HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity of Lake Elmo Street Naming Policy
City of Lake Elmo Street Naming Policy
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Title and Scope
This guide shall be known as the Lake Elmo Street Naming Policy. Its purpose is to establish standards
for naming streets, assigning property numbers, and posting street signs. The goal of these standards is to
assist emergency services, the United States Postal Service, and the public in timely and efficient delivery
of services to residents and businesses.
Street Naming Agency
It will be the responsibility of the Planning Director or designee to assign street names and property
numbers in accordance with the guidelines set forth in this Policy. The Planning Director should confer
with the Fire Chief to ensure that street names and property numbers provide adequate directional
assistance to emergency service providers. An inventory of City street names should also be kept so as to
avoid duplication.
Street Naming Process
Streets are named and approved at the time of Preliminary Plat approval.
Street Naming Methodology
I. North-South Streets. Streets running north-south are labelled as Avenues. Accept as
outlined in this Policy, such street names should be assigned alphabetically consistent with
the Address Map attached to this Policy. The first two letters of street names should
progress alphabetically from West to East along the grid.
i. Exception. Street names that relate to a specific development are allowed as
approved by Council during Preliminary Plat approval. Street names must be easily
identifiable with the development.
II. West-East Streets. Streets running west-east are labelled as Streets. They must be
numbered as outlined in the Address Map grid attached to this Policy. While proposed
streets should be numbered according to the Address Map grid, chronological ordering of
streets in relation to existing streets directly north and south of the proposed street takes
precedence.
i. Duplication. There may be more than one street that has the same number only if
the proposed street is both numbered according to the Address Map grid and is
located in a logical numerical order in relation to existing streets directly to the
north and south of the proposed street. If the proposed street does not meet the
aforementioned criteria, the street need not be labelled Street, and a different name,
as approved by Council, may be chosen, however, the street should still be
assigned a number.
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III. Deflecting Streets. Parts of deflecting streets that run continuous may be categorized by
preceding street numbers with the words “Upper” or “Lower,” depending on how the
section of street relates to the grid.
IV. Streets Changing Direction. Streets that run from west to east and turn to run from north
to south, or vice versa, forming a logical angle and turning point for the driver, should
have different names in order to match the grid. This standard shall not apply to streets
that run circular, have no turning point and do not form an angle.
V. All Other Streets. Such streets that do not directionally fit in to the above-mentioned
categories shall be named as follows:
i. NE to SW streets shall be called Boulevards.
ii. NW to SE streets shall be called Roads.
iii. Streets that relate to a base street from which it is extended shall be called Courts
or Circles.
iv. Streets that dip in form a connecting off-shoot from another street shall be called
Lanes or Ways.
v. Meandering routes shall be called Trails.
VI. No Duplication. Any street that stops in one part of the City shall not be used in another
part of the City, regardless if it is on the same grid as another street. Numbered streets are
an exception to this standard as provided in this Policy. Names tending to be confused as
homonyms or have the same or similar pronunciation but with different spellings are also
discouraged (i.e. Allen or Alan; Smith or Smyth; John or Jon, etc.).
VII. Theming. If appropriate, names with the same theme (i.e. flowers, nature) are suggested
for naming streets in an entire subdivision.
VIII. Pronounceability. When possible, names should be easily pronounceable in order for
children to read and pronounce them in emergency situations.
IX. Directional Suffix. All street names must end with the directional suffix of North.
Property Numbering Methodology
I. Numbering System for Properties Located on Avenues. Properties with front lot lines
abutting avenues should be numbered according the Address Map grid whenever possible.
In the event a street number does not correlate with the Address Map grid, properties should
be numbered according to the street number above which they are perpendicularly located
directly north. Each 12 feet of street frontage shall be assigned a number as demonstrated
in Figure 1-1. In the case of an “Upper” and “Lower” street number prefix, or any other
situation in which there may be two street numbers are adjacent to each other, property
numbers should increase accordingly to the next street number. Similarly, in the case there
is not enough lineal footage between numbered streets, properties shall be numbered
accordingly.
II. Numbering System for Properties Located on Numbered Streets. Properties with front lot
lines abutting streets should be numbered according to the Address Map Grid.
III. Assigning Addresses. Addresses should be assigned according to what is meant to be the
front lot line as defined by the Lake Elmo Code of Ordinances.
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IV. Odd and Even Numbers. Odd numbers shall be used on the South and East sides of the
streets and even numbers shall be used on the North and West sides of the streets.
V. Multi-Tenant Structures. Multi-tenant structures including apartment buildings, office
buildings, townhomes and duplexes shall be assigned a property number if all on one parcel
and then unit numbers as secondary location indicators.
VI. Manufactured Home Parks. Manufactured Home Parks may be assigned one number and
then unit numbers for individual homes.
VII. Exemptions. The following buildings and uses will be exempt from the addressing system,
but may be addressed at the request of the property owner:
i. Unoccupied farm land or lots containing no dwellings or businesses.
ii. Farm buildings which are not residential or commercial.
Applicability
New Development. The City Street Naming Policy shall apply to new development only. Existing street
names at the time of publication of this policy shall remain the same.
Placement/Display Requirements
Each principal building shall bear the number assigned to the frontage on the side of the building that faces
the assigned frontage. In case a principal building is occupied by more than one business or family dwelling
unit, each separate front entrance of such principal building shall bear a separate number.
Visibility of Property Numbers. Numerals indicating the official numbers for each principal building or
each front entrance to such building shall be posted in a manner as to be visible from the street on which
the property is located. Numerals shall be at least four inches in height and located at a reasonable height
on the building. Properties with principal buildings set back far enough for four inch numerals to be deemed
illegible should bear larger numerals, while still complying with the City’s Sign Code, or display property
numbers both on the building and elsewhere on the property to make them visible from the street; Zoning
Code regulations apply.
Street Signs. Street signs shall be displayed in accordance with City Engineer Design Standards.
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Figure 1-1
The above example shows a property with front lot line frontage on Irish Avenue north, abutting
28th Street North. There is 135 feet of frontage on Irish Avenue North. 135 divided by 12 is
approximately 11. Therefore, it is properly addressed as 2811; the property essentially starts at the
2800 block and is given one number for every 12 feet of street frontage.
28th Street Irish Avenue North 12’