(A) Authority. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall, by proper resolution, approve and authorize the renaming or changing of the name of any existing street or road located within the city limits except as provided under subsection (D) below.
(B) Application. A petition for a street name change may be initiated by:
(1) The Planning and Zoning Commission;
(2) Any department of the city;
(3) The City Council; or
(4) The owner(s) of 60% or more of the lots which directly abut the subject street or portion thereof proposed for change. The term “owner(s)” shall constitute the person(s), firm or corporation as listed in the Pitt County tax records and referenced by deed description on the applicable parcel card. Where doubt exists as to the ownership of individual lots, the owner(s) of such lands shall provide evidence of ownership to the Director of Planning and Development Services. Where a lot is held in joint, common or other form of multiple ownership, all the owners having title or interest in the lot must sign the petition.
(C) Planning and Zoning Commission approval. A change in name of any street or road within the city limits may be approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission after reasonable notice and opportunity for public hearing as provided herein:
(1) When there is duplication of names or other conditions which tend to confuse the traveling public or delivery of mail, orders, messages or emergency services;
(2) When it is found that a change may simplify making or giving directions to persons seeking to locate addresses; or
(3) Upon other good and just reason.
(D) City Council approval. A change in name of any street or road within the city limits for the expressed or implied purpose of honoring individuals, events or locations of local, state, national or international importance may be approved only by resolution of City Council. When the Planning and Zoning Commission finds that an application qualifies under this subsection (D) the application shall be forwarded to City Council for public hearing. The Planning and Zoning Commission shall make a recommendation on the street name change concerning compliance or conflict with the criteria listed above under subsections (C)(1) and (2). The City Council shall utilize such recommendation and other information in their evaluation of the request.
(E) Evaluation criteria. In accordance with subsection (A) above, the Planning and Zoning Commission or City Council shall consider the following criteria when evaluating any resolution for a street name change under their respective authority:
(1) The delivery of personal, public and emergency services;
(2) The similarity to existing street names;
(3) Any condition which may confuse the traveling public;
(4) Ease of giving directions;
(5) Place, name association or history;
(6) Pronunciation and spelling;
(7) The expense to abutting property owners; and
(8) The expense to effected governmental agencies, including but not limited to the City of Greenville, County of Pitt, N.C. Department of Transportation, Greenville Utilities Commission and U.S. Postal Service.
(F) Procedure.
(1) A petition initiated under subsection (B)(1), (2) or (3) above shall be scheduled for public hearing at the next available regular Planning and Zoning Commission or City Council meeting following proper notice as required by local procedure and applicable law.
(2) A petition initiated under subsection (B)(4) shall be submitted on forms provided by the city to the Director of Planning and Development Services not less than 40 working days, excluding Saturday and Sunday, prior to the regular Planning and Zoning Commission meeting date.
(3) The petition shall be investigated by the Director of Planning and Development Services for compliance with the minimum submission standards. Where the petition is found not to meet the minimum submission standards, the petition shall be returned by certified mail to the person indicated thereon as submission agent. Resubmission shall be made in the nature of an original petition. If the petition is found to meet the minimum submission requirements, the Director of Planning and Development Services shall notify the submission agent of petition compliance by certified mail not less than 15 working days prior to the scheduled public hearing.
(G) Notice.
(1) Prior to the Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing, the city shall publish notice of the proposed street name change in a newspaper having general circulation in the city. The notice shall be published twice, the first time not less than ten days prior to the public hearing date.
(2) Prior to the City Council public hearing, the city shall publish notice of the proposed street name change in a newspaper having general circulation in the city. The notice shall be published twice, the first time not less than ten days prior to the public hearing date.
(3) The city shall notify by certified mail all the owner(s) of lands which abut the subject street or portion thereof proposed for change. Such notice shall be sent not less than 15 days prior to the scheduled public hearing date. Failure to notify all owners shall not affect the validity of the action provided due diligence has been exercised in the attempts to provide notice.
(a) For purposes of this subsection, the term “owners” shall constitute the person(s), firm or corporation listed in the Pitt County tax record for tax mailing purposes.
(b) For purposes of this subsection, only those abutting owners not party to the petition shall be so notified. The petition submission agent shall be notified in accordance with subsection (F)(2) above as representative of the petitioners.
(4) The city shall post notice of the proposed street name change at two locations within the right-of-way of the subject street. Such notice shall be posted not less than ten days prior to the public hearing date.
(H) Public hearing.
(1) The Planning and Zoning Commission shall conduct a public hearing prior to the adoption of any resolution for a street name change.
(2) Where the Planning and Zoning Commission finds that a petition for street name change shall require approval of City Council in accordance with subsection (D) or (K), the City Council shall conduct a public hearing prior to the adoption of any resolution for street name change.
(I) Recordation. Upon adoption of any resolution of street name change, the City Clerk shall record the resolution in the Pitt County Register of Deeds. The name so changed shall thereafter be the legal name of the street or road.
(J) Extension. Upon annexation by the city, city street names shall be extended to the new city limit. Block numbering and address assignments shall be made in accordance with Title 6, Chapter 2, Article D of the Greenville City Code.
(K) Length of name. Street names shall be no longer than 14 characters, including letters and spaces, and not including the suffix (i.e., road, street, avenue) and block number. Street names longer than 14 characters may be approved by resolution of the City Council. Street names longer than 14 characters should generally be used only to honor individuals, events or locations and the name necessary for that purpose is longer than 14 characters.
(Ord. No. 1194, § 2, passed 6-10-1982; Ord. No. 2290, § 1, passed 1-10-1991; Ord. No. 06-75, § 1, passed 8-10-2006; Ord. 19-045, § 1, passed 9-12-2019)