(A) The numbering for the county address system shall begin at State Street and Madison Street in the City of Chicago, extending outwardly. The number system shall increase southerly, westerly and easterly beginning with the present corporate limits of the county. Only the county 9-1-1 emergency telephone system shall assign or authorize the assignment of building numbers in the unincorporated areas and in municipalities within the county which have entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the county to use the county address system.
(B) In all cases, property owners shall receive official notification of the change in address in advance of the changes. These notices shall state the old and new address, effective date of the change, and penalty for not displaying the new numbers. Notifications of number change are usually sent 30 days before the effective date of the change.
(C) North and west sides of the street shall have even numbers. South and east sides of the street shall have odd numbers.
(D) The system defines eight blocks equal to one mile. Each block is approximately 660 feet long. In addressing, there are 66 possible numbers per mile. They consist of 33 odd numbers and 33 even numbers, being evenly spaced out every 20 feet. This is the method to be used to assign addresses for the county address system.
(E) Every section in each township has a north/south and east/west corresponding boundary. In each section, there are eight blocks. The numbers shall increase from north to south and east to west for a large portion of the county. However, to the east of State Street in Washington and Crete Townships of the county, the numbers shall increase from west to east (see Appendix A).
(F) Street directions shall be designated as either S. for south streets, W. for west streets and E. for the streets that run east of State Street in Washington and Crete Townships.
(G) Developers shall choose street layouts from the following designs.
(1) Crescent (loop) streets. A crescent is designed so that a street has an entrance and exit at two points on the same collector street. Crescents are numbered consecutively from their beginning intersection if they have one street name. Even though crescent street configurations are both north/south and east/west, the numbers are dependent on the direction of the collector street if one street name has been chosen. In addressing a crescent, addresses shall not be alternated so that odd and even numbers are not located on the same side of the street. Addresses shall be assigned along the crescent continuously in the same direction as the collector street. It shall depend on the length of the street if more than one street name will be required. This will be left up to the discretion of the county 9-1-1 emergency telephone system (see Appendix B).
(2) Cul-de-sac streets. A cul-de-sac is designed so that the street does not follow through. There is only one common entrance and exit with a turn around at the end of the street. Cul-de-sacs shall be addressed in the same manner as north/south and east/west streets with even numbers located on the north and west side of the street and the odd numbers on the south and east side of the street. Because of the shape of a cul-de-sac, the center lot at the end (circular part of the street) of the cul-de-sac shall be the dividing point for determining whether a lot will receive an even or odd number (see Appendix C).
(3) North/south or east/west streets. A street designed to provide vehicular access to abutting property in a grid system. North/south streets can be intersected by east/west streets. These streets are commonly found throughout the county in populated areas. On the north and west side of the street shall be even numbers. The south and east side of the street shall be assigned odd numbers (see Appendix D).
(4) Trending street. A trending street is designed to bend back and forth with few straight areas. The street will be considered as trending in the direction in which they cover the greatest distance being north/south or east/west. Trending streets shall be addressed in the same manner as the north/south or east/west streets (see Appendix E).
(5) Diagonal street. A diagonal street is designed to extend as a line on an angle. The street shall be addressed in the direction in which it covers the greatest distance being north/south or east/west (see Appendix F).
(H) If one structure has several occupants which use individual doors to gain access, each entrance shall have its own address. Separate numbers shall be assigned to each entrance of a duplex house, to an upstairs apartment which has an outside entrance, for separate buildings in the back of other buildings and separate entrances in an apartment building. If a commercial enterprise that is part of a residence has a separate entrance from the street, it shall also be assigned a separate number. Separate numbers may be represented by numbers, numerals or letters.
(I) Private and interior parking bays and group housing/commercial developments present unique problems to the assignment of street numbers. The preferred method of assignment shall be to assign all dwelling units or structures facing a parking bay, private drive or interior courts, as if they were facing upon the main street to which the driveway connects. The numbers shall remain in numerical sequence.
(J) On a corner lot, the address shall be assigned in accordance to the direction the house faces. The address should correspond with the location of the front door. In some cases, the address shall be assigned by the location of the driveway due to site design circumstances.
(K) Whenever practicable, the continuation of an existing street shall have the same name as the existing street.
(L) When a street makes a 90-degree turn at any point and it is determined by the county 9-1-1 emergency telephone system that it is necessary to avoid confusion in the delivery of emergency services, a change in street name shall occur to eliminate confusion.
(M) The name of the new street shall not duplicate the name of existing streets within the area served by the same post office, fire department or other emergency service organizations.
(N) In areas where there are numerous structures on a private road and there are not enough numbers available in the appropriate range, the county 9-1-1 emergency telephone system has the authority to increase the number range in that particular area.
(1980 Code, § 162.11) (Res. 93-21, passed 5-20-1993; Ord. 10-368, passed 11-18-2010)