Antrim County Street and Road

Numbering Ordinance

Ordinance Number:         1 of 1991 as amended on March 10, 2005 and on February 14, 2008

Adopted:        February 14, 2008

Preamble

The Board of Commissioners of the County of Antrim has determined that the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the County would be better served by a County Ordinance establishing a county-wide street and road numbering system. A uniform street and road numbering ordinance will enable the 911 Emergency Dispatch System, police agencies, fire protection, ambulance service, governmental and postal services and public utilities to more rapidly identify and locate properties within the county. This ordinance provides for the establishment, control and regulation of street and road numbering within Antrim County; to provide for penalties for the violation of this ordinance and to repeal any ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith.

Section I: Name

This ordinance shall be known and cited as Antrim County Street and Road Numbering Ordinance.

Section II: Administration Agency; Administrative Rules

The Equalization Department shall be the agency with exclusive overall administrative and coordinative responsibility to administer the operation and application of this ordinance. The Equalization Department shall have the authority to draft rules and regulations for the operation of the street and road numbering ordinance. Said rules and regulations shall be approved by the Antrim County Board of Commissioners before they take effect. 

Section III: Purpose

The purpose of this ordinance is to establish, with the exception of the villages of Bellaire, Central Lake , Elk Rapids, Ellsworth and Mancelona, a county-wide street and road numbering ordinance in a uniform logical manner; to provide for a central point to issue and control numbering; and to provide rules and guidelines to facilitate enforcement thereof.

Section IV: Definitions

Unless otherwise provided in this ordinance, the following terms are hereby defined as follows:

A. County numbering system means the general east and west, and north and south designation of Antrim County to facilitate the assignment of identifying numbers, with the provision of allowing one thousand numbers per mile for each mile of distance from the North-South and East-West baselines.

B.   Driveway means that portion of premises accessible to motor vehicle traffic and which provides the principal means of access to no more than two (2) lots or premises from a street or road.

C.  Easement means the right, such as a right of way, afforded a person to make limited use of another's real property.

D.  The East-West baseline shall refer to a line extending east and west across the county dividing it into north-south portions.  The East-West baseline shall be the north borders of Star (T31N, R5W), Chestonia (T31N, R6W), Kearney (T31, R7W), and Forest Home (T31N, R8W) Townships and in Torch Lake Township (T31N, R9W), the south border of Sections 35, 36 and 31.  

E.   Interested party means the emergency services, such as police, fire, or any other emergency services, the owner, occupant, county department, public utilities or any other governmental agency.

F.   MSAG: Master Street Address Guide means a list of all road names and address ranges used to define emergency service zones for 911 purposes for the county maintained by the Equalization Department.

G.  The North-South baseline shall refer to a line extending north and south (from the top to the bottom of the County) dividing the County into east-west portions.  The North-South baseline shall be the east borders of Echo (T31N, R7W), Kearney (T30N, R7W) and Custer (T29N, R7W).

H.  Premises means any lot or parcel of land owned by any person, firm, corporation, association or other legal entity, public or private, with any building or structure, whether occupied or not.

I.    Primary Structure shall include but not be limited to a residential building, mobile home, commercial building, industrial building, office building, public building, utility structure, garage, or a storage facility.  A primary structure must be permanent in nature (i.e., not a travel trailer, movable shed, or other non-permanent structure).  When a residence is located on premises with other permanent structures, the residence will be considered the primary structure for purposes of this ordinance.

J.    Private road means a privately owned and maintained road, allowing access to three (3) or more residences or places of business which is normally open to the public and upon which persons other than the owners, located thereon, may also travel and is used as the principal means of access notwithstanding, that they may be temporarily or seasonally closed or be subject to travel restrictions.

K.  Public road means a road, street or place maintained by the State or a public subdivision of the State, and generally open to use by the public notwithstanding, that it may be temporarily or seasonally closed or subject to travel restrictions.

L.   Street number (road number) means any series of numbers assigned by the Equalization Department, in conformity with the County Street and Road Numbering Ordinance for the purposes of identification of a particular premises location in relation to the numbering system.

M.  Street or road name means any official name as recognized by government authority.

Section V: Regulation

A. All premises shall have and display a distinctive street number in accordance with this ordinance and as designated upon the street and road numbering maps on file with the Equalization Department. The maps, by reference, together with any revisions thereof, shall become a part of this ordinance. Vacant parcels will not be assigned a street numbering address.

B. Any owner of any premises shall display, upon the street front of such premises, designated numbers, as follows:

1. Each primary structure shall display a street or road number.

2. Numbers shall be displayed in block Arabic numerals on building fronts and shall be of a contrasting color to their background and shall be not less than three (3) inches (7.62 centimeters) in height. Either the numbers or the background shall be a reflective material.

3. After the date of the adoption of this amended ordinance, street or road number signs shall be visible from the roadway on which the number is assigned. 

4. Numbers may be displayed on a house or other building if the structure is immediately adjacent to and plainly visible from the road and the numbers meet or exceed the minimum requirements of this ordinance.   Numbers shall be displayed in block Arabic numerals on house or other building fronts and shall be of a contrasting color to their background and shall be not less than three (3) (7.62 centimeters) inches in height.  Either the numbers or the background shall be a reflective material.

5. The owner of a structure shall cause the assigned street or road number to be displayed upon the house or building or upon a post of suitable strength and construction.  A round or square wood post shall not exceed a maximum of four (4) inches in diameter, or a pipe post or any steel post shall not exceed a maximum of two inches in diameter, with two (2) pounds per foot maximum weight.  The post shall be placed immediately adjacent to the driveway of the premises. The top of the sign shall be no less than four (4) feet above the ground.  Such street or road numbers shall be placed on both sides of the post as to be plainly visible from road traffic lanes in either direction of travel.  

C. The following are specific regulatory terms:

1. Apartments: Individual apartment buildings and group housing projects shall have one street or road number. Individual dwellings within the apartment building shall be assigned suffix letters or numbers by the management of the apartment building in accordance with County policy (e.g. 121 S. Maple Street, Apt. B).

2. Duplexes: Separate street or road numbers shall be assigned to the entrances of a duplex house. For upstairs dwellings which have outside entrances the entrance will be the point of numbering. 

3. Mobile Home Parks: Each road within the mobile home park shall be named and each mobile home shall have a street number.

4. Office Suites: Office buildings with suites shall have one street or road number.  Individual suites within the office building shall be assigned suffix letters or numbers by the management of the office building in accordance with County policy.

5. Strip Malls, Business and Industrial Districts: In strip malls, business and industrial districts, each business having an outside access shall be numbered from that access.

6. Suffix Letters and Numbers: Suffix letters and/or numbers assigned to dwellings, office suites, apartments, and other buildings shall first be registered with and approved by the Equalization Department.

7. Temporary display:  House and structures under construction shall post a temporary display of street numbers consistent with the department or agency’s permit or policy concerning display of temporary street numbers.  

8. Others:  In the event a structure or house is not covered by any of the above regulatory descriptions for displaying a street number, the Equalization Department may assign the manner of such display consistent with the size and intent of the structure.   

D.  Numbers shall be assigned and recorded by the Equalization Department in accordance with this ordinance. As a person faces away from the baseline, even numbers shall be assigned on the right side and odd numbers on the left side of all streets and roads.

E.   Private Roads/Driveways/and Easements: All roadways with more than two structures using it for access or the possibility of access must be named and all structures must be numbered off that roadway. Road naming or road name changes are the responsibility of the property owner(s). Determination is made by the person creating the road or by simple majority of property owners. The name must then be submitted to the township and the Equalization Department for approval.  Approval will not be given for duplicate, confusing names (i.e. Golfview Drive and Golfview Lane), family names (upon adoption of this ordinance and into the future) or offensive/obscene road names.  A private road sign meeting Road Commission standards (standard street or road signs shall be constructed of either extruded aluminum or flat sheet aluminum that is nine (9) inches tall and is covered with blue reflective sheeting with white block letters that are six (6) inches tall) must be erected within thirty (30) days of receiving street or road name approval. Costs and compliance are the responsibility of the owner(s)/development unless the Township agrees to cover the cost.  A right of way use permit must be obtained from the Antrim County Road Commission for all such signs placed in the County.

F.   The Equalization Department will notify townships periodically of MSAG changes.

G.  The County Road Commission will notify the Equalization Department of any public street or road changes or additions.

H.  Street or road names shall not be changed without approval of the appropriate unit of government and/or agency, which may include the Township, Equalization Department, the Antrim County Road Commission, the State of Michigan, the Villages of Bellaire, Central Lake , Elk Rapids, Ellsworth or Mancelona for roads and streets under their jurisdiction.

I.    All premises shall be assigned a property identification number. Said identification numbers will be the basis for location on the 911 Dispatch Mapping System and shall be cross indexed to the owner of the property and the available telephone numbers.  Street or road numbers will not be issued unless all applicable information is provided.

J.    The County numbering system may be used to number properties along the portions of the roads that border a City or Village regardless of whether the property being numbered is located within the City’s or Village’s boundaries or within a Township’s boundaries.  The Equalization Department will coordinate the use of the most feasible numbering system for the area and work with the government unit involved. 

K.  New street or road names or changes in street or road names must match platted names, when applicable.

Section VI: Violation and Penalty

A. Failure to display street numbers in accordance with this ordinance shall be considered a violation of this ordinance:

1. Within thirty (30 days) after assignment of street number, or

2. Within thirty (30 days) of the effective date of this ordinance, or

3. In the case of new construction, prior to physical occupancy or within thirty (30) days after a letter or certificate of occupancy has been issued, whichever occurs first, or

4. Temporary display within the time period required by the building permit issued. 

B. A violation of this Ordinance is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, a nuisance per se and is hereby further declared to be offensive to the public health, safety and welfare and, in addition to the imposition of fines, penalties and other legal remedies, after written notice to the owner of property, the County, or its designee, may cause the proper posting of numbers and the cost thereof will be assessed against the owner of such premises and, as permitted by law, may become a lien upon the property.

C. Any person who violates any provision of this Ordinance shall be responsible for a municipal civil infraction as defined in Public Act 12 of 1994, amending Public Act 236 of 1961, being Sections 600.101 – 600.9939 of Michigan Compiled Laws, and shall be subject to a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00).  Each day this Ordinance is violated shall be considered as a separate violation.

D. The head of the Equalization Department, the Sheriff, Sheriff Deputies and other officials appointed by the County Board of Commissioners are hereby designated as the authorized county officials to issue municipal civil infraction citations.   

Section VII:  Repealer

The Antrim County Uniform Street and Road Numbering System Ordinance enacted September 12, 1991, as amended, is hereby repealed in its entirety upon the effective date of this ordinance.

Section VIII: Savings Clause

The repeal of the Antrim County Uniform Street and Road Numbering Ordinance enacted September 12, 1991, as amended, shall not affect any rights acquired, fines, penalties, forfeitures or liabilities incurred there under or actions involving any of the provisions of said ordinance, as amended. Said ordinance repealed is hereby continued in force and effect after the passage, approval and publication of this Ordinance for the purpose of such rights, fines, penalties, forfeitures, liabilities and actions therefore.

Section IX: Construction

This ordinance shall not supersede any existing city or village authority for street numbering, but shall be in addition to and not in conflict with all other laws and ordinances respecting street and road numbering.

Section X: Severability

The provisions of this ordinance are hereby declared to be severable and if any clause, sentence, word, section or provision is declared void or unenforceable, for any reason, by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining portions of said ordinance shall remain in effect.

Section XI: Effective Date

This Ordinance shall take effect upon publication of notice of adoption.