(A) Naming of major facilities.
(1) The naming process for a major facility will automatically be initiated with the City Council’s approval for the design, construction, or acquisition of the facility.
(2) The city will utilize City Council to facilitate the naming of major facilities.
(3) (a) A permanent name for the major facility should occur no later than the 50% completion mark in the construction or acquisition process.
(b) Prior to the permanent naming of a major facility, the location will be referred to by its address or location designation until such a time as the major facility is given an official name.
(4) The City Council is to conduct the naming of a major facility according to the following process:
(a) The major facility naming process is initiated with the approval of the design, construction, or acquisition of the major facility.
(b) A person or group may submit a suggestion for naming by submitting a letter to the City Manager or the Mayor. The letter should include:
1. The proposed name;
2. A short explanation of why the facility should be named or renamed; and
3. A description of the proposed namesake’s contributions to the community or other justification for naming a street, facility, park or feature that name.
(c) The City Manager shall direct staff to review the naming request. Staff shall evaluate:
1. The requestor’s proposal in consideration of this policy;
2. The impact on existing facilities;
3. The financial impact for changing signs, plaques, and markers or initiation new signs, plaques, and markers; and
4. The appropriateness of the name based on this policy.
(d) Requests to name individual features with a value of less than $5,000 such as park benches, fountains, furniture, or other small items shall be referred to city staff and shall not require the approval of the Park Board or City Council.
(e) All names for major facilities will be approved by a majority City Council vote regardless of the source of the name's recommendation.
(B) Naming of sub-facilities.
(1) All requests for the naming or renaming of a sub-facility must be made in writing to the Director of the responsible department of the sub-facility, or to the City Manager. Written requests for the changing of a sub-facility's name should contain the following minimum information:
(a) The proposed name;
(b) Reasons for the proposed name;
(c) Written documentation indicating community support for the proposed name (if applicable);
(d) If proposing to name a sub-facility within a park, include a description/map showing the location of the sub-facility; and
(e) If proposing to name a sub-facility after an individual, group, donor, or benefactor, include documentation of that person or group's significance and good reputation in the city's, state's, or nation's history. Please refer to the commemorative naming conditions for an individual found in this policy.
(2) Upon receipt of a naming request, the Director of the responsible department or City Manager will:
(a) Review the proposed request for its adherence to the policies of the City of Sweeny;
(b) Ensure that supporting information has been authenticated, particularly when an individual's name is proposed;
(c) When deemed appropriate, the City Manager will recommend City Council review sub-facility renaming suggestions; and
(d) City Council will have the prerogative of accepting or rejecting the final proposal.
(Ord. 23-102, passed 3-21-23)