(A) The continuation of an existing street shall have the same name as the existing street.
(B) 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.
(C) The name of the new street cannot duplicate the name of existing streets within the area served by the same post office, fire department or other emergency service organizations.
(D) Unacceptable new street names shall include: numerical names (1st, 2nd and the like); alphabetical letters (A, B, C and the like); frivolous, complicated or undesirable names; unconventional spelling, compound names. However a numerical name can be used if the street name number (i.e. 15900th) is consistent with the adopted address grid system.
(E) Names shall not include east, west, north and south as part of name, except as they are used in the directional title of the street by the county 9-1-1 emergency telephone system.
(F) When a plat is submitted to the county or a municipality within the county which has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the county to use the county address system, the municipalities and the county shall recognize the street names for the as street names in existence from the date of submittal of the plat so long as the street names are acceptable under the provisions of this chapter.
(G) The standard abbreviations of street suffixes for signs shall comply with the United States Postal Service Standards (Publication 28, pages 57-69). Below are some examples:
Type | Abbreviation |
Type | Abbreviation |
Avenue | AVE |
Boulevard | BLVD |
Circle | CIR |
Court | CT |
Drive | DR |
Junction | JCT |
Lane | LN |
Loop | LOOP |
Parkway | PKWY |
Place | PL |
Road | RD |
Square | SQ |
Street | ST |
Terrace | TER |
Way | WAY |
(H) Street names shall be 14 characters or less, exclusive of prefixes and suffixes. Spaces between words shall be counted as characters. When the prefix and type are added to a long street name, the letters on the street sign will usually be smaller in appearance. Governments do not normally want to incur the cost to produce a larger street sign to accommodate the long street name. Safety problems can arise due to being able to read smaller letters on a sign.
(I) Street names shall be no more than two words and unnecessary spacing in a name shall be avoided. For example, Forestview is much preferred over Forest View. A two-word street name is often compressed into one word on a street sign to conserve space. This compression often misleads the public into believing that the street sign is the official name.
(J) A street type, like a directional prefix, shall be avoided as part of the root street name. For example, a street named Winding Trail Drive is confusing since Trail and Drive are both street types. Country Walk Lane Court is another example where the street type Court was simply added without deleting the type Lane.
(K) Street name continuity is the retention of one street name for the entire length of the street, including streets aligned in adjacent subdivisions. This is not to be confused with street name duplication in which case streets that are not continuous are given the same name. Street name continuity shall be used when possible. Allowances can be made for gaps in a street’s continuity as in cases of undeveloped land. However, if a case arises in which street name continuity has been established in two or more subdivisions with a gap of undeveloped land in between, the gap, when developed shall continue that street and street name in its development to establish continuity. If the street shifts off-line by more than 200 feet, a new street name shall be assigned.
(L) Street names shall not reflect the name of a development. Problems arise with implementing continuous street names through other subdivisions when a street name reflects the name of another development. Street names are not marketing tools; their purpose is to enable people to locate addresses readily.
(1980 Code, § 162.30) (Res. 93-21, passed 5-20-1993; Ord. 10-368, passed 11-18-2010)