee shall develop guidelines that define
which roads are to be included on the Official Road Name List and which are
to be used for the assigning of new address numbers under this chapter. These
guidelines shall be incorporated into the Road Naming and Addressing Manual.
C.
The Official Road Name List may be amended from time
to time by the County Commissioners to change the name of or to delete a listed
road. The County Commissioners may hold a public hearing on the proposed changes
prior to their adoption, if they deem it necessary to receive public comment
on the proposed amendments.
D.
The owners of property on a road included on the Official
Road Name List may petition the County Commissioners to change the name of
the road. Any such petition shall be on the form obtained from the Director
of Planning. A petition to change a road name shall contain the signatures
of 100% of the owners of developed properties on the road. The County Commissioners
may waive the requirement for 100% of the signatures on the petition only
if they determine that unique and unusual circumstances justify a waiver of
this policy.
E.
Any new road opened, platted or created shall be incorporated
into the Official Road Name List by the Director of Planning if the road meets
the criteria contained in the Road Naming and Addressing Manual. The Director
of Planning shall have the authority to approve or disapprove the name of
any new road to prevent duplicate, similar-sounding, inappropriate or confusing
road names.
F.
Any new road opened, platted or created after the effective
date of this chapter, whether public or private, shall have an approved road
name sign posted at each intersection. The Director of Public Works shall
have authority to erect and maintain all signs necessary to identify roads
under this chapter. The Caroline County Department of Public Works shall develop
a fee schedule for the initial sign installation and perpetual maintenance
of the sign by the County. The subdivider or developer shall pay these fees
to the Caroline County Department of Public Works.
A.
All property in the unincorporated area of Caroline County
containing a home, business, or other primary use or structure shall have
an address number assigned in accordance with the criteria and procedures
specified in the Road Naming and Addressing Manual. The Director of Planning
shall keep and maintain the list of properties and addresses.
B.
Subdivisions. Any subdivision plat submitted for review
and approval after the effective date of this chapter shall include an address
number for each lot. Address numbers shall be assigned in accordance with
the criteria and procedures specified in the Road Naming and Addressing Manual.
Address numbers shall be assigned based on the proposed location of the driveway
or entrance to the property. The Director of Planning shall have the authority
to disapprove any subdivision plat which does not include properly assigned
address numbers.
C.
Building permits. The Director of Planning shall assign
an address number to a property prior to the issuance of a building permit.
A.
Following the initial assignment of new addresses, a
notification of the new address shall be mailed to the owner of the property
by United States mail, first-class postage prepaid. The name and address of
the property owner shall be as obtained from the records of the Maryland Department
of Assessments and Taxation.
B.
The owner of any property who receives notification of
a new address number shall be responsible for informing all tenants or occupants
of the new address.
C.
The owner, tenant and/or occupant of an existing improved
property as of the effective date of this chapter shall have a period of one
year from the date the notification is mailed to make all address changes
or adjustments. Thereafter, the address number assigned under this chapter
shall be the only street or location address used by the owner, tenant, and/or
occupant of the property.
D.
Within one year from the date the notification of the
new address is mailed, the owner of an existing improved property as of the
effective date of this chapter shall have placed on his/her property, in a
location visible from the road upon which the address number is assigned,
numerals at least three inches high showing the address number of the house
or building. Numbers placed on mailboxes or signs shall satisfy this requirement
only if the home or building is clearly identifiable in relation to the mailbox
or sign. All address numbers shall be displayed in conformance with guidelines
prepared by the Address Committee. The Address Committee may, from time to
time, revise the guidelines for the displaying of new address numbers.
E.
New improvements to be constructed after the effective
date of this chapter shall comply with the guidelines for the display of address
numbers prior to the date of occupancy of the property. Prior to the start
of construction a temporary weather-resistant address sign shall be posted
on the property. The address number shall be legible and visible from the
adjoining road. The Address Committee may, from time to time, develop and/or
revise guidelines for the display of temporary address numbers at construction
sites.
F.
New addresses developed under this chapter shall be used
for official purposes only, including but not limited to emergency management,
planning, codes administration, zoning, and tax assessment records. The County,
its departments or employees shall not sell or otherwise release these addresses
for commercial use or other purposes not related to County governmental functions.
This restriction shall not prohibit the United States Postal Service from
using, selling or transferring any address lists in its possession.
A.
A violation of any provision of this chapter or failure
to comply with any requirement thereof shall constitute a civil infraction.
Each day on which a violation of this chapter continues shall constitute a
separate offense. A citation shall be issued once a violation of this chapter
is noted. A person receiving a citation must correct the violation as well
as pay a fine of $100 for the first violation. The citation shall be in the
form designated or approved by the District Court of Maryland. The fine shall
be payable within 20 calendar days of receipt of the citation. A person receiving
a citation for a County infraction may elect to stand trial for the offense
by notifying the County of intent to stand trial. The notice shall be given
at least five days prior to the date of payment as set forth in the citation.
In the event that a person does not pay the fine and correct the violation
or request a trial, the County shall have the authority to request adjudication
of the case through the District Court.
B.
Once a person charged with a violation has received the
infraction citation for the first violation, it shall not be necessary to
deliver an infraction citation for any subsequent violation of the same
provision or section of this chapter. A subsequent violation shall mean a
violation of the same section or provision of this chapter, upon the same
parcel or piece of real property which has occurred not more than 30 days
but not less than 24 hours after the first violation.
C.
The County may enforce this chapter by civil action for
declaratory judgment and/or injunction, in addition to or instead of citing
the violator for a civil infraction. In the case of a civil action for declaratory
judgment and/or injunction, the County may recover its legal fees and costs
from the violator.
D.
The procedures contained in any civil infraction law
adopted by the County Commissioners may be applied to the enforcement of this
chapter.
E.
The owner, tenant and/or occupant of any building, structure,
premises or part thereof and any architect, builder, contractor, engineer,
agent or any other person who causes, commits, participates in, assists in
or maintains a violation of this chapter shall be guilty of a separate offense
and subject to all the penalties set forth herein.
