The purpose of this article is to enhance the easy and rapid location of properties by law enforcement, fire, rescue and emergency medical services personnel in the Town of Topsham.
This article is adopted pursuant to and consistent with the Municipal Home Rule Powers as provided for in Article VIII, Part 2, Section 1, of the Constitution of the State of Maine and 30-A M.R.S.A. § 3001.
[Amended 5-25-2022 STM by Art. 14]
This article shall be administered by the Town of Topsham Addressing Officer, which is authorized to and shall assign road names and numbers to all properties, both on existing and proposed roads, in accordance with the criteria in §§ 185-12 and 185-13. The Addressing Officer shall be responsible for maintaining the following official records of this article:
A. 
An alphabetical list of all property owners as identified by current assessment records, by last name, showing the assigned numbers.
B. 
An alphabetical list of all roads with property owners listed in order of their assigned numbers.
A. 
All roads that serve two (2) or more properties shall be named regardless of whether the ownership is public or private. A "road" refers to any highway, road, street, avenue, lane, private way or similar paved gravel or dirt thoroughfare. "Property" refers to any property on which a more or less permanent structure has been erected or could be placed. A road name assigned by the Town of Topsham shall not constitute or imply acceptance of the road as a public way.
B. 
The following criteria shall govern the naming system:
(1) 
No two (2) roads shall be given the same name (e.g., no Pine Road and Pine Lane).
(2) 
No two (2) roads should have similar sounding names (e.g., Beech Street and Peach Street).
(3) 
Each new road shall have the same name throughout its entire length.
A. 
Numbers shall be assigned every fifty (50) feet along both sides of the road, with even numbers appearing on the left side of the road and odd numbers appearing on the right side of the road, determined by number origin.
B. 
The following criteria shall govern the numbering system:
(1) 
All number origins shall begin from the designated center of Topsham or that end of the road closest to the designated center. For dead-end roads, numbering shall originate at the intersection of the adjacent road and terminate at the dead end.
(2) 
The number assigned to each structure shall be that of the number interval falling closest to the front door. If the front door cannot be seen from the main road, the number shall be that of the interval falling to the driveway of said structure.
(3) 
Every structure with more than one (1) principal use or occupancy shall have a separate number for each use occupancy [i.e. apartments will have one (1) road number with an apartment number, such as 235 Maple Street, Apt. 2].
All owners of structures shall, by the date stipulated in § 185-16, display and maintain, in a conspicuous place on said structure, the assigned numbers in the following manner:
A. 
Number on the structure or residence. Where the residence or structure is within fifty (50) feet of the edge of the road right-of-way, the assigned number shall be displayed on the front of the residence or structure near the front door or entry.
B. 
Number at the street line. Where the residence or structure is over fifty (50) feet from the edge of the road right-of-way, the assigned number shall be displayed on a post, fence, wall, the mailbox or on some structure at the property line next to the walk or access drive to the residence structure.
C. 
Size and color of number. Numbers shall be displayed in a contrasting color to the background on which they are applied, shall be located to be visible from the road, and shall be of sufficient size to be easily readable from the road. The minimum size of any numbers shall be four (4) inches.
D. 
Every person whose duty is to display the assigned number shall remove any different number that might be mistaken for, or confused with, the number assigned in conformance with this article.
E. 
Interior location. All residents and other occupants are requested to post the assigned number and road name next to their telephone for emergency reference.
All new construction and subdivisions shall be named and numbered in accordance with the provisions of this article and as follows:
A. 
New construction. Whenever any residence or other structure is constructed or developed, it shall be the duty of the new owner to obtain an assigned number from the Addressing Officer. This shall be done at the time of the issuance of the building permit.
[Amended 5-25-2022 STM by Art. 14]
B. 
New subdivisions. Any prospective subdivider shall show a proposed road name and lot numbering system with the preliminary plan submission to the Planning Board. Approved by the Planning Board, after consultation with the addressing officer, the plan shall constitute the assignment of road names and numbers to the lots in the subdivision. On the final plan showing proposed roads, the applicant shall mark on the plan lines or dots in the center of the streets every fifty (50) feet to aid in assignment of numbers to structures subsequently constructed.
[Amended 5-25-2022 STM by Art. 14]
This article shall become effective by adoption at Town Meeting May 15, 1996. It shall be the duty of the Addressing Officer to notify by mail each property owner and the post office of a new address at least thirty (30) days before the effective date of its use. It shall be the duty of each property owner to comply with this article, including the posting of new property numbers, within thirty (30) days following notification. On new structures, numbering will be installed before final inspection or when the structure is first used or occupied, whichever comes first.