HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance No. 2023-011 An Ordinance of the City of Arlington, Washington Amending Chapter 12.16 of the Arlington Municipal Code Regarding Uniform Street Naming and House Numbering Under City Planning No. PLN ORDINANCE NO. 2023-011
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ARLINGTON, WASHINGTON AMENDING CHAPTER 12.16
OF THE ARLINGTON MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING UNIFORM STREET NAMING AND
HOUSE NUMBERING UNDER CITY PLANNING NO. PLN 1035
WHEREAS, the city has proposed an update to regulations for address number size and
location on commercial, industrial, and mixed-use buildings.The regulations provide specific and
consistent regulations to a property owner or business and provides public safety personnel
clarity when entering a property; and
WHEREAS, the Arlington Planning Commission considered the revisions initially with
informational meetings on January 3, 2023 and February 7, 2023, at docketing meetings on
March 7, 2023 and March 21, 2023, and then on May 2, 2023 and at a public hearing conducted
on May 16, 2023; and
WHEREAS,the Planning Commission made findings and provided its recommendations to
the City Council concerning the proposed changes; and
WHEREAS, the City Council considered the revisions initially at the Council Retreat March
31, 2023 and at docketing meetings on April 10, 2023 and April 17, 2023; and
WHEREAS, the City Council considered the same at a workshop held on June 12, 2023,
and considered them along with the Planning Commission recommendations, at their regular
meeting conducted a public hearing on June 20, 2023; and the City Council having determined
approving said amendment was in the best interest of the City; and
WHEREAS, the amendments were presented to the Department of Commerce for
comment and said Department had no comments on the ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has considered the proposed amendment to the municipal
code and finds it to be consistent with city and state law and in the best interests of the citizens;
and
NOW,THEREFORE,the City Council of the City of Arlington does hereby ordain as follows:
Section 1. Arlington Municipal Code section 12.16.010 shall be and hereby is
amended as follows:
"Block" is considered the distance between intersections except where a long block faces
a short block because of differences in platting of adjacent plats, or where unplatted land
faces platted land. In these circumstances,the long block or unplatted land may be given
more than one set of one hundred numbers in order to follow the desired uniformity for
the Old Town District as a whole.
ORDINANCE NO. 2023-011 1
"Drive" means a public way dedicated or improved for general travel and as a primary
means of access to the front of property, as either a thoroughfare or cul-de-sac as not to
fit into the regular street or avenue pattern and shall run north/south in between the grid
lines.
Section 2. Arlington Municipal Code section 12.16.030 shall be and hereby is
amended as follows:
(a)Old Town District. Base lines for the Old Town District shall be First Street for all numbering
of houses and buildings on the streets, avenues and other public ways running north and
south; and the Burlington Northern railroad right-of-way from the north city limits to
Maple Street, and Cobb Avenue and State Route 9 shall constitute the base line for all
numbering of houses and buildings on the streets, avenues and other public ways running
east and west.
Section 3. Arlington Municipal Code section 12.16.040 shall be and hereby is
amended as follows:
(e) The building official shall, on all building permits for new residences, accessory dwelling
units, buildings, structures, or places of business, excepting sheds and accessory
structures, assign an address number consistent with this chapter. On building permits
other than new construction, the building official shall ensure that the address listed
thereon is consistent with this chapter.
(f) Minor changes or corrections to numbers may be made administratively by the building
official, following the written request from a residential or commercial property owner.
Minor changes may be initiated by staff when it is in the best interest of public safety.
(g) Major changes such as renumbering or street name changes may be initiated by a written
request from a residential or commercial property owner, or by staff when it is in the
interest of public safety and/or public benefits. In either case, the building official shall
convene a review committee,to include but not limited to, a representative of the police
department and the fire department. If the committee determines that a change should be
made, a proposed plan shall be prepared, and the affected neighborhood or commercial
area shall be contacted for comment.The committee shall review any comments received
and determine if the public safety interest is best served by the proposed change. Final
determination shall be approved by the city council prior to any such change being
affected.
Section 4. Arlington Municipal Code section 12.16.060 shall be and hereby is
amended as follows:
(b) Numbering Interval.
(1) The assignment of a number to a specific parcel shall be determined by measuring
distances from the one hundred block grid lines.
(c) Number Assignment.The assignment of numbers shall be as follows:
(1) Old Town District.
ORDINANCE NO. 2023-011 2
(A) All houses, buildings and lots situated within the first block north of First Street
within the Old Town District shall, on all intersecting streets, avenues and other
public ways, be given numbers between 101 and 199 inclusive; within the second
block, numbers between 201 and 299 inclusive shall be used, and so on in each
succeeding block; and all numbers shall be indicated by adding the word "North"
to the name of the street, avenue or other public way.
(B) All houses,buildings and lots situated within the first block south of First Street within
the Old Town District shall,on all intersecting streets,avenues and other public ways,
be given numbers between 101 and 199 inclusive;within the second block,numbers
between 201 and 299 inclusive shall be used,and so on in each succeeding block;and
all numbers shall be indicated by adding the word"South"to the name of the street,
avenue or other public way.
(C) All houses, buildings and lots situated within the first block east of the Burlington
Northern Railroad right-of-way base line within the Old Town District shall, on all
intersecting streets,avenues and other public ways, be given numbers between 101
and 199 inclusive;within the second block, numbers between 201 and 299 inclusive
shall be used,and so on in each succeeding block;and all numbers shall be indicated
by adding the word "East" to the name of the street, avenue or other public way.
(D) All houses, buildings and lots situated within the first block west of the Burlington
Northern Railroad right-of-way base line within the Old Town District shall, on all
intersecting streets,avenues and other public ways, be given numbers between 101
and 199 inclusive;within the second block, numbers between 201 and 299 inclusive
shall be used,and so on in each succeeding block;and all numbers shall be indicated
by adding the word "West"to the name of the street, avenue or other public way.
(E) One number shall be assigned for each twenty-five feet of frontage or fraction
thereof except that adjustments may be made in order to follow the desired
uniformity for the Old Town District.
(F) Odd numbers shall be used on the north and east sides of the streets, avenues, and
all other public ways.
(G) Even numbers shall be used on the south and west sides of the streets,avenues,and
all other public ways.
(H) All houses,buildings or lots nearerthe base line shall be assigned smaller numbers. In
assigning numbers to houses and buildings between which one or more lots lie
unimproved, numbers shall be spaced to allow for later assignment to such vacant
lots.
(2) City-Wide District.
(A) All houses, buildings and lots situated within the city-wide district shall, on all
intersecting streets,avenues and other public ways, be given numbers between 00
and 33 inclusive;within the second block,numbers between 00 and 33 inclusive shall
be used,and so on in each succeeding block.
(B) Even numbers shall be assigned to the south and west sides of streets and odd
numbers to the north and east sides of the streets. Determination of street
ORDINANCE NO. 2023-011 3
directions north-south, east-west can be decided by observing the overall length of
a street and noting its general direction.The even and odd numbers shall be assigned
consecutively and opposite one another wherever possible. Neither numeric
fractions nor alphabetical letters shall be assigned as part of the unique address for
stand-alone structures. Where a street is prevented from being continuous by a
natural barrier,the addressing will be broken off at the barrier and continued again
at the other side of the barrier consistent with the appropriate one hundred grid
block on the official grid map as described in Subsection (A)of this section.
(C) Short loops and cul-de-sacs shall be numbered consecutively from that point where
they originate and proceed progressively around the loop or cul-de-sac.
(D) Multifamily developments will have one main assigned number addresstaken from
the street. Each building shall have a letter designation of A, B, C, D, etc. Interior
streets within multifamily developments will be named and such names will be
approved as defined in Section 12.16.040 of this chapter. If the interior street is to
remain private,then the name will be qualified by designating that street as a lane
as defined in Section 12.16.010 ["Lane"] of this chapter. Each of the multifamily
buildings fronting that interior street will be numbered from said street. Each unit
within a multifamily building will also be identified (e.g.,3515 Private Lane NE Unit
#A101). Each unit numbering will be from left to right as seen from facing the
building.The first digit of each unit numberwill indicate which floor of the building
each unit is located.
(E) In large commercial development projects with a single access from a main street
and a shared parking lot,each buildingwill be individually numbered from the main
street. For those projects fronting on intersecting streets, each building will be
individually numbered from the intersecting street on which it fronts. Each tenant
suite within a commercial buildingwill also be identified(e.g.,3515 Main St. NE Suite
#101). The suite numbering will be from left to right as seen from facing the
building.The first digit of each suite numberwill indicate which floor of the building
each suite is located.
(F) The design, style, and shape of the address numbers shall render them easily
readable from the street. Numbers shall contrast with building background.
(G) Commercial and multi-family address numbers shall be illuminated, located on the
high point corner of single story buildings, and on the high point of the second
story of multi-story buildings facing the street or drive aisle so as to be readily
visible from the public street fronting the building at all times.
(H) Floor levels are to start at Main entry level finish grade with 100 series numbers
then vertically next level 200, third level 300 and continuous thereafter.
(I) Address numbers on windows or other glazing require prior approval; contrasting
may appear acceptable at certain times of day but may be non-acceptable at
others.
(J) Property owners shall be required to have all address numerals and letters visible
and legible from the street. In cases where shadows or building locations
ORDINANCE NO. 2023-011 4
adversely affect the visibility, then additional numbers, larger numbers or other
modifications shall be required. In cases where overgrown vegetation adversely
affects the visibility, then the property owner shall be required to trim or remove
the vegetation from blocking the address.
(K) The rear entrances or access doors of all strip malls, commercial center buildings,
and other areas with multi-tenant spaces shall be posted with the floor level
unit/suite number facing the street or drive aisle.
(L) All address numerals and letters shall comply with this section at the time of
business license issuance.
(M)Numeral and Letter Calculations:
Minimum Numeral Minimum Numeral
Type of Building or Letter Height or Letter Width
Residential 4 Inches 2 Inches*
Commercial 10 Inches 5 Inches*
Multi-Family 10 Inches 5 Inches*
*The number 1 may be used in proportion with the other numbers of the
address.
(N) Examples of Address Locations and Placards
_ T
I h
i ' f
ORDINANCE NO. 2023-011 5
1-7
Z
Floor 9
A3O1 -A303
Floor 2
A201 -A203
1104
Ijaw._ I Floor
A101 -Al 03
Section 5. Arlington Municipal Code section 12.16.090 shall be and hereby is
amended to read as follows:
Failure to comply with the provisions of this chapter or affixing to or displaying upon any
house or building any such numbers other than those assigned to it, is a misdemeanor and
shall be punished as provided in Section 1.04.010.
Section 6. Severability. Should any section, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this
ordinance, or its application to any person or circumstance, be declared unconstitutional or
otherwise invalid for any reason, or should any portion of this ordinance be pre-empted by state
or federal law or regulation, such decision or pre-emption shall not affect the validity of the
remaining portions of this ordinance or its application to other persons or circumstances.
Section 7. Effective Date. The title of this ordinance which summarizes the contents shall
be published in the official newspaper of the City. This ordinance shall take effect and be in full
force five (5) days after the date of publication as provided by law.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Arlington and APPROVED by the Mayor this 20th
day of June, 2023.
ORDINANCE NO. 2023-011 6
CITY OF ARLINGTON
Barbara Tolbert, Mayor
ATTEST:
za Z/ �L c zk
Wendy Van 6er Meersche, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Stev n e ff y Attorney
ORDINANCE NO. 2023-011 7
CERTIFICATION OF ORDINANCE
1, Wendy Van Der Meersche, being the duly appointed City Clerk of the City of Arlington,
Washington, a municipal corporation, do hereby certify that the following Ordinance
No. 2023-011 was approved at the June 20, 2023 City Council meeting.
ORDINANCE NO. 2023-011
"AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ARLINGTON,WASHINGTON AMENDING CHAPTER 12.16
OF THE ARLINGTON MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING UNIFORM STREET NAMING AND
HOUSE NUMBERING UNDER CITY PLANNING NO. PLN 1035"
A true and correct copy of the original ordinance is attached.
Dated this 21st day of June, 2023
Ae
Wendy Van ber Meersche
City Clerk for the City of Arlington