...Title
Incorporated County of Los Alamos Code Ordinance No. 02-287; an Ordinance Adopting a New Article to be Added to Chapter 34, Streets, Sidewalks and Other Public Places, to be Designated Article IV and Entitled “Addressing and Road Naming,” and Amending Other Provisions of the Code to be Consistent Therewith.
...Recommended Action
I move that Council Adopt Incorporated County of Los Alamos Ordinance No. 02-287, an Ordinance Adopting a New Article to be Added to Chapter 34, Streets, Sidewalks and Other Public Places, to be Designated Article IV and Entitled “Addressing and Road Naming,” and Amending Other Provisions of the Code to be Consistent Therewith and ask staff to assure that it is published as provided in the County Charter.
-or-
I move that Council postpone consideration of County of Los Alamos Ordinance No. 02-287 and assign the _________ committee to review the proposed ordinance and provide recommendations regarding its adoption before rescheduling its consideration by Council.
...County Manager's Recommendation
The County Manager recommends that Council adopt Incorporated County of Los Alamos Ordinance No. 02-287.
...Body
The purpose of the proposed ordinance is to establish a consistent methodology for assigning physical addresses and naming roads in the County in order to facilitate the easy and rapid location of properties by Emergency Services; to coordinate orderly growth, development approval and construction-permitting services; for property taxation; for utility services and billing; and to facilitate postal service, parcel delivery, and other such private and public services.
Council should note that the proposed ordinance would only apply to new actions as stated in Section 34-102 of the ordinance, i.e. new structures, combining or creating additional units or suites, locating or relocating mobile/manufactured homes, and consolidation or division of land. Existing addresses are currently governed under Chapter 18, Article II, Section 18-53 of County Code.
Previous efforts to develop an ordinance were undertaken in 2013, but no official action ensued. The issue was taken up again in 2017 as a result of efforts to clarify addressing for emergency services. Subsequently, an informal committee was formed and convened to review and consider provisions for a proposed ordinance. The committee consisted of representatives from the following County departments:
Public Works
Community Development
Fire
Police (Dispatch)
Public Utilities (Engineering and Customer Care)
Information Management (GIS Coordinator)
County Assessor’s Office
County Attorney’s Office
The United States Postal Service was also invited to attend and copied on correspondence. The committee met over several months resulting in the proposed ordinance presented herein. The ordinance will formally establish a County Addresser, responsible for carrying out and supporting the provisions of the ordinance. This responsibility, previously and unofficially performed by the County Surveyor, will more appropriately be performed by existing staff within the Planning Division, who also serve as liaisons to the Planning and Zoning Commission to which this ordinance references.
Due to recent public concerns expressed regarding this ordinance, an alternate motion allowing for a review of the ordinance by a presently unspecified committee prior to its adoption has been included for Council's consideration. If this alternate motion is adopted and no action is taken this evening, it is anticipated that the ordinance would need to be reintroduced at the time that a revised ordinance is developed.
...Alternatives
Council could choose not to adopt this ordinance.
...Fiscal and Staff Impact/Planned Item
There is minimal staff and fiscal impact.
…Attachments
A - Incorporated County of Los Alamos Code Ordinance No. 02-287
B - Publication Notice