Ione Municipal Code Ch. 12.18 Naming and Designation of Streets

The purpose of this chapter is to establish standards and policies for the naming of streets within the city. The purpose is to also identify the process for approving the names of streets or changes to the names of streets. By adopting these standards and policies, the city wishes to establish uniform practices for the naming of streets and changing the names of streets in order to avoid potential conflicting names or misunderstandings and to promote the public welfare and general convenience of the community.

(Ord. No. 420, § 1, 2-17-2009)

A. Naming of Streets.

1. All roads and streets within a development shall be named by the developer subject to the approval of city as specified in Section 12.18.030.

2. No duplication of names already in use in the city or previously proposed in the city will be permitted except that street names at intersections shall be continued on both sides of the intersecting streets.

3. Names that sound like a name already in use shall not be permitted.

4. Names with more than 15 characters, inclusive of spaces and exclusive of street designation, are not acceptable.

5. A cul-de-sac may carry the same name as the street at its open-end, provided its designation is "court" as provided in Subsection B.

B. Designation of Streets. Designations of streets within the city shall be according to the following rules and regulations:

1. Major streets shall be designated as "highway," "avenue," "boulevard," "parkway," or "road."

2. Major streets in large development areas that serve as a major or collector street and meander shall be designated as "drive."

3. Streets within the existing grid of the old city (as bounded by Sutter Creek on the north, Summit Street on the east, Marlette Street on the south, and Mill Street on the west) shall be designated by "street."

4. Minor streets shall be designated as "drive," "way," or "lane."

5. Cul-de-sac or dead-end streets shall be designated as "court" when they are not the extension of an existing street, avenue, drive, lane, or way.

6. A so-called circle street or one which returns to the street at each end shall be designated as "circle."

7. The city recognizes that not all streets within the city conform to these rules and as such deems those streets that do not conform grandfathered.

(Ord. No. 420, § 1, 2-17-2009)

All street names shall be approved by the city council as part of the recordation of the final map or parcel map for the subdivision. As part of the approval, the city council shall make a finding of consistency with the standards of this chapter for the naming and designating of streets as follows:

The proposed names and designations of streets contained on the final map or parcel map are consistent with the standards contained in Chapter 12.18.

(Ord. No. 420, § 1, 2-17-2009)

A. Application Required.

1. Persons requesting to change the name of an existing, developed, and operational street shall submit an application, with a cost deposit of $500.00 and on a form prescribed by the city, to the planning department. The application shall include, at a minimum, (1) a map showing the location of the street and the segment requested to be renamed, and (2) a justification statement as to why the renaming is being requested. The applicant shall also circulate a petition and provide it to the city as required under Subsection D.

2. The costs for all staff time, as established by city council resolution, and the costs of preparing and distributing necessary hearing notices, reports, and other project routing materials, shall be billed against the application cost deposit. When the deposit funds are depleted, the applicant shall be invoiced for additional costs on a monthly basis. The applicant shall also be invoiced for all post approval costs as specified in Subsection H. In lieu of monthly invoices, the applicant may submit a larger deposit or provide additional deposit(s) when the initial (or subsequent) deposit is depleted. If the application is withdrawn or if there are additional funds remaining after the project has been completed, the remaining funds shall be returned to the applicant within 90 days of the date of withdrawal or project completion.

B. Application Completeness. Within 30 days of application submittal, the city planner shall determine whether or not the application is complete. The applicant shall be notified in writing of the determination either that:

1. All the submittal requirements have been satisfied and that the application has been accepted as complete, or

2. Specific information is still necessary to complete the application. The written notification may also identify preliminary information regarding the areas in which the submitted application documents are not in compliance with city standards and requirements. The applicant may appeal the determination to the city council. The appeal shall be submitted in writing identifying the action being appealed and the basis or ground for the appeal within ten days following the date of the notice of incomplete application. Appeal applications shall be accompanied by a filing fee established by city council resolution and shall be submitted to the city clerk.

C. Application Review. After acceptance of a complete application, the city planner will consult with other departments and agencies as appropriate to ensure compliance with all provisions of this Code and other adopted policies and plans. This shall include, at a minimum, city fire, police, sewer, engineering, building, and finance departments, the United States Postal Service, utility service providers (e.g., PG&E, AT&T, Volcano Cable), and necessary county agencies (e.g., planning, public works, assessor's office, survey).

D. Petition Required. As part of the application, the applicant shall submit a petition of agreement for the street name change. The petition shall be on a form approved by the city and shall be signed by a minimum of 50 percent of the affected property owners. For purposes of this chapter, "affected property owners" shall mean owners and tenants of property with an address on the street segment requested to be renamed, and owners and tenants of property within 300 feet of the street segment requested to be renamed.

E. Approval Authority. The designated approval authority for street name changes shall be the city council. The council may approve, deny, or approve with modifications an application for street name change.

F. Public Hearing and Notice. The city council shall hear and decide the application during a public hearing. Notices of the hearing shall be mailed to all affected property owners a minimum of ten days before the hearing. The notice shall also be published in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the city. Failure of any person or entity to receive notice required shall not constitute grounds for any court to invalidate the actions of the approving authority for which the notice was given.

G. Findings. In approving the application for street name change, the approval authority shall make a finding that the name change:

1. Is consistent with the goals and policies of the general plan, specifically the circulation element;

2. Is consistent with the rules, regulations, and standards of this chapter;

3. Is consistent with the outcome of the petition of affected property owners in that a minimum of 50 percent of the affected property owners approve of the street name change; and

4. Will not infringe upon the public health, safety, and welfare by inhibiting the provision of public safety services such as police and fire.

H. Post Approval Action.

1. If the request for street name change is approved by the approval authority, the applicant shall be responsible for all post approval costs including but not limited to cost for producing and installing new street name signs and recording the new street name on official city maps and with the county, including assessor's office, surveyor's office, and other agencies.

2. Pursuant to California Streets and Highway Code Section 5026, the city clerk shall forward the resolution to the clerk of the board of supervisors and the county surveyor within ten business days from the date of the approval.

(Ord. No. 420, § 1, 2-17-2009)