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This section applies to the change of name of an existing street or alley, or to the naming of an already-existing but unnamed street or alley. The purpose of the street renaming procedures is to ensure use of clear and unique street names so that emergency personnel may find the streets without being hindered by similar or confusing names. Approval of street names is not a land use decision.

(1) Procedures, Street Renaming, Public and Private.

(a) Public Streets. A public street renaming application shall be processed using Type IV procedures with the City Council being the approving authority. The decision of the City Council is final. A certified copy of the approving ordinance and exhibits shall be filed with the County Recorder, Assessor, and Surveyor for the name change to become effective.

(b) Private Streets or Driveways. A private street or driveway renaming application shall be processed according to Type II land use review procedures a Type II, with the Planning Director being the approving authority. The decision of the Planning Director may be appealed to the Planning Commission per Section 10.140.

(2) Approval Criteria, Street Renaming, Public and Private.

The approving authority shall not approve any street name unless it finds that the proposed name is consistent with the following criteria:

(a) Proposed names shall not be the same or similar to any other street name in Jackson County;

(b) The proposed street name must not sound the same, although spelled differently (a homonym), as any other street name in Jackson County;

(c) The proposed street name must be simple to pronounce;

(d) The proposed street name shall not contain Cardinal directions (north, south, east, west)

(e) The proposed street name shall not contain offensive or derogatory terms;

(f) The proposed street name shall not contain punctuation or special characters;

(g) When a street makes a directional change of approximately 90 degrees or more, the street name shall change;

(h) Street names shall continue across intersections and roundabouts;

(i) A street may not loop around in such a way that it creates two intersections with one other street, unless the street name at one intersection is different; and,

(j) The proposed street name must have a suffix from Table 10.458-(1), Permitted Medford Street Suffixes below.

Table 10.458-(1). Permitted Medford Street Suffixes

Suffix

Abbreviation

Description

Avenue

AVE

Street that is continuous and not limited to a single subdivision

Boulevard

BLVD

Street with a landscaped median dividing the right-of-way

Circle

CIR

Permanently Dead-End Street Terminating in a Cul-de-sac

Court

CT

Permanently dead-end street or termination in a cul-de-sac, not longer than 660 feet in length

Drive

DR

Curvilinear Street

Lane

LN

Lower-Order Street

Parkway

PKWY

Higher-Order Street with a Median

Place

PL

Permanently Dead-End Street, Termination in a Cul-de-sac, or Short Through Street, Not Longer than 450 Feet in Length

Road

RD

Higher-Order Street

Street

ST

Common or Default Suffix

Way

WAY

Curvilinear Street

(3) Application, Street Renaming, Public and Private. Street renaming applications shall be submitted to the Medford Planning Department on applications forms supplied by the Planning Department.

(a) Public Streets. The application for public street renaming shall require the following:

(i) Signed application form

(ii) Jackson County Assessor’s map(s) showing entire length of subject street;

(iii) Typed mailing labels for:

(A) Property owners with property abutting subject street; and

(B) Property owners with property that has an address, or may have an address in the future, on subject street.

(iv) Application fee in amount established by City Council paid upon application submittal.

(v) Street sign fee in amount as required to replace all necessary street signs per the standards and specifications established by the City of Medford and/or the Department of Motor Vehicles of the State of Oregon.

(b) Private Streets. The application for private street renaming shall require the following:

(i) All items listed in section 10.458(3)(a).

(ii) Signatures of all affected property owners.

(iii) If the application is approved, a signed and recorded copy of a Declaration of Private Street/Driveway form must be provided to the Medford Planning Department for the name change to become effective.

[Added Sec. 2, Ord. No. 2012-15, Jan. 19, 2012; Amd. Sec. 159, Ord. No. 2018-64, Jun. 21, 2018 (effective Jul. 23, 2018).]