Sussex County, DE Article IV Addressing Policy

§ 73-22 Addressing agency.

The County shall establish and assign street address numbers in accordance with the guidelines set forth herein. All buildings used for residential, commercial, institutional or governmental purposes shall be provided with an address identifying the building.

§ 73-23 Frontage interval/grid addressing system.

A. The addressing system will be based on a grid/frontage interval system. The address numbers will be four or five digits (depending on your location) and will be part of the Delaware State Plane coordinate system.

B. The frontage interval addressing system is based on the measurement of the intervals between the beginning of a road and the structures along the road. The frontage interval system will follow an interval guideline or measurement increments, which will yield approximately 528 possible address numbers per mile.

C. For each road in the County a starting address number will be obtained at the start point (intersection) of each road by the following approach. (See also Diagram 1.[1])

(1) Each road will be given a direction based on its overall meandering throughout the County. The direction will either be a road that transverses north — south or west — east. If the road is identified as a north — south road, then the starting address value would be the last five integer digits of the y value or the Northing value of the Delaware State Plane coordinate at that location. If the road is identified as a west — east road, then the starting address value would be the last five integer digits of the x value or the Easting value of the Delaware State Plane coordinate at that location.

(2) Once the starting address number has been obtained, the road will be divided into twenty-foot segments. Each twenty-foot segment of road will get an odd and even address number incrementally from its starting point. A perpendicular line is drawn from the structure to the road and the structure will acquire the address number of the twenty-foot segment of road that the perpendicular line intersects. It will acquire the odd or even address number depending upon which side of the road it is located on. If a structure cannot be given a point that is perpendicular to the road then the structure will be attached to the closest point on the road and given its twenty-foot segment address. An example of this is when a structure is accessed beyond the end of the road. This structure will receive the last address of the road.

[1] Editor's Note: Diagram 1 is included at the end of this chapter.

D. The frontage interval system includes rules for the point of beginning of the road, the location of odd and even numbers along a road, the take-off point for semicircular roads and numbering culs-de-sac, numbering of diagonal roads, numbering of apartments and duplexes, numbering of businesses, manufactured home parks and stacked addresses.

[Amended 10-12-2010 by Ord. No. 2152]

E. The following list is a description of the generally acceptable numbering standards.

(1) The frontage interval: assign numbers every (20 feet) or approximately each 1/264 mile. This will yield approximately 528 numbers per mile, 264 odd on one side and 264 even on the other side.

(2) Odd/even number location: Assign even numbers on the right side, from the point of beginning, and odd numbers on the left side, from the point of beginning. This may be reversed to conform to existing addresses.

(3) Beginning point. Numbering should begin at the west beginning point and proceed eastward or at the south beginning point and proceed northward. In the case of a dead-end road, the beginning point will be at the point of departure from the main road, regardless of direction. See Subsection E(8).

(4) Fractional, alphanumeric, hyphenated addresses.

(a) There should be no use of fractional addresses, alphanumeric address numbers, nor hyphenated address numbers (e.g., 34 1/2 Ash Street, 123A Main Street, 41-656 Bell Street).

(b) Rules set forth in Subsection E(1) through (4) shall apply unless you are continuing a city numbering scheme, as in leaving a city or subdivision, where other numbers are being used. In this case, the existing system in place will dictate the beginning, odd/even number. See Subsection E(10) and (14).

(c) Recommendations for specific numbering situations are below. The general logical order of address elements should follow United States Postal Service (USPS) conventions: road number, pre-directional (if any), primary road name, suffix, post-directional (if any), and secondary number (if any) (e.g., 110 S Main Street, Apt. 304).

(5) Bridges. In the future, bridges may be numbered to identify them for purposes of references, just as houses.

(6) Diagonal streets. Diagonal streets should be treated as either north-south or east-west streets. Arbitrary decisions on the direction are acceptable, but the primary direction should be chosen.

(7) Circular streets. Circular streets and roads begin at the low-numbered intersection and are numbered with the even numbers on the inside of the circle. The outside of the circle is numbered first and consecutively. The inside is then numbered to match and mix with the outside. This will result, in some cases, in fewer numbers on the inside of the circle, and also with spaces between the numbers.

(8) Culs-de-sac.

(a) Culs-de-sac often require applying the rules for both dead-end streets and circular streets. Those without buildings in the center portion should be numbered as if the center line of the street bisects the cul-de-sac. The numbering begins from the intersection of the main road and ascends toward the cul-de-sac. Once in the cul-de-sac the numbers proceed odd around the left side of the circle and even around the right side of the circle progressing in the direction that the numbers increase. Odd and even numbers meet at mid-point or the back of the cul-de-sac.

(b) On rare occasions there may be structures inside the cul-de-sac. When this occurs, number the structure or structures in the way that will fit best. Generally there are no houses in the middle ground.

(9) Corner lots. When assigning numbers to corner lots, use the driveway. When the driveway is obscured or if the structure is best reached for emergency purposes by the front door, assign the property number based on where the front door falls on the road.

(10) Crossing county lines. When crossing county lines, consideration will be given to an existing numbering system in that county. If no system exists, the numbering will stop at the county line. If a system does exist in that county, those numbers may continue, following these rules for distance and direction.

(11) Stacked addresses. Houses or manufactured homes behind other houses or manufactured homes facing the road, sharing a common driveway, should be numbered following the rules for distance and direction herein. Use of a hyphenated, alphanumeric or fractional number is discouraged (e.g., 254A, 254 1/2, or 254-3). See Subsection E(4).

[Amended 10-12-2010 by Ord. No. 2152]

(12) Apartments and duplexes. Apartments and other multitenant structures should be numbered with the main building and then assigned apartment numbers as secondary location indicators (e.g., 202 Main Street, Apt 303). If possible, use apartment numbers to indicate the floor location (e.g., Apt. 303 is the third apartment on the third floor). If a building has a separate entrance for each unit, then each entrance will receive an address.

(13) Businesses. Businesses and business districts should be numbered just as apartments, with the middle of the building determining the number and the offices or businesses in the building being numbered as suites (e.g., 225 Oak Drive, Suite 34). This rule may also be applied to office parks where each business has its own small building. See § 73-18.

(14) Interfacing with existing systems. When interfacing with existing numbering systems, care should be taken in locating the last assigned number of the existing system. All possible sources should be checked to determine the last number.

(15) Manufactured home parks. Manufactured home parks should be addressed the same as single-family dwellings with all roads being named, and following the rules for distance and direction herein (e.g., 45 Forest Lane).

[Amended 10-12-2010 by Ord. No. 2152]

(16) Highways. Highways with no numbering system in place or where the system is to be changed will be numbered from county line to county line, following the rules for distance and direction herein.

(17) Structures. When assigning numbers, the middle of the structure should determine the address assigned. Structures should always be numbered according to where the driveway enters the road, not where the mailbox is. An exception to this is when the structure is obscured or if the structure is best reached for emergency purposes by the front door. In such cases, the address should be assigned where the front door falls on the road. See also Subsection E(9).

(18) Preplanning subdivisions. New subdivisions will require street naming and address assignments to the lots prior to final approval. Sussex County government must review the plan for compliance with the various sections of this policy, as they relate to street naming and the assignment of address numbers. Sussex County government must sign off on this portion of the subdivision plan. See §§ 73-4, 73-21C and 73-26B. Preplanning requires that corner lots be numbered in two directions, since it is unknown which way the houses might face on the lot. See Subsection E(9).

§ 73-24 Exempt buildings and uses.

The following buildings and uses will be exempt from the addressing system, but may be addressed at the request of the property owner.

A. Farm buildings which are not residential or commercial.

B. Accessory buildings which have uses that are accessory to the primary use of a residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, or governmental building.

C. Unoccupied farm land or lots containing no dwelling(s) or businesses.

§ 73-25 Changing address numbers.

A. If an address number is changed for any reason, the County shall be responsible for changing the address number.

B. When such a change is made, the County shall notify the building owner to make the change, and the County will notify the United States Postal Service (USPS), and emergency services.

C. The owner of the building shall change the posted address numbers within 30 days of receipt of such notice. The resident of the building will be responsible for notifying all suppliers and others of the address change.

§ 73-26 Addressing new construction and development.

A. Building permit requirements. Prior to beginning new construction, property owners shall submit an application for a building permit. When the building permit is issued, an address will be assigned and mailed to the address submitted on the building permit.

B. Subdivision requirements. No residential, commercial or industrial subdivision or land development shall be approved or recorded unless the street name(s) have been assigned. Addresses will be assigned immediately after the subdivision is recorded.

§ 73-27 Display of address numbers required; display.

A. No certificate of occupancy shall be issued until the assigned property number has been displayed in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.

B. It shall be the responsibility of each and every property owner, trustee, lessee, agent and occupant of each residence, apartment building, business or industry to purchase, post and maintain address numbers as required under this policy at all times.

C. It shall be the duty of the above mentioned, upon affixing a new address number, to remove any conflicting number.

D. It shall be unlawful to cover any address number with any sign, drapery, or other obstruction tending to conceal such number.

§ 73-28 Size and location of street address numbers.

All address numbers must be displayed on a contrasting background and must be reflective.

A. Residences, townhouses and businesses.

(1) It shall be the duty of each and every property owner, trustee, lessee, agent and occupant of each residence, apartment building or business to display the assigned address number according to the guidelines set forth herein. The address shall be made up of numbers and letters that are light reflective and contrasting in color with the background on which they are affixed and shall be posted according to one of the two following methods:

(a) On the mailbox using three-inch light-reflective numbers and/or letters, provided the address is clearly visible from both sides of the street or road it is located on and clearly identifies the structure the address belongs to. If the mailbox is not located directly in front of the property it is addressed to, or if multiple mailboxes are grouped together, a sign can be placed on the property in a location which clearly identifies which structure it belongs to; or

(b) On the structure itself using four-inch light-reflective numbers and/or letters, provided the address is posted on that portion of the structure that is most visible from the road or street the structure is located on and it clearly identifies the structure the address belongs to.

(2) Whichever method is chosen, the address must clearly identify which structure the address belongs to and must be visible from both sides of the street or road the structure is located on or is closest to during both day and night time hours.

B. Private lane and long driveways. If any residence, apartment building or business (except malls or shopping centers) is located so that the address number is not clearly visible from the street, an additional address number shall be posted at the intersection of the driveway with the public street. The additional address number shall be made up of numbers and/or letters which are not less than four inches in height, reflective, contrasting in color with the background on which they are affixed, visible day or night, and placed upon a post or other structure which displays the number at least 48 inches above the ground. The property owner is responsible for the installation of these additional sets of address identifiers.

C. Industrial and commercial structures in low-density areas. All industrial and commercial structures located in low density development areas (areas in which small residential style address numbers are not visible from the road) shall display address numbers of not less than 10 inches in height. The number shall be reflective, contrast in color with the background on which it is affixed and shall be visible day or night, from the street. When possible, the number shall be displayed beside or over the main entrance of the structure.

D. Apartment buildings and high-rises.

(1) All apartment buildings and high-rises shall display address numbers above or to the side of the primary entrance to the building. Address numbers shall be reflective, contrast with the color of the background to which they are affixed, and shall be at least six inches in height to be visible day or night from the opposite side of the street facing the main entrance.

(2) Apartment numbers for individual units within the complex shall be displayed on, above, or to the side of the doorway of each unit.

E. Bridges. In the future, and if this policy is amended, all bridges shall have displayed address numbers of not less than six inches in height, reflective, contrasting in color with the background on which they are affixed, visible day or night, and placed upon a post or other structure which displays the number at least 48 inches above the ground. Addresses shall be placed at each end of the bridge.

§ 73-29 Notice to comply.

County officials and county employees should be authorized to enter upon private property for the purposes of inspection and to give notice by personal service or by certified mail to persons in violation of this policy directing them to abate the situation within 30 days after issuance of such notice.