MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF SHELBURNE

CIVIC ADDRESSING BY-LAW

BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the Municipality of the District of Shelburne, under the authority of the Municipal Government Act, wishes to adopt the following by-law:

1.  SHORT TITLE

This By-Law may be cited as By-Law  C-100, the “Civic Addressing By-Law”.

2.  CONFLICT WITH OTHER BY-LAWS

Nothing in this by-law shall be construed as authorizing non-compliance with any laws, regulations, by-laws, lawful orders or directives pursuant to any other statute, regulation or statutory or regulatory authority that may require the posting of civic numbering on structures or properties or the posting of street names on private roads or which may specify standards in respect of the posting of civic numbers or street names.

3.  DEFINITIONS

In this By-Law:

(a)  “Civic Address” means civic number, street name and general service area;

(b) “Civic Number” means the number assigned to a property by this by-law or by the civic addressing co-ordinator;

(c) “Civic Address File” means the NSCAF data base containing geographically reference civic address information including civic points, street network file and general service area boundaries;

(d) “Civic Addressing Co-ordinator” means the Civic Addressing Co-ordinator appointed by the Council of the Municipality of the District of Shelburne to administer this by-law;

(e)  “General Service Area (GSA)” means the community or geographic area contained within the Municipal Unit by which all street names are uniquely coded for the delivery of the NSE-911 Program;

(f)  “Owner” has the same meaning as the owner of property in the Municipal Government Act or successor legislation from time to time;

(g)  “Private Road” means any street, road, lane, bridge or other thoroughfare accessible to motor vehicles which is not a street as defined in subsection (h) and which serves as a principal vehicular access to dwelling units or buildings and is not owned by the Municipality of the District of Shelburne or the Province of Nova Scotia;

(h)  “Street” means any public street, highway, road, lane, bridge, or thoroughfare accessible to vehicular traffic owned by the Province of Nova Scotia, the Municipality of the District of Shelburne or any other municipality including a public highway;

(i)  “Street Name” means the official name of a street and street type as it appears in the civic address file; and

(j)   “Street Name Sign” means the name plate and the sign post for private roads.

4.  DUTIES OF CIVIC ADDRESSING CO-ORDINATOR

The Civic Addressing Co-ordinator:

(1)  Shall be responsible for the further assigning of civic numbers to lots or buildings and shall keep or supervise the keeping of a property information record or system identifying all civic numbers assigned by the Municipality of the District of Shelburne.  The Civic Addressing Co-ordinator may assign civic numbers to lots or buildings for which subdivision approval, or a development or building permit is sought or obtained.  The Civic Addressing Co-ordinator is not obliged to assign civic numbers to undeveloped lots, and may assign more than one civic number to a lot;

(2)  May, by written notice to an owner, change or reassign civic numbers where reasonably necessary to avoid potentially confusing numbering discontinuities or irregularities and to assure an adequate supply of civic numbers for existing and future development.

5.  CIVIC NUMBER SPECIFICATIONS

(1)  The owner of a property shall keep posted on the property the assigned civic number;

(2)  The Civic number shall be posted in the following manner:
            (a)  civic numbers shall be easily identified and legible;
            (b) the minimum height of numbers on all residential properties shall not be less than four inches (100 mm);
            (c)  the bottom of the numbers shall be a minimum of thirty six inches above grade;
            (d)  civic numbers shall either be composed of  highly reflective material or be effectively illuminated during the hours of darkness;
            (e)  civic numbers shall be displayed on the same side of a public street or a private road as the property is located and be visible from either direction;
            (f)  civic numbers shall be displayed in a location which is not obstructed from view when viewed  from the closest place on the travelled portion of the public street or private road upon which the property is situated or from which it has access; and
            (g)  Civic numbers shall be displayed in a horizontal orientation.

(3)  The Building Inspector may refuse to issue an occupancy permit for the property before the assigned civic number is posted for the property.

6.  MAINTENANCE

The owner of a property shall maintain the civic number for the property in good order.

7.  PROHIBITED POSTINGS

(1)  An owner shall not post or permit to be posted any part of a civic address which is not assigned to the property; and

(2)  An owner shall not display on a property any number which is not the assigned civic number with the exception of a lot number, unit number or a number which is clearly part of a business name.  No lot number, unit number or suite number shall be posted without the word “lot”, “unit” or “suite” preceding the posted number.

8.  STREET NAMING

1. The Civic Addressing Coordinator shall be responsible for the submitting of proposed road/lane names as follows:

(a)  Notifying resident(s) as to the requirement of a road/lane name whether it is private or public and/or receiving a request for a road/name from resident(s);
(b) Researching the name(s) to ensure there are no duplications or close similarities with other names in the Municipality;
(c)  Verifying with Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal of the proposed name(s) to ensure there are no duplications or close similarities;
(d)  Submitting the name(s) to the Council of the Municipality of the District of Shelburne for approval;
(e) Once a decision is made by Council, ensuring that the road/lane information is entered into the E911 system and all other necessary departments are notified;
(f) Notifying residents as to the decision of Council and/or any new or changed civic number(s).

1. In extraordinary circumstances where time is of the essence, the Civic Addressing Coordinator may approve a road/lane name, in consultation with the District Councillor, to be ratified by Council.

9.  PRIVATE ROAD SIGNAGE

(1)  The owner of a private road which intersects a public street or private road shall take the following steps to maintain a sign at every intersection identifying the private road by name as follows:

            (a)  Obtain approvals to install a street name sign from any person or regulatory authority whose permission is required by law to install and sign; and

            (b) Maintain in good condition, and replace as necessary, a sign in a manner consistent with the following requirements:

1. Sign shall be white lettering on a blue background;
2. Lettering shall be no less than four inches and be of reflective or illuminated material;
3. Signs shall be double sided and placed at the entrance of the private road;
4. Replacement of any vandalized or stolen signs or parts shall be the responsibility of the property owners located on the private road.

(2)  The Municipality of the District of Shelburne shall be responsible for the initial installation of all private road signs and parts.

10.  COMPLIANCE

In the event of contravention of this by-law, in addition to any prosecution or other remedy, the Municipality may:

(1)  Prepare a notice in writing to the owner, deliver by registered mail, to undertake remedial action including, but not limited to, the re-posting of a street name sign for a private road.

(2)  If the remedial action has not been undertaken or completed within twenty-one (21) days of notification, the Municipality of the District of Shelburne may enter upon the private property of an owner and undertake the remedial work, and charge and collect the cost of the work, as per the Municipal Government Act.

11.  OFFENCES

Any person who violates any provision of this by-law may be guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction by a fine of not less than One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars and not more than Five Hundred ($500.00) Dollars.