This Chapter provides procedures for naming and renaming of existing or proposed roads and a road naming and address numbering plan for the County. These regulations are intended to protect and promote the public health, safety, and welfare of those who live and work within the County by improving response times for emergency vehicles, expediting business and postal delivery services, and assisting in the timely location of specific businesses and dwellings.

A.

Affected areas, roads, structures. The address numbering system will be implemented through the adoption of specific areawide systems by resolution of the Board after recommendation by the Commission. The address numbering areawide systems are applicable to:

1.

All roads and structures located within the boundaries of adopted areawide address numbering systems (see also Section 35.42.020 (Accessory Structures and Uses)); and

2.

All roads shown on subdivision maps approved for recording regardless of their location within or outside the boundaries of adopted areawide address numbering system.

B.

Existing road standards. The adoption and implementation of this Chapter shall not affect or supersede County standard details relative to road standards, as adopted by Board resolution and shall not limit the authority of the Director of the Public Works Department relative to activities within public road rights-of-way.

A.

Boundaries. The boundaries of each areawide system shall be established by Board resolution after a recommendation by the Commission. The adopted boundaries shall be identified on the Countywide Official Address Numbering Plan Base Map prepared by the County of Santa Barbara Fire Department, hereinafter referred to as the Fire Department.

B.

Maps.

1.

The Countywide Official Address Numbering Plan Base Map shall delineate the boundaries of the areawide address numbering systems.

2.

Each adopted areawide address numbering system shall include a set of maps that identify base lines, grid index lines, and the address numbers assigned to particular structures and the address ranges assigned to particular areas.

3.

Each map adopted in compliance with this Chapter is available for public review in the Fire Department.

The Fire Department shall maintain a Road Name Index that shall identify the existing names of all roads, and also indicate whether each road is public or private.

A.

Road names required. A road name shall be required for all public and private roads and for any other roads when deemed necessary by the Department; except that a private road located entirely within a contiguous ownership of more than 200 acres shall be exempt from this requirement, unless the property owner files a written request for road naming with the Department.

B.

Naming or renaming an existing road.

1.

Initiation. The naming or renaming of a public or private road may be initiated by the owner of abutting property, the Board, Commission, Department, or other public agency or County department.

2.

Contents of application. An application for naming or renaming of an existing road shall be submitted in compliance with Chapter 35.80 (Permit Application Filing and Processing) and the initiating property owner or agency shall file a Road Name Petition with the application.

a.

When a naming or renaming is initiated by a property owner, the Road Name Petition shall be completed with the signatures of the property owners or tenants representing at least two-thirds of the dwellings or businesses located along the road segment to be named or renamed.

b.

When a naming or renaming is initiated by a public agency and the affected road segment is a continuation of a previously named road, the Road Name Petition shall be completed with the signature of a representative from the initiating agency.

c.

When a naming or renaming is initiated by a public agency and the affected road segment is not a continuation of a previously named road, the Road Name Petition shall be completed with signatures of the property owners or tenants representing two-thirds of the dwellings or businesses located along the unnamed portion of the road, or shall include other verification of support deemed appropriate by the Zoning Administrator.

3.

Public hearing.

a.

Public hearing. The Zoning Administrator shall hold at least one noticed public hearing on the request, unless waived in compliance with Subsection 3.c, below, and approve, conditionally approve or deny the request.

b.

Notice. Notice of the time and place of the hearing shall be given and the hearing shall be conducted in compliance with Chapter 35.106 (Noticing and Public Hearings). Additionally, notice shall be provided in compliance with the following:

(1)

Posted notice. At least 10 days before the public hearing, notice of the hearing shall be posted by the Department in a minimum of three public places along the affected road.

(2)

Mailed notice. Notice of the public hearing shall be sent to all property owners or tenants of lots abutting the affected road in compliance with Chapter 35.106 (Noticing and Public Hearings).

c.

Waiver of public hearing. The requirement for a public hearing may be waived by the Director in compliance with the following requirements:

(1)

Notice that a public hearing shall be held upon request by any person is provided to all persons who would otherwise be required to be notified of a public hearing as well as any other persons known to be interested in receiving notice in compliance with Chapter 35.106 (Noticing and Public Hearings).

(a)

The notice shall include a statement that failure by a person to request a public hearing may result in the loss of that person's ability to appeal any action taken on the road naming or renaming application.

(2)

A written request for public hearing is not received by the Department within the 15 working days immediately following the date the notice in compliance with Subsection 35.76.050.B.3.c.(1) is mailed.

If the requirement for a public hearing is waived, then the Director shall be the review authority for the road naming or renaming application. A listing of pending road naming or renaming applications for which the public hearing may be waived shall be provided on the Commission's hearing agendas.

d.

Action of review authority.

(1)

Action of the Zoning Administrator. The action of the Zoning Administrator is final subject to appeal in compliance with Chapter 35.102 (Appeals).

(2)

Action of the Director.

(a)

The action of the Director to approve or conditionally approve the road naming or renaming application is final and not subject to appeal.

(b)

The action of the Director to deny the road naming or renaming application is final subject to appeal by the applicant in compliance with Chapter 35.102 (Appeals).

e.

Recording action. Upon the naming or renaming of the road, the review authority shall enter in its minutes the officially designated name of the road. Thereafter the road shall be known by the designated name.

4.

Notification after change. After adoption of the road name, the Department shall notify all the appropriate public agencies and the property owners and tenants of the dwellings and businesses along the affected road of the road name change.

C.

Naming a road created by a subdivision. The naming of a road created by a subdivision shall be in compliance with Subsection D.2, below. This procedure shall also apply to the naming of an unnamed existing road contained within a proposed subdivision. See also Subsection D.3 (Continuity) below.

1.

Continuation of existing named road. A road created by a proposed subdivision that continues an existing named road shall bear the name of the existing road.

2.

Procedure.

a.

Naming of a road in conjunction with the approval of a tentative map.

(1)

Submittal of application. An application for naming a road either created by a proposed subdivision or naming an existing unnamed road contained within a proposed subdivision shall be filed concurrently with the application for the tentative map.

(2)

Contents of application. An application for naming a road in conjunction with the approval of a tentative map shall be submitted in compliance with Chapter 35.80 (Permit Application Filing and Processing) and shall be filed in conjunction with the application for the tentative map.

(3)

Review and approval. A proposed road name shall be shown on the tentative map and shall be approved by the review authority at the time of tentative map approval in compliance with Subsection D. (Road name selection) below. The approved names shall be shown on the Final Map or Parcel Map as submitted for County approval and recordation.

(4)

Appeal. The decision of the review authority is final subject to appeal in compliance with Chapter 35.102 (Appeals).

D.

Road name selection. Each selected road name shall comply with the following standards.

1.

Objectives. A proposed road name should be pleasant sounding; easy to read (so that the public, and children in particular, can readily pronounce the name in an emergency); and add to pride of home and community.

2.

Criteria. Each road name shall comply with the following criteria:

a.

A road names shall not be duplicated within the area served by the same post office, or fire or police department. No name should duplicate another road name used elsewhere in the County. Similar sounding names are considered duplicates regardless of spelling.

b.

A road shall not be named after a living person, except that a road may be named with a family surname prominent in County history, even if a family member still resides in the area.

c.

A road name shall have less than 24 letters, including punctuation, spacing, and road classification (e.g., lane, street, way).

d.

A road name shall be easy to pronounce and spell.

e.

A road name shall be grammatically correct whether in English or a foreign language.

f.

A road name shall include the appropriate road classification (e.g., lane, street, way).

3.

Continuity.

a.

A continuous road, or one proposed to be continuous, shall have the same name throughout its complete length.

b.

If an otherwise continuous road is interrupted by a drainage channel, freeway, or railroad, etc. with no planned connection, the interrupted segments shall have different names.

c.

Where roads intersect at an interior angle of 110 degrees or less, each segment shall be given a different name if doing so will reduce confusion when locating an address.

4.

Extra words. Unnecessary words shall be avoided. Words that may be used are limited to the following:

a.

"East," "North," "South," and "West," indicating direction for a numbering base line; and

b.

"Lane," "Place," "Road," "Street," "Way," indicating the road classification in English.

E.

Road name signs.

1.

Objectives. Road name signs should be clearly visible to passing motorists. The letters and numbers used should contrast with the background color and should be large enough to be legible from a vehicle on the roadway.

2.

Signs for private roads. Abutting property owners shall install and maintain permanent road name signs for private roads, as follows.

a.

Each road name sign shall be installed in compliance with current County Standard requirements.

b.

Each road name sign for a private road shall comply with Subsection F.3 (Signs for public roads) below, with the exception that the background color shall be dark blue.

c.

The property owners responsible for private road maintenance are responsible for providing and maintaining road name signs.

d.

Before the acceptance of a private road into the County Maintained Road System, the affected property owners shall replace existing road name signs and install all required road name signs in compliance with County Standards Requirements and Subsection F.3 (Signs for public roads) below.

3.

Signs for public roads.

a.

Agencies responsible for road maintenance are responsible for providing road name signs for all roads within their jurisdictions. Road name signs for public roads shall comply with the requirements for County Standard Street Name Signs as approved by the Director of the Public Works Department. The Public Works Department is responsible for providing road name signs for all County roads in compliance with these standards.

b.

The Board may allow an owners' association to design, specify, install, replace, and remove road name signs of a standard not in compliance with this Subsection. Sign maintenance shall be the responsibility of the association.

4.

Signs for existing roads affected by subdivision. The property owner shall install road name signs at unsigned intersections to provide identification for the subdivision, as determined by the subdivision review process:

a.

Road name signs shall be required for each road created by the subdivision.

b.

Road name signs may be required for existing roads providing access to the subdivision.

c.

Road name signs shall comply with the requirements of the County Standard Street Name Signs as approved by the Director of the Public Works Department.

A.

Procedure for assigning address numbers.

1.

Assignment of numbers. The Fire Department shall determine and assign all address numbers and shall issue the numbers to property owners and occupants. A record of all assigned numbers shall be maintained by the Fire Department and shall be available for public review during regular business hours.

2.

Notification of change. If an address number is changed, the owner and tenant in charge of a dwelling or business to which a number has been assigned will be notified in writing by the Fire Department at least 10 days before the effective date of the change.

B.

Standards for address numbers. Address numbers shall be determined in compliance with the incremental distance between system grid lines and the following Subsection standards when applicable.

1.

Developed lots. Developed lots shall be assigned street addresses as follows. See Subsection B.2 (Vacant lots) below regarding vacant lots.

a.

Lot greater than one acre. A lot greater than one acre (gross) shall be assigned an address where the driveway intersects the lot frontage.

b.

Lot of one acre or less. A lot that is one acre or less in area (gross) shall be assigned an address at the center point of the lot frontage.

c.

Corner lot. A corner lot shall be assigned an address on the road upon which the principal building entrance faces; except that when the principal entrance is not visible from that road or is inaccessible for fire access from that road, the lot shall be addressed from the road intersected by the driveway.

d.

Unnamed road serving less than five dwellings or lots. For unnamed roads serving less than five dwellings or lots, the address number shall be assigned corresponding to the numbering on the road where the unnamed road originated.

e.

Multiple units. Separate internal units within residential and business complexes may be identified by a suffix (e.g., apartment, space, suite, unit) as determined by the Fire Department in consultation with the property owner, emergency service agencies, and the United States Postal Service.

2.

Vacant lots. A vacant lot may be assigned an address number at the center point of the lot frontage. This pre-assigned address may be changed at the time a Building Permit is issued in order to comply with Subsections B.1.a through B.1.c above.

3.

Accessory structures. Except for as provided below, an accessory structure shall not be issued a street address number unless the property owner can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Fire Department that special circumstances justify a separate number.

a.

A street address number shall be issued for an accessory dwelling unit if required by the Fire Department.

C.

Display of address numbers.

1.

New construction. The property owner shall display the assigned address number before requesting a final Building Permit inspection. The address number shall be displayed in compliance with Subsections C.4 through C.6 below.

2.

Existing structure. Within 30 days after receiving written notification of an address change, the owner or tenant shall display the new number in compliance with Subsections C.4 through C.6 below, and shall remove any obsolete number.

3.

Ranching or agricultural operation over 200 acres. The owner or tenant of a new or existing structure shall display the address number in compliance with Subsections C.4 through C.6 below.

4.

Size and color of numbers. Each address number shall be a minimum height of three inches, reflective, and a color contrasting with the background color.

5.

Number location objectives. Address numbers shall be placed at front doors, on mailboxes, on private lamp posts, near garage doors, at driveway entrances, or other place of similar proximity so that the number is visible from the public right-of-way. See Figure 7-1 (Display of Address Numbers) illustrating the correct manner of display.

6.

Number location for obscured structures. Where a dwelling or business is not clearly visible from the road, address numbers shall be posted on a marker other than a mailbox. The address number shall be elevated at least three feet from the ground for clear visibility and easy directional identification, see Figure 7-2 (Display of Address Numbers) below. This Subsection also apples to the names of roads with private driveways or forks. The address numbers of the homes on a private driveway shall be posted on the named road and shall include a directional arrow to indicate location of the dwelling or business.

7.

Mailboxes. When the mailbox of a dwelling or business is located on the same road as the dwelling or business, only the number need be posted on the box. When the mailbox and the structure it serves are located on separate roads, both the road name and address number are required to be placed on the mailbox, see Figure 7-3 (Address Numbers on Mailboxes) below.

Figure 7-1 - Display of Address Numbers

Figure 7-2 - Display of Address Numbers

Figure 7-3 - Address Numbers on Mailboxes

All road names and address numbers shall be issued by the County Fire Department in compliance with this Chapter. Road name signs along County-maintained roads shall be installed by the County Public Works Department or at its direction, in compliance with Section 35.76.050 (Road Names - Procedure, Standards and Signs) above.

A.

Enforcement responsibility. The County Fire Department shall enforce this Chapter and all of its provisions.

B.

Citation and penalties. A person who fails to comply with the requirements of this Chapter shall be issued a citation as provided in County Code Section 1-8 (Citation to Appear in Court). Penalties for a violation of this Chapter are established by County Code Section 1-7 (General Penalty).