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Home My WebLink About1997-07-08 - AGENDA REPORTS - STREET ADDRESS SYSTEM (2)AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approval Item to be presented by: Carl Boyer UNFINISHED BUSINESS DATE: July 8,, 1997 SUBJECT: POTENTIAL MODIFICATION OF SANTA CLARITA'S CURRENT STREET ADDRESS SYSTEM DEPARTMENT: City Council Earlier this year, Pacific Bell officials announced that portions of their clientele currently serviced by the "805" area code will be split within the next five years into two separate areas, serviced by two separate area code prefixes. A formal announcement on this matter could be made by Pacific Bell in the next four to six months. As Santa Clarita could be impacted by this action, at this time I believe it is appropriate for the City Council to discuss the merits of modifying the City's current address system if. an area code change should occur. In January of this year, the City Manager's Office provided the City Council with a report that outlined a potential strategy to modify Santa Clarita's address system should a change in our area code prefix occur. For the City Council's benefit, I have included those comments below: As indicated above, Pacific Bell has not made a final determination regarding the potential split of the existing "805" Area Code Service Area. At this time there are four (4) remaining options that are being considered by Pacific Bell concerning the creation of a new area code. Of these remaining four (4) options, two options call for Santa Clarita's area code to remain unchanged, while the other two options would cause a change to our area code prefix. It should be mentioned that the option that Santa Clarita favors (aligning our phone service area with Kern County, and maintaining our current area code) is still being considered by Pacific Bell. If Santa Clarita is impacted by a split of the "805" area code, a potential modification of the City s existing address system could be appropriate. As the City Council is aware, this potential modification would create some initial impacts upon Santa Clarita's local business community, the delivery of goods, the U.S. Postal Service and emergency service providers. In a related matter, City staff and the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce are currently working together in an effort to enhance business signage. Specifically, both Chamber and City staff will be working in conjunction with members of the business _ Continued To: nda It . 26 community in an effort to increase the size of the addresses which appear on their properties. It is staffs hope that by increasing the size of building addresses, residents will have an easier time locating specific businesses within the community. JUSTIFICATION TO SUPPORT MODIFICATION OF THE EXISTING CITY ADDRESS SYSTEM In my opinion, the City's present address system does not work. The following information outlines my concerns with our present address system, and the benefit that could be derived from the development of a new system. • The current street address numbers are essentially meaningless. It is bad for business to advertise street addresses which only prompt questions as to where that address is. Most people cannot even tell the local community in which a street number is located. • Citizens are inconvenienced having to make continual telephone calls to find out where businesses are. • A central point in Santa Clarita can be chosen and all street numbers will be one to four digits north, east, west or south. This will help identify communities. • Much of Santa Clarita is undeveloped. New numbers could be instituted in whole areas with no complications. • City residents will know they live in the City. County residents will know they live in the county. Potentially, we could see a reduction in complaints from county residents, who might also begin to question why they are paying higher taxes and getting less service than city residents. • As we develop our own street signs, to be put up in new areas, and to replace existing street signs in the normal course of maintenance, we can institute the new numbering system. SUGGESTED COURSE OF ACTION Pacific Bell can arbitrarily split the 805 area code, necessitating new letterheads and other listings for all businesses and residents. In my opinion, if the City was prepared to institute a new street numbering system concurrent with the area code change, we could eliminate unnecessary expense while accomplishing a worthwhile purpose. The modification of the City's address system would clearly impact all residential and commercial properties. In light of these potential impacts, I believe it would be appropriate to: 1. EDUCATE RESIDENTS TO THE ISSUE: Develop an informational piece for a future City Park and Recreation Guide. Give some information on the current system, and ask them for feedback. Do not ask a blind question on a public opinion poll without first attempting to educate residents. 2. DETERMINE IF SANTA CLARITA WILL BE IMPACTED BY AN AREA CODE PREFIX CHANGE If Santa Clarita is impacted as the result of an area code switch, gather information from Pacific Bell to determine when our area code will be changed. 3. REQUEST DIRECTION FROM THE COMMUNITY Discuss this issue at the next Community Strategic Planning Session. If participants are supportive of the issue, develop a community task force comprised of residents, businesses and City staff to conduct further research and create a "draft" new street numbering system. Finally, a potential modification to our address system may necessitate that we place this item on a future ballot for community consideration. RECOMMENDATION That the City Council review and discuss this matter. ATTACHMENT Letter From Ruth Newhall to Councilmember Boyer CB:GAC:kmt s:\m\cDund1\address.wpd RUTHNEWHRLL TEL No Ruth Newhall Fax (805) 521.1175 Date: February 7 1997 To: Councilman Carl Boyer 8055211175 Company: City of SAnta Clarita Fax# 259-8125 P.O. Box 409 Feb 7,97 19:24 N0.001 P.01 Phone (805) 521-1441 This message consists of 1 _ page Plru CA 93040 RECEIVED FEB 1 01997 CITY COUNCIL CITY OF BANTA CLARITA CONGRATULATIONS on taking steps to bring some sensibility into the street address system. (I particularly liked your commment that nobody can find street addresses in the whole valley. I cannot tell you how many times I have abandoned potential businesses because I coldn't find them (try to find them at 60 miles an hour while .being pushed down Soledadl). You didn't send me the Caravalho memo, but I assume your points follow his. • 1 agree with all points. Maybe the city (or some alert advertiser) could give out free change -of -address cards to citizens to help things along. • Thank you for hyphenating the village name. It will probably be the first time a reporter has correctly hyphenated any name that was not already filen in the computer. Too bad there isn't more news from Llanfairpwllgwyngy g gerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch so your careful study could be applied. • I don't envy the person who has to choose the central point from which all addresses flow. Of course it should be City Hall, but does that fit the topography.? }*.r • Numiifor each block (giving figures ending in 00 or 01) should be installed along with the street signs in type equally as large as the present large street signs. One nearby city (is it Thousand Oaks?) does that, and it is a Godsend. please, PLEASE PLEASE make all this come true. I know of no truly civilized city that deals with five numbersi Let's take a giant leap forward!