Modoc County Municipal Code Ch. 8.50 Property Addressing and Road Naming System

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 323-A, adopted Feb. 19, 2008, amended Ch. 8.50 in its entirety to read as herein set out. Former Ch. 8.50, §§ 8.50.010—8.50.100, pertained to similar subject matter, and derived from Ord. No. 323 (part), adopted in 2000.

It is the intent of this chapter to establish and maintain a uniform numbering, road naming, and road and structure identification system. The purpose is to provide for public convenience, health, safety, and welfare of county residents. The identification of roads and structures allows implementation of Enhanced 9-1-1 and assists response by fire, emergency medical, law enforcement, and other public safety agencies. It further aids with services such as utility hookups, deliveries, and real estate transactions.

(Ord. No. 323-A, 2-19-08)

The Modoc County Planning Director or his/her designee shall serve as the administrator for this chapter. In performance of this responsibility, the administrator shall be guided by the regulations contained herein.

(Ord. No. 323-A, 2-19-08)

A. The administrator shall provide and maintain necessary standards to implement this chapter and ensure the orderly and efficient management of the county address program.

B. The administrator shall maintain guidelines for numbering of properties and principal dwellings.

C. The administrator shall maintain guidelines for private road naming.

D. The administrator shall keep a record of all numbers assigned under this chapter. These records shall be open for inspection by the public during regular business hours.

E. The administrator shall keep a record of all private road names assigned under this chapter. These records shall be open for inspection by the public during regular business hours.

(Ord. No. 323-A, 2-19-2008)

"Building" means any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy that is defined in the California Building Code, 1989 Amendments, chapter 11, except Group M, Division 1, Occupancy. For the purposes of this article, "building" includes mobile homes and manufactured homes, churches, and day care facilities.

"Driveway" means a vehicular access that serves no more than two buildings, with no more than three dwelling units on a single parcel, and any number of accessory buildings.

"Dwelling unit" means any building or portion thereof that contains living facilities, including provisions for sleeping, eating, cooking and/or sanitation for not more than one family.

"Highway" means any road in the official State or U.S. Highway system, excluding roads under jurisdiction of the United States Government Agencies. The road naming standards in the chapter shall not apply to state and federal roads or highways.

"Road" means vehicular access to more than one parcel; access to any industrial or commercial occupancy; vehicular access to a single parcel with more than two buildings or four or more dwellings.

(Ord. No. 323-A, 2-19-2008)

A uniform system of numbering properties and structures is adopted for use in the county. The administrator will assign an address to existing and to new properties and telephone service connections. Assigned addresses will be recorded in a computerized map system maintained in the office of the address administrator. Addresses will be provided to county departments, including the assessor, building inspector, and 9-1-1 coordinator and will be updated regularly.

An address will be assigned to any property that contains a principal structure or for which a permit application has been submitted to build a structure for human occupancy. Addresses will also be assigned to any location where telephone service exists or is about to be installed for any reason including, but not limited to, normal telephone service, FAX machine, modem, or alarm system. Addresses may also be assigned for other needs at the discretion of the address administrator.

The individual requesting the address will provide information necessary to allow a determination of property location, including building and telephone locations, and location of driveway encroachment on the principal access road and will provide a copy of the encroachment permit where required by the state or county. The administrator will determine whether an address exists for that location. If so, it is provided. If not, a new address is assigned in conformance with established rules. When necessary, a field check will be made to verify and determine location.

Prior to the issuance of any address number, the Administrator shall assure that the principal access road to the property has been named. In the case of an unnamed private road, owners of parcels adjacent to and accessed by the road or, where such exists, the property owners' association will be consulted before assigning a name. Name assignment may be appealed to the board of supervisors.

Address numbering.

Along each road, available addresses begin with one and continue at the rate of 1,000 per mile as measured on the computerized map system. Addresses will be proportioned with 500 on each side, odd on the left and even on the right when coming from the beginning point of the road. The point where the driveway or easement encroaches on the primary access road determines the address for a particular location. When more than one building is accessed by the same driveway and telephones exist in separate buildings or separate addresses are requested for each, the same address number followed by a unit number (such as 340 # 1 or 340 # 2) may be assigned.

Addressing direction.

The beginning point for address assignment (the "0" point) of each road, highway, or county road shall be determined as follows:

• State or U.S. Highways (139, 299, 395) begin at the West or South point that the highway intersects the county line. Numbering continues to the point the highway leaves the county. Where a stretch of highway carries more than one route number, the dominant highway takes precedence for address assignment but numbering continues for all routes. For example, going North out of Alturas on 395/299, addresses are assigned based on Highway 395 but those miles are included in mileage and numbering of Highway 299.

• For roads where one end terminates at a State or U.S. Highway (139, 299, 395), begin numbering at the intersection with the highway.

• For roads where both ends terminate at a State or U.S. Highway, begin at the end nearest the South or West county line.

• For roads crossing a State or U.S. Highway, begin numbering in both directions from the highway and use a direction designator (North, South, East, or West).

• For roads where one end terminates at a county road, begin numbering at the intersection with the county road.

• For roads where both ends terminate at a county road, begin at the end nearest the south or west county line.

• For roads crossing a county road, begin numbering in both directions from the county road and use a direction designator (North, South, East, and West).

• For roads with one or both ends terminating at a private collector road that terminates at a county road or State or U.S. highway, begin numbering at the end nearest the public road.

• For roads that are continuations of streets, county address numbers will begin from the last street address and continue based on mileage.

• For roads that continue from one ownership into another, for example from county to private, numbering will begin as determined by this chapter and run continuously for the length of the road.

• When no other rule applies, number will begin at the end of the road nearest to the South or West county line.

• The administrator has the discretion to approve exceptions to the rules to clarify a location for emergency response.

In the established towns of Adin and Cedarville, existing addressing systems will continue to be used. The administrator may modify addressing in Adin and Cedarville if necessary for consistency with the existing system. The City of Alturas is responsible for addressing within its incorporated area.

In other locations with town grid system roads, including Newell and Flying Goose, the administrator may use a city block numbering system from a designated point based on the existing street grid in place of the uniform numbering system.

(Ord. No. 323-B, 2-13-2018; Ord. No. 323-A, 2-19-2008)

This section applies only in local responsibility areas. State responsibility areas are governed by 14 California Code of Regulations, section 1274.

1. All addressed structures are required to have a noncombustible address displayed prominently on the face of the structure or, if the structure is more than 150 feet from the main thoroughfare or is not visible from the main thoroughfare, posted at each driveway entrance.

2. Building permits will not be granted until the assigned address is properly posted.

3. The address shall be posted when assigned or when construction begins and shall be maintained thereafter. Address numbers shall be installed at the expense of the developer, property owner, or property owners' association. All signs required under this title shall be maintained in good repair at all times and the failure to do so shall be deemed to be a violation of this chapter.

4. Where multiple addresses are required at a single driveway, they shall be mounted on a single post. Each addressed building shall also clearly display its separate address.

5. Identification numbers shall be at least three inches in height with a minimum three-eighths-inch stroke on the figures. Signs shall be reflective. Figures shall be in contrasting colors to the background color. Numbers must be clearly visible at night.

6. Address signs shall be visible from 100 feet in both directions along a thoroughfare, including one-way thoroughfares.

7. Driveway signs shall be positioned with the bottom of the sign not less than three feet or more than six feet in height above the ground. Posts shall be at least 12 feet but not more than 30 feet from the edge of the travel way.

(Ord. No. 323-A, 2-19-2008)

Private roads are required to be named and signed. Road names shall be maintained in the County GIS, along with county road numbers and names. County road names shall be managed under the Streets and Highways Code, section 970.5, "Naming of Highways."

New names shall be chosen in a manner to avoid duplication, similar sounding, confusing, or inappropriate names. For example, Beach Street and Beech Street sound alike and will not be permitted. The only exceptions may be within communities with different postal codes. For example, Main Street, Adin and Main Street, Cedarville may be allowed.

Existing road names for private roads and for numbered county roads where a name exists shall be reviewed by the administrator for compliance with this chapter. Where conflicts exist, procedures for road name assignment by the administrator in this chapter shall be followed to resolve the conflict. Priority for retaining a name shall be given first to county roads and next to the road in the earliest established subdivision.

Roads that are not through-roads and are not planned to become through-roads should be designated with the suffix "court" or similar indication or an identifying sign indicating a dead-end, not-a-through-street, or cul-de-sac should be attached to the road sign at the road entrance and intersections with other roads.

County roads continuing from city streets will use the same name as the street plus the county road number. The designator "extension," for example, C/R 138 W. 4th Ext., may distinguish these roads. Other roads continuing from one ownership into another, for example from county to private, will use the same name as the beginning portion and the county road number, where assigned. The designator "extension" may distinguish the latter portion of these roads.

The administrator has the discretion to approve exceptions to the rules to clarify a location for emergency response.

(Ord. No. 323-A, 2-19-2008)

All private roads will be officially named according to the following procedures. Approval or assignment of private road names may be appealed under procedures of this chapter.

Assignment by the administrator.

The administrator will name private roads in the unincorporated county not otherwise named. In doing so, the administrator shall consult with owners of parcels adjacent to and served by the road or, where such exists, the property owners' association. Upon agreement of at least two-thirds of the owners of parcels adjacent to and served by the road or, where such exists, the property owners' association, the road shall be known by the name thus selected. In absence of agreement, the administrator shall assign a name. The name shall be entered in the county GIS and provided to the 9-1-1 coordinator for inclusion on the 9-1-1 system Master Street Address Guide.

Roads created as a result of a land division or certificate of compliance.

The proponent of a land division project having unnamed roads must submit a preferred and alternate list of road names to the planning department. The address administrator shall review the request for naming for compliance with this chapter. Within 30 days after receipt of a request, the administrator shall make a decision to approve the submitted names or to request additional alternative names if a proposed name is not in compliance with this chapter.

Approved road names will be prominently displayed on the record map and assessor parcel map. The name shall be entered in the county GIS and provided to the 9-1-1 coordinator for inclusion on the 9-1-1 system Master Street Address Guide.

Naming by citizen request.

Any private road may be officially named or renamed upon submittal of a request from the property owners' association, where such exists, or having the signatures of at least two-thirds of the owners of parcels adjacent to and served by the road. The request shall be submitted to the Administrator. The Administrator shall review the request for naming or renaming a private road for its compliance with this Chapter. Within thirty (30) days after receipt of a request, the Administrator shall make a decision to approve the request or to request alternative names if the proposed name is not in compliance with this Chapter.

Upon approval, the road shall be known by the name on the request. The name shall be entered in the county GIS and provided to the 9-1-1 coordinator for inclusion on the 9-1-1 system Master Street Address Guide.

(Ord. No. 323-A, 2-19-2008)

This section applies only in local responsibility areas. State responsibility areas are governed by 14 California Code of Regulations, section 1274.

Existing and newly constructed public and private roads must be identified by a name and/or number assigned or approved by the county. Roads must be clearly marked with signs displaying the assigned name and/or county road number at all intersections. Signs should be visible for 100 feet from both directions of travel on intersecting roads. Posting of signs for private roads is the responsibility of the property owners' association, where one exists, or the owners of parcels adjacent to and accessed by the road.

Road signs shall have reflectorized white lettering on a green background. Lettering will be in Helvetica. The size of letters, numbers and symbols for street and road signs shall be a minimum four-inch letter height with a one-half-inch stroke. Signs shall include the street suffix (for example, RD for road, LN for lane) after the name. Private roads shall include PVT in the lower right-hand corner in a minimum of two-inch letter height with a one-fourth-inch stroke. The sign shall be at least 0.125-thickness aluminum material with high-intensity grade sheeting for the reflective color.

Post shall be two-inch galvanized pipe set in a minimum of 18 inches of concrete below the ground surface or a pressure-treated four-by-four inch wood post.

Signs shall maintain a minimum height to the bottom of the sign of nine feet. Signs shall be located a minimum of 12 feet and maximum of 30 feet from the edge of the travel way. In urban areas where lateral clearance is limited, signs shall be a minimum of two feet off the edge of the shoulder. See Figure 1.

Figure 1. Height and lateral position of signs.

[Figure]

Signs identifying traffic access or flow limitations including, but not limited to, weight or vertical clearance limitations, dead-end, or one-way shall be placed at the intersection preceding the traffic access limitation and no more than 100 feet before such traffic access limitation.

Signs required by this section shall be installed promptly after final acceptance or assignment of road names by the county except that no road or street sign shall be installed on county or California Department of Transportation right-of-way until the appropriate encroachment permit has been obtained.

(Ord. No. 323-B, 2-13-2018; Ord. No. 323-A, 2-19-2008)

Unlawful acts.

No person shall mark or post any real property or any structure on a real property with any address number other than those numbers assigned under the provision of this chapter.

No person shall mark or post any road with any road name or number other than those assigned under the provision of this chapter.

No person shall remove, mark, deface or alter any address number or road name or number assigned and posted under the provision of this chapter.

Enforcement.

Any person violating or causing a violation of the provisions of this chapter or permitting such a violation is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months or by fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or by both. Each day the violation continues shall constitute a separate offense and is punishable as provided in this section.

Whenever a judicial action or proceeding is brought to enforce any violation of this provision, the county may seek to recover all costs and expenses incurred in detecting, investigating, abating, and prosecuting the violation.

Appeals.

The administrator is responsible for any interpretation of the provisions of this chapter. Address number assignments are not appealable. Road name decisions by the administrator may be appealed to the board of supervisors. Said appeal shall be filed with the clerk of the board within ten days of a written decision by the administrator. The appeal shall specifically set forth the grounds for the appeal. A public hearing is not required for any appeal under this section.

Fees. Appropriate fees will be charged for assignment of addresses or naming of private roads.

(Ord. No. 323-A, 2-19-2008)