The purpose for this ordinance is to establish a more uniform street naming and street addressing system throughout the Town of Waitsfield to enable people to locate addresses effectively for providing emergency services and deliveries and thereby promoting the health and safety of the public.

a) Every street, road, or trail, whether public or private, which provides access to three or more residences or businesses shall be assigned a name by the Selectboard.  All road names will be separate and distinctive.  The Selectboard may change the names of streets and name new streets within the Town when necessary to promote the public welfare.

b) The Selectboard, upon adoption of this ordinance, shall institute a program for the installation and maintenance of street name signs in accordance with the names it establishes.  All signs shall be installed and maintained to the highest degree possible allowed by budget considerations.

Highways officially named by the Selectboard shall be measured in segments of one/one thousandth (1/1,000th) of a mile, or 5.28 feet, from a starting point designated by the Selectboard (or its designee).  Numbering of residences and businesses shall begin from the designated starting point commencing with numbers assigned by the Selectboard and increasing as they proceed away from the designated starting point.  Beginning at the designated starting point, even numbers shall be assigned to the right side of the street and odd numbers to the left. Numbers shall be assigned in relation to the location of a driveway, the main entrance to a residence or business, or the center of a structure, as deemed most appropriate by the Selectboard (or its designee).  Multiple unit structures composed of two or more units shall bear one number for the principal building and each unit shall be assigned a letter or number suffix.

a) Within sixty (60) days after the receipt of notice from the Selectboard (or its designee), the owner or occupant or person in charge of a house or other building to which the address has been assigned shall affix the number to the structure.  Numerals indicating the official numbers for each building shall be posted in a manner as to be legible and distinguishable from the street on which the property is located, with letters painted or applied, of contrasting color to the background, of not less than three inches (3") in height.  If a house or other building is situated in such a way that the numbers cannot be easily seen from the roadway in front of the structure, then a sign or number post must be used in front of the structure and placed in such a way that it can be easily seen from the roadway.  It shall be the responsibility of the owner or occupant or person in charge of any structure to maintain the sign or number post in a good state of repair.

b) It shall be the duty of such owner or occupant or person in charge thereof, upon affixing the assigned number, to remove any different number which might be mistaken for, or confused with, the number assigned to said structure by the Selectboard.

c) Each building shall display the number assigned to the frontage on which the front entrance is located.  A multiple unit structure (two or more units), whether owned by one or more persons or entities, shall display one number for the principal building, to be placed in such a manner as to be visible from the road.  Each unit in the multiple unit structure shall affix the letter or number suffix assigned to it at or near the front door of the unit.

a) Prior to the issuance of a Zoning Permit, the property owner or developer shall procure from the Selectboard (or its designee) an official street address for each new premises.  The owner or occupant or person in charge of any new premises shall display the official number of the premises in a permanent fashion pursuant to Article IV hereof within sixty (60) days of the completion of construction.

b) When development will involve the construction of new roads or driveways, either public or private, which will provide access to three or more residences or businesses, the developer shall propose street names to the Selectboard as needed, so that the road may be named in accordance with Article II hereof.  The developer shall be responsible for all reasonable costs and expenses associated with the Town of Waitsfield's installation of street name signs for new developments.

a) In the event that the owner or occupant or person in charge of any house or building refuses to comply with the terms of this ordinance by failing to affix the number assigned within sixty (60) days after notification, or fails within said period to remove any old numbers affixed to such house or building or elsewhere, which may be confused with the number assigned thereto, a fine of $10.00 for each day on non-compliance with the terms thereof shall be levied upon the property owner.  In addition, the Selectboard or its agents or employees shall have the authority to enter upon the premises of any house or building not in compliance with the terms of this ordinance and install a sufficient sign or number post in accordance with the provisions hereof and to charge the property owner all reasonable costs and expenses associated therewith.

b) There shall be a fine of $500.00 for vandalism (stealing, defacing, or destroying) of public signs within the Town of Waitsfield.

a) Severability: The provisions of this ordinance are declared to be severable and if any provision hereof be adjudged invalid such judgment shall not affect the validity of any other provision.

b) Separate Offenses: Each violation of a provision of this ordinance shall be deemed a separate offense.

c) Issuing Municipal Officials: The Selectboard or its designee, shall be recognized under this ordinance as issuing municipal officials under Articles IV & VIa (posting of designated street addresses).  All officers of the Vermont State Police and the Washington County Sheriff's Department shall be recognized under this ordinance as issuing municipal officials under Article IIb and VIb (vandalism of public signs).

d) Designation: This ordinance may be referred to as the Waitsfield Street Naming & Addressing Ordinance and in a prosecution hereunder a copy of such ordinance, certified by the Town Clerk shall be prima facie evidence thereof.  An allegation that the act constituting the offense charged is contrary to a specified provision of this ordinance shall be sufficient reference thereto.

e) Publication and Posting: This ordinance shall be published in the Valley Reporter on the 2nd day of October, 1997.  Copies of this ordinance shall be posted in five public places within Waitsfield and filed with the Waitsfield Town Clerk on the 30th day of September, 1997.

f) Effective Date: This ordinance shall become effective sixty (60) days from its date of adoption unless a Permissive Referendum is called for in accordance with 24 V.S.A. Section 1973.

ADOPTED by the Waitsfield Selectboard at its meeting held on the 22nd day of September, 1997.