Town of Kittery, ME Chapter 8.5 Street Addressing

[HISTORY: Adopted 5-29-2019 by Ord. No. 19-06. Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 8.5-1 Purpose.

The purpose of this chapter to conform to enhanced 9-1-1 standards, as established by the Maine Public Utilities Commission, and enhance the rapid location of properties in an emergency or call for law enforcement, fire, rescue, and emergency medical services in Kittery.

§ 8.5-2 Authority.

A. The addressing officer, as designated by the Town Manager, is authorized to assign road names and street numbers to all properties, both on existing and proposed roads in accordance with this chapter. The Town Manager may designate more than one addressing officer as needed.

B. The addressing officer is responsible for and authorized to provide all required addressing information to the state agency responsible for the implementation of enhanced 9-1-1 service.

§ 8.5-3 Definitions.

For the purpose of this chapter only, the following definitions apply:

BUILDING

A residential, commercial or industrial building that will be occupied by one or more persons. This excludes sheds and accessory structures that do not contain dwellings or businesses and are not places where the general public gather.

ROAD

Any highway, road, street, avenue, lane, fire lane, private way, a Planning Board-approved right-of-way or similar paved, gravel, or dirt ways.

STREET NUMBERS

Addresses assigned for the purpose of physical location and enhanced 9-1-1.

§ 8.5-4 Naming system.

All roads that serve two or more principal buildings will be named regardless of whether the ownership of the road is public or private. Assignment of a road name does not constitute or imply acceptance of the road as a public way. The following criteria will govern the naming system:

A. No two roads will be given the same or similar name (ex. Pine Road and Pine Lane).

B. No two roads will have similar sounding names (ex. Beech Lane and Peach Lane, Beech Lane and Beach Lane).

C. Each road will have the same name throughout its entire length.

D. Special characters such as hyphens, apostrophes, periods or decimals will not be allowed.

E. Single-family dwellings and single-lot access driveways will not be named unless road naming is required as part of a Planning Board condition of approval (if required), or if the addressing officer deems it necessary for emergency response purposes.

F. No road name may duplicate or be similar sounding to road names in the Town of Eliot.

§ 8.5-5 Road name signs.

Road name signs must be in compliance with the following:

A. Road name signs are to be furnished and installed by the developer of a new public or private road, and by the private road owner(s) for existing private roads.

B. The material, size, and location of road name signs are to be approved by the Commissioner of Public Works.

C. Road name signs for private roads will include "private" or an abbreviation thereof on the sign.

D. Road name signs must be posted at intersections.

E. Private road owners must maintain the surrounding vegetation to allow for proper visibility of the signs from all directions.

F. Road name signs must have a name that is approved by the addressing officer.

§ 8.5-6 Numbering system.

A. Street number system. The following criteria will govern the street numbering system:

(1) Odd numbers will appear on the left side of the road, in ascending order. Even numbers will appear on the right side of the road, in ascending order.

(2) All numbers will radiate from the center of town, beginning from the intersection of Walker Street, Wentworth Street, and Wallingford Square. Numbering will begin at the intersection nearest to the point of origin.

(3) For dead-end roads, numbering will originate at the intersection of the adjacent road and terminate at the dead end.

(4) For all new subdivisions and developments, where possible, street numbers will be assigned every 50 feet along, both sides of the road. In more densely developed areas a twenty-five-foot, or smaller, numbering interval may be used as appropriate.

(5) Street numbers may not be based on zoning or lot road frontage.

(6) In cases where using a numbering interval is not possible, the addressing officer will assign the building the most appropriate street number relative to its location and the street numbers of neighboring buildings.

(7) The number assigned to each building will be that of the numbering interval falling closest to the center of the driveway or to the location of the front door.

(8) Street numbers for buildings that have a front door facing one road and the driveway accessing another will be determined based on the ease of location for emergency responders.

(9) Every building with more than one principal use or occupancy, except an accessory dwelling unit, will have a separate number for each use or occupancy. Duplexes will have two separate numbers. Apartment buildings will have one street number with apartment numbers (ex. 235 Maple Road, Apartment 2).

(10) Fractional numbers (ex. 37 1/2) are prohibited.

(11) Alpha-numeric (ex. 4A) is not allowed. If new numbers are required on a road that does not conform to 9-1-1 standards, the road will be renumbered subject to approval of the Police Chief.

B. Numbering in special developments.

(1) Culs-de-sac will be dissected from the middle of the road. Buildings on the left of the cul-de-sac will be numbered with odd numbers. Buildings on the right will be numbered with even numbers. Numbers must not wrap around the cul-de-sac in case of future road extension (ex. all even numbers around the cul-de-sac are prohibited).

(2) Single-family homes with an approved attached or detached accessory dwelling unit will be required to use the primary residence address and a "Unit A" designation following (ex. 76 Somewhere Road, Unit A).

(3) A detached secondary dwelling that is not an accessory dwelling unit but located on a shared lot of record must be issued a separate street number. If there are no available numbers on the road, the dwelling will be numbered with a unit number secondary to the primary residence. In such cases an approved sign or post bearing both numbers will be installed and maintained out of the right-of-way, at the intersection of the driveway entrance and at the road servicing the property.

(4) Apartment buildings will be numbered with one street number followed by apartment numbers. The apartment building number must be clearly displayed on the building exterior. For multiunit buildings with more than one entrance and/or common area, a sign must be provided at each entrance and must indicate what units are served by the entrance.

(5) Commercial buildings or offices located in one primary building will be numbered with one number followed by suite or unit numbers.

C. Street number display. All owners of buildings will display and maintain in a conspicuous place on said building, or near the paved road, the assigned street numbers in the following manner:

(1) All buildings must bear a distinctive street number in accordance with and as designated upon the street-numbering map on file with the Town's assessing department.

(2) No person may affix, or allow to be affixed, a different street number from the one designated on the street-numbering map.

(3) The number must be plainly visible from the road.

(4) The number must be displayed on the front of the residence or building in the vicinity of the front door or entry and/or the side facing the road.

(5) Numbers must be of a color that contrasts with the background color and must be a minimum of four inches in height. Numbers must be visible at all times of the year, night or day, and in all weather conditions.

(6) Where the building is over 100 feet from the edge of the road, the assigned number must be displayed:

(a) On a post, fence, wall, mailbox, or on some structure at the property line adjacent to the walk or access drive to the building. The post/sign is not considered a structure which must conform to zoning ordinance setbacks.

(b) In a visible location outside of the Town's right-of-way unless for unique visibility reasons the sign may be located within the outer right-of-way limits with the written permission of the Commissioner of Public Works prior to installation.

(c) Such that vegetation surrounding the sign is maintained to allow for visibility of the sign from all directions.

(7) Street number and unit number must be displayed on detached secondary dwelling units that are not an accessory dwelling unit and are located on the same lot as the primary dwelling unit.

(8) For multiunit buildings the building number must be displayed on the exterior of the building. If more than one entrance and/or common area exists, a sign must be provided at each entrance and must indicate what units are served by each entrance.

§ 8.5-7 New construction and subdivisions.

A. A road naming application must be submitted to the addressing officer with the proposed road name prior to a subdivision approval being granted. The applicant will show the approved road name on the subdivision final plan. The applicant will mark on the plan every 50 feet, using lines or dots, in the center of the roadway to aid the assignment of street numbers to buildings subsequently constructed.

B. Whenever any building is constructed or developed it will be the duty of the property owner to obtain a street number from the addressing officer as soon as the driveway is constructed and construction of the building starts.

C. A number will be displayed on a temporary post outside of the right-of-way but visible from the road within 30 days of receiving the street number.

D. Final numbers must be installed prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

E. If new construction on an unnamed road creates two or more principle buildings on the road, the roadway must be named in accordance with § 8.5.4, and a road naming application must be filed to the addressing officer.

§ 8.5-8 Unnamed existing private roads.

A. The addressing officer may require private unnamed roads to be named for emergency response purposes. The addressing officer will notify road owner(s). Upon notification the road owner(s) will have 30 days to apply for a road name. If the owner(s) fail to file a road naming application the addressing officer will assign a name to the road in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

B. The owner(s) of a private, unnamed road may voluntarily apply to the addressing officer to name the road.

§ 8.5-9 Road name change.

The owner(s) of a private road may apply to change a road name. The property owner(s) must notify all property owners with frontage on the private road of the application.

§ 8.5-10 Effective date of street address.

A. The addressing officer will notify in writing each affected property owner and the United States Postal Service, emergency services, and Town departments of a new or changed road name or street number.

B. The road owner(s) and/or property owner(s) assigned a new road name or street number address must post or display the new road name and/or street numbers, within 60 days of issuance of the notification.

§ 8.5-11 Enforcement.

Any person who, after being notified by the addressing officer, any law enforcement officer of the Town, or the Code Enforcement Officer fails to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter will be subject to a fine of $150 per violation, per day.