[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Cumberland 11-9-1998; amended 12-22-2003. Subsequent
amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to enhance the easy and rapid
location of properties by public safety and emergency medical services
personnel and postal delivery in the Town of Cumberland.
This chapter 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.
This chapter shall be adopted by the Town Council and administered by the Assessor. The Assessor is authorized to assign street names and numbers to all properties, both on existing and proposed streets, in accordance with the criteria in §§ 246-4 and 246-5. The Assessor shall also be responsible for maintaining the following official records of this chapter:
A.
A Cumberland map for official use showing street names and numbers.
B.
An alphabetical list of all property owners as identified by current
assessment records, by last name, showing the assigned numbers.
C.
An alphabetical list of all streets with property owners listed in
order of their assigned numbers.
A.
All new and existing streets that serve two or more properties shall
be named regardless of whether the ownership is public or private.
All private streets that serve one or two properties shall be named
upon request of a street owner and approval of the Assessor. "Street"
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. All proposed names for streets shall be reviewed
by the Planning Department and Police Chief prior to approval. A street
name assigned by the Town of Cumberland shall not constitute or imply
acceptance of the street as a public way.
B.
The following criteria shall govern the naming system of new streets:
A.
Numbers shall be assigned every 50 feet along both sides of the street,
with even numbers appearing on the left side of the street and odd
numbers appearing on the right side of the street, determined by the
number origin.
B.
The following criteria shall govern the numbering system:
(1)
Number origins shall begin from the east and continue west and from
the south and continue north. For dead-end streets, numbering shall
originate at the intersection of the adjacent street and terminate
at the dead end.
(2)
The number assigned to each structure shall be that of the numbered
interval falling closest to the front door. If the front door cannot
be seen from the main street, the number shall be that of the interval
falling closest to the driveway of said structure.
(3)
Every structure with more than one principal use or occupancy shall
have a separate number for each use or occupancy. Duplexes will have
two separate numbers. Apartments will have one street number with
an apartment number, such as 235 Maple Street, Apartment 2.
(4)
At major intersections, the numbering system shall be interrupted
so that the first address after the intersection starts with the number
rounded to the next highest hundredth. For example, if the last number
before the intersection is 82, the first number after the intersection
would be 100.
(5)
Corner lots should be assigned a number according to where the front
door faces the street. There may be instances, however, when a corner
lot might be numbered based on its driveway, if it makes sense from
an emergency responder perspective.
All owners of structures shall, by the date stipulated in § 246-8, 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 50 feet of the edge of the street, 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
50 feet from the edge of the street, 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
or structure as approved by the Code Enforcement Officer with consultation
of the public safety departments.
C.
Characteristics of number. The size of the numbers shall be no less
than four inches in height, and the numbers shall be located to be
visible from the street. They shall be of a contrasting color to any
background.
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 chapter.
E.
It shall be the responsibility of the apartment owner to number and
display the individual apartment numbers on apartment buildings.
All new construction and subdivisions shall be named and numbered
in accordance with the provisions of this chapter 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 Assessor. This shall be done at the time of the issuance
of the building permit.
B.
New subdivisions. Any prospective subdivider shall show a proposed
street name and lot numbering system in the preapplication submission
to the Planning Board. Approval by the Planning Board, after consultation
with the Assessor, shall constitute the assignment of street names
and numbers to the lots in the subdivision.
This chapter shall become effective immediately. The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced by the Code Enforcement Officer. Appeals of decisions by the Assessor and/or Code Enforcement Officer shall be made to the Board of Adjustment and Appeals as permitted in Chapter 315, Zoning. It shall be the duty of the Town Council or its designee to notify by mail each property owner and the post office of a new address at least 30 days before the effective date of its use. It shall be the duty of each property owner to comply with this chapter, including the posting of new property numbers, within 30 days following notification. On new structures, numbering will be installed before final inspection or issuance of certificate of occupancy, whichever comes first.
