Ordinance for Road Naming and Road Addressing
TOWN OF GUILFORD
ROAD NAMING AND ROAD ADDRESSING
ORDINANCE
SECTION I - Purpose
Under the authority of 24 V.S.A., Sections 2291(16), 4421 and 1971, the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Guilford hereby establish the following ordinance regarding: Road Naming and Road Addressing. The purpose for this ordinance is to help establish a more uniform road naming and road addressing system throughout the Town of Guilford, in order to facilitate the delivery of emergency services and to protect public welfare and safety.
SECTION II - Road Naming
Every street and road, both public and private, shall be assigned a name, and after public input shall receive final approval by the Guilford Board of Selectmen.
New development shall meet the guidelines of this ordinance.
Each road shall have a separate and distinct name. No two roads can have the same or similar sounding names. The Guilford Board of Selectmen may change the names of the streets, both public and private, after duly warned public hearings within the Town of Guilford when necessary to promote public welfare and safety.
SECTION III - Administration
A uniform system of numbering properties and principal buildings as shown on the locatable addressing maps which are maintained by the Board of Listers is hereby adopted for use in the Town of Guilford.
The Board of Listers shall number parcels as necessary and update the locatable addressing maps annually according to the method of numbering set forth in Section IV. Existing numbering of parcels not in conformity with this chapter shall be changed to conform to the system herein adopted to maintain the integrity of the overall system and to protect public safety.
SECTION IV - General Numbering System Guideline
All roads are to be given an official name by the Board of Selectmen and shall be measured in segments of 5.8 feet from a designated starting point, usually the end of the road nearest the intersection of a larger road. Odd numbers shall be assigned to the LEFT side of the road and even numbers to the RIGHT side of the road.
All numbers shall be established based on front entrance from the road, from the center of the driveway, or in some cases the center of the structure.
All numbers should be properly affixed on or near the front entrance or in some other manner visible from the street. The numbers must be easily legible figures not less than two inches (2") high and in a color contrasting to the building or sign background, and preferably reflective numbers. The property owner is responsible for the numbers on the house or unit.
SECTION V - Definitions
APARTMENT HOUSE - A building under one ownership in which the rooms are arranged and rented as apartments. Apartment houses shall be numbered as follows: The apartment house shall be given one road number and each individual apartment shall be given an apartment number. For example, 12 Calvin Coolidge Highway, Apt. 1; 12 Calvin Coolidge Highway, Apt. 2.
RESIDENTIAL CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX - A building with individual separately owned units in a multi-unit structure usually with land owned in common. These shall be numbered as follows: each condominium road shall be given a road name and each condominium unit within the complex shall be given its own road number.
COMMERCIAL COMPLEX - A building or buildings under one ownership used for commerce or industrial use, shall be numbered as follows: each building shall be given its own street number, and each unit shall be given its own unit or suite number. Where there are multiple roads in a complex, each road shall be named and each building given its own number. In the case of commercial condominiums each separately owned unit in the building should have a unit number and further leased/division should be given a letter.
COMBINED COMMERCIAL AND APARTMENT COMPLEX - A building or buildings used for commercial use in which there is also apartments, shall be numbered as follows: each building shall be given its own road number; each commercial unit shall be given a respective unit or suite number and each apartment number a respective apartment number. At no time shall a unit or apartment be given the same numbers. For example: 10 Calvin Coolidge Highway, Unit 1 (first floor business) 10 Calvin Coolidge Highway, Apt. 2 (second floor apartment)
DUPLEX APARTMENT - An apartment with rooms on two floors and a private inner stairway, shall be numbered as follows: each building shall be given its own road number and each apartment within that building shall be given its own apartment number. For example: 11 Calvin Coolidge Highway, Apt. 1; 11 Calvin Coolidge Highway, Apt. 2.
DUPLEX HOUSE - A dwelling consisting of two separate family units that is separated from the adjoining units by a wall that extends from ground to roof shall be numbered as follows: each family unit shall be given its own road number. For example: 2 Lee Road, 4 Lee Road.
SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING - A detached one family house, shall be given its own road number. For example: 14 Guilford Center Road
SINGLE FAMILY UNIT WITH AN APARTMENT - A detached one family house with an apartment, shall be numbered as follows; each single family dwelling unit shall be given a road number and each apartment shall use that road number along with a respective apartment number. For example: 1 Weatherhead Hollow Road; 1 Weatherhead Hollow Road, Apt. 1.
SECTION VI - Road Signs
The Board of Selectmen, upon adoption of this ordinance, shall institute a program for the installation and maintenance of Road Name Signs in accordance with the names established by this ordinance.
There will be a $500.00 fine for any vandalism (stealing, defacing, or destroying) of public signs within the Town of Guilford.
All signs shall conform to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways.
SECTION VII - Public Notice and Implementation
Public Notice: The Town of Guilford, Board of Selectmen shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that the public is notified of the existence of this Ordinance: Road Naming & Road Addressing.
The Town of Guilford shall ensure, through cooperative efforts with the United States Post Office, that each property owner is notified of the ordinance.
This Ordinance: Road Naming & Road Addressing, shall be: 1) entered into the Selectmen's minutes, and 2) shall be posted in a least five (5) conspicuous places within the Town of Guilford, and 3) the full text of the Ordinance or a concise summary of it published in the Brattleboro Reformer not more than fourteen (14) days following the date specified below when this ordinance is adopted.
This Ordinance is hereby adopted by the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Guilford on this _____ day of _______________, 1996 and shall, unless a petition is filed as provided by law, become effective upon the expiration of sixty (60) days after said date.
Citizens have a right to petition for a vote on this ordinance at an annual or special town meeting as provided in 24 V.S.A. Section 1973.
SECTION VII - Severability
If any portion of this Ordinance and Amendments is held unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Ordinance and Amendments shall not be affected.
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
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MERTON L. GARLAND, CHAIRMAN
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FREDERICK G. HUMPHREY
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KATHLEEN E. SNOW, CLERK
