Article III – Road Names and Structure Numbers

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of Appomattox County as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]

Division 1 – Road Names

[Adopted 1-22-2001; amended 2-22-2005 (Ch. 133, Art. I, of the 1993 Code)]

§ 15.3-1 Intent.

The intent of this article is to establish formal procedures and criteria for naming roads as part of the County’s Enhanced 9-1-1 (“E-911”) Program. This article seeks to strike a proper balance between expeditious selection of road names and providing the general public with ample opportunity to speak on the choice of names.

§ 15.3-2 Procedure.

A. Administration. The E-911 Coordinator is hereby designated as the agent of the Board of Supervisors and is responsible for the administration, implementation and enforcement of this section. The agent may delegate certain responsibilities assigned to him to other persons and/or agents with the prior consent of the governing body.

B. No road within Appomattox County shall be assigned a name on a subdivision plat or otherwise until such name is registered with the agent and added to the Appomattox County Road Name Index. The agent shall have the authority to refuse registration of any name already in use, any name deemed confusing for purposes of emergency response, or any name that does not follow the naming criteria outlined in § 15.3-3.

C. No street or road name currently shown on a subdivision plat filed with the County or otherwise shall be implemented by a subdivision owner until such name has been registered with the agent and added to the Appomattox County Road Name Index; provided, however, that this subsection shall not apply to any street or road presently constructed on which street signs have been placed prior to the effective date of this article. The agent shall have the authority to refuse registration of any name already in use, any name deemed confusing for purposes of emergency response, or any name that does not follow the naming criteria outlined in § 15.3-3.

D. The owner of any subdivision or other development shall erect or cause to be erected, at his expense, street signs in conformance with adopted regulations on signage at any and all intersections within such subdivision or development upon the construction of any street on or after the effective date of this article. Where any subdivision owner is currently required to erect street signs but has failed to do so, the future erection of street signs shall be in conformance with adopted regulations on signage.

E. Changing street names. The Board of Supervisors will consider name changes as proposed by petition of a majority of the property owners on a named road. The petitioners of any road name change shall also agree to accept responsibility for 100% of the cost resulting from the Board’s approval of their petition. The full payment of this cost, including but not limited to GIS mapping and signage, shall be received by the County prior to the official changing and use of the new road name.

§ 15.3-3 Criteria for names.

A. The proposed name shall be a unique name that is clearly phonetically and alphanumerically distinguishable from any other name in use. Use of directional prefixes (north, southeast, etc.) or differing suffixes (street, road, avenue, etc.) added to duplicate street names shall not suffice to create a unique road name.

B. Existing street names.

(1) Efforts will be taken to preserve names already in place in the Towns of Appomattox and Pamplin City, as well as streets named by developers or neighborhood committees in the County.

(2) Where a name for a road in the County conflicts with a preexisting name in the Town of Appomattox or Pamplin City, the town street name shall prevail.

(3) Where feasible, roads crossing into Appomattox County from adjacent jurisdictions should retain the name given by the adjacent jurisdiction.

C. All roads within the state maintenance system shall receive names. The E-911 Coordinator may name any public or private road (regardless of number of residences on the road) when there will clearly be three residences in the near future.

D. A street with one name shall serve all multifamily dwelling complexes, including apartment complexes, townhouses and condominium developments, manufactured home (single- and double-wide) parks, and other similar uses, unless the agent finds that, in the interest of public safety, the naming of more than one street in or near the development is warranted.

E. Guidelines. The following guidelines shall be used in naming or renaming roads:

(1) Road names selected shall conform to the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) signage guidelines and regulations.

(2) Use names with historic or geographic value which are descriptive of the road.

(3) Encourage the use of one- and two-syllable names.

(4) Do not use uncommon name spellings or words that may have multiple common spellings.

(5) Assign only one name along a continuous roadway. Where a permanent break in the road exists, a new name may be assigned to each segment. A permanent break may consist of but is not limited to a river, stream, and/or intersecting road where continuous access is not available between the two segments without crossing another road.

(6) Avoid the use of personal or family names, except in the case of local historical figures.

(7) Avoid the use of letters (i.e., Q Street), numbers (1st), numeric names, and compass designators (Fifty-Second and North).

Division 2 – Road Name Signs

[Adopted 2-22-2005 (Ch. 133, Art. II, of the 1993 Code)]

§ 15.3-4 Intent.

The intent of this article is to establish uniform design criteria for the installation of road name signage in Appomattox County in conjunction with the County’s Enhanced 9-1-1 (“E-911”) Program. This will ensure that all signage clearly and efficiently identifies the location of public and qualifying private roads throughout the County and that signage will be installed in locations that do not adversely impact traffic sight distances or pose other safety hazards.

§ 15.3-5 Installation guidelines.

All signage for public roads and qualifying private roads shall be installed according to the following guidelines:

A. All sign hardware shall meet minimum design criteria as utilized by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). Sign hardware shall include, but not be limited to, sign blades, posts, and mounting brackets.

B. Installation and signage location shall be in accordance with VDOT guidelines.

C. The color of all sign blades for public and private roads shall consist of white reflective lettering on a blue background. All private roads requiring signage shall also include the designation “PVT” in the upper right corner of the blade immediately above the road name suffix.

D. Sign structures (post) and mounting brackets shall be a minimum of 2 3/8 inches outside diameter round galvanized steel with a minimum 0.065 inch wall thickness. Mounting brackets, post caps, and related hardware shall be adaptable to the post and of the same material as the post.

E. All sign structures (post), post caps, sign brackets and related hardware must conform to the Road and Bridge Specifications 2002, Section 233.

§ 15.3-6 Responsibility for installing signs.

A. Developers and/or subdivision owners that cause new public or qualifying private roads to be constructed shall erect road name signage in accordance with this article and shall bear all costs in accordance with Article I, § 15.3-2D of this chapter.

B. The County shall be responsible for installation of road name signage for all existing private roads which qualify for a road name upon adoption of this article.

Division 3 – Structure Numbers

[Adopted 2-22-2005 (Ch. 133, Art. III, of the 1993 Code)]

§ 15.3-7 Intent.

The intent of this article is to establish regulations for the posting of structure numbers for all addressable structures in Appomattox County in conjunction with the County’s Enhanced 9-1-1 (“E-911”) Program. This will ensure that all addressable structures can be clearly and efficiently identified by fire, rescue, and law enforcement agencies in response to emergencies.

§ 15.3-8 Display of structure numbers; address marker placards.

A. Display of structure number. Each resident shall be required to display and maintain a structure number that identifies the primary structure located on the property. Residents and business owners shall be responsible for obtaining and maintaining an address marker placard that is consistent with the guidelines found within this article.

B. Construction of structure number marker. Address marker placards for County structures shall adhere to as closely as possible the following minimum specifications:

(1) Carsonite No. CIB-380 fifty-four-inch blue flexible address markers (or equivalent).

(2) Three-inch white high-intensity reflective numbers.

(3) Address numbers shall be of a contrasting color from the background.

(4) Address markers shall be numbered on both sides.

(5) Numbers shall be placed vertically on installed placard.

C. Placement of address marker placards. Address marker placards shall be installed using the following guidelines:

(1) Address markers shall be installed near the principal entrance to the property and in a manner as to be legible from both directions along the private or state-maintained road on which the property is located.

(2) Address markers shall be installed outside of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s maintained right-of-way, but ideally no more than three feet inside the property line.

(3) Sign blades shall be installed perpendicular to the road center line.

(4) When more than one structure requires the placement of an address marker at a shared access point, the signs shall be installed with the lowest number closest to the right-of-way line and subsequent numbers placed in a co-linear fashion.

D. Removal of other numbers. It shall be the duty of the property owner or property manager, upon affixing the address number, to remove any different number which might be mistaken for or confused with the number assigned to that property by the E-911 Coordinator.

§ 15.3-9 Assignment of numbers; certificate of occupancy.

A. Assignment of new numbers. Structure numbers shall be assigned to each residence upon submission of a building permit application. No certificate of occupancy shall be issued for any principal building until the E-911 Coordinator has supplied the official structure number to the Office of Building Inspections. Temporary structure numbers, including road name, shall be displayed by the building permit applicant on the site during the construction phases to facilitate inspections and delivery of emergency services prior to occupancy.

B. No certificate of occupancy shall be issued until the structure number has been posted according to the provisions of this article.

§ 15.3-10 Modifications; applicability; violations and penalties.

A. Modification and adjustments. In applying the guidelines specified herein, the E-911 Coordinator shall have the authority to make minor adjustments and modifications to ensure a logical and efficient road address system.

B. Applicability. The provisions of this article shall be applicable in all areas of Appomattox County.

C. Violations. Whenever the E-911 Coordinator has reason to believe there has been or there exists a violation of this article, the County shall give written notice of such violation to the person or organization failing to comply and order said person or organization to take corrective measures within 30 calendar days from the date that notification is sent by first-class mail to the address on file at the Commissioner of the Revenue’s office. If such person fails to comply with the duly issued order, the County shall initiate necessary actions to terminate the violation through criminal or civil measures. Any violation of this article shall constitute a Class 4 misdemeanor. Subsequent to the thirty-day period following notification of violation, each day of the violation shall constitute a separate violation. Any person, firm or corporation that damages or destroys a road sign, sign structures, or structure number marker will meet the total burden of all costs associated with the replacement.

§ 15.3-11 Definitions.

As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

E-911 COORDINATOR

The Board of Supervisors of Appomattox County or its designee.

POINT OF ORIGIN

The point at which a particular road begins its addressing sequence.

PRIMARY STRUCTURE

Includes, but shall not be limited to, a residential building, manufactured home, commercial building, industrial building, office building, public building, church/place of worship, pay telephone, pump station, communication tower, utility tower, substation, or other structure that may require address identification to facilitate the timely response to an emergency situation.

STRUCTURE NUMBER

The number assigned to consecutive intervals along a road pursuant to the number assignment formula contained herein. The terms “house number” and “building number” shall be considered synonymous with “structure number” for the purposes of this article. “Numbering interval” shall mean the distance along a roadway covered by this article of 5.28 feet, there being 1,000 intervals per mile (5,280 feet).