Berkeley Municipal Code Ch. 16.28 Numbering Buildings

*The planning and development department assigns addresses in Berkeley.

For planning and development department generally, see Ch. 2.61 of this code.

For moving buildings, see Ch. 19.76 of this code.

The buildings and houses along the lines of the streets of the City shall be numbered after the following system.

A. The City shall be blocked off into numbering blocks by north, south, east and west lines as nearly parallel as practicable and all as shown on a map or diagram constructed for this purpose, which said map is now on file in the office of the City Clerk, and is entitled "Official Numbering Map of the City of Berkeley."

B. Each numbering block so determined shall be allowed one hundred numbers, fifty on each side of the street, and the numbers so allotted shall be assigned on a frontage basis proportionate to the length of the numbering block on said street; provided, however, that where the length of any numbering block is such that the frontage per number will be less than seven and one-half feet then and in that event only numbers on residential streets may be assigned in such manner that there shall be but one number available for each seven and one-half feet of such frontage.

C. All numbering shall be done from the north toward the south and from the west toward the east, and each such numbered block shall commence with the number so shown on the map or diagram.

D. All streets beginning at any range or row of blocks shall begin with the number of that range, and all streets beginning or ending within any range or row of blocks shall begin or end with the number for the proportionate distance from the range as determined from adjacent parallel streets.

E. All numbers on the north and east lines of all streets shall be the odd numbers, and all numbers on the south and west lines of all streets shall be the even numbers, and the odd numbers and the even numbers shall alternate from side to side, making the numbers on opposite sides of the street as nearly equal as practicable; provided, however, that irregular streets running in a general southerly or easterly direction shall be numbered continuously, the odd numbers being maintained on one side of the street throughout its entire length regardless of the points of the compass, and the even numbers being maintained on the other side of such street.

F. Certain streets which are noncontinuous or irregular and are particularly designated on the map or diagram as such shall be blocked and numbered on a unit system, i.e., commencing with number one and continuing into the hundreds as required. The assignment of numbers on these particular streets shall be on a frontage basis proportionate to length of the numbering block or blocks on such particular streets, as determined or shown on the said map or diagram; provided, however, that where the length of the frontage to be numbered is such that the frontage per number will be less than ten feet, then and in that event only, numbers may be assigned in such manner that there will be but one number available for each ten feet of such frontage.

G. Streets numbered on the unit system shall, insofar as practicable, have even numbers on the righthand side of the street and the odd numbers on the lefthand side of the street, starting with the number one where said street begins and continuing throughout the length of said street. A street shall be considered as beginning at the line where it branches off from a principal street; or, in cases where either end of such street might be construed as the point of beginning, the street shall be considered as beginning at the line where it branches from the most logical feeding street, the direction of the numbering thereof to be as indicated upon said official numbering map.

H. The distances per number on curved streets or portions thereof shall, wherever practicable, be determined from proportionate division along the centerline of said streets or portions thereof and the frontage per number on either side of such street or portions thereof shall be determined by normal projection from the centerline of the street to the property line. (Ord. 1103-NS § 1, 1925)

All buildings or houses must be numbered at the expense of the owner, occupant, person, firm or corporation in control thereof. (Ord. 1103-NS § 3, 1925)

It shall be the duty of every person, firm or corporation owning, occupying or controlling any building or house fronting on a public street within the limits of the City to obtain from the inspection services department the correct number or numbers of said building or house, and to number the same or cause the same to be numbered correctly and in accordance herewith, and it shall be the duty of any person, firm or corporation owning, occupying or controlling any buildings hereafter erected within the limits of the City to so obtain the correct number or numbers and to so number the same within fifteen days after its completion or occupancy. (Ord. 4087-NS § 1 (part), 1965; Ord. 1103-NS § 2, 1925)

All numbers shall be at least two inches in height and placed upon or immediately above the entrance or entrances to the building; provided, however, where such location is impractical numbers may be placed in other locations but must be visible. All numbers must be placed so as to be readily seen from the street by persons approximately in front of the building or house to which the numbers apply. (Ord. 1103-NS § 6, 1925)

In case any building or house within the limits of the City shall be incorrectly numbered or unnumbered, or the number thereof shall become defaced or illegible, it shall be the duty of the owner or occupant thereof to cause the same to be numbered correctly within ten days after notification so to do, given by or under the direction of the director of inspection services. Such notice may be served by leaving a copy thereof at the building or house in charge of any person, addressed "To the owner or occupant of building or house" or may be given by posting such notice on the door or at the entrance way of said building. (Ord. 4087-NS § 1 (part), 1965; Ord. 1103-NS § 4, 1925)

No person shall deface, remove or destroy any notice so posted until the building on which same is posted has been correctly and properly numbered. (Ord. 1103-NS § 5, 1925)

In cases where buildings or houses are incorrectly numbered and correct numbers have been assigned under the direction of the director of inspection services as provided in Section 16.28.050, the owner or occupant or person in control of said buildings may, in addition to placing the correct number or numbers, retain the incorrect number or numbers for a period of ninety days after said notice has been served, but such incorrect number or numbers so retained shall be dearly designated as "old" or "formerly." (Ord. 4087-NS § 1 (part), 1965; Ord. 1103-NS § 7, 1925)