2-1-8: CHANGING EXISTING STREET NAMES:

   A.   Public Hearing Required: Existing street names may only be changed by an affirmative action of the board at a public hearing.

      1.   Exceptions to public hearing requirement:

         a.   Correction of scrivener's errors.

         b.   Private lane that only affects applicant's address.

         c.   Street names initially approved by the Street Name Committee, but later found to be non-compliant with this chapter, may be changed if the change does not affect existing addresses in use.

   B.   Initiation Of Change:

      1.   The county assessor or another public agency may request a street name change if the current name is not in compliance with this chapter and/or the current name negatively impacts public safety or the delivery of public services.

      2.   An owner of property along a street may request that a street name be changed by filing an application with the county assessor. In order for the application to be considered, the property owner must first obtain approval for the change from seventy-five percent (75%) of the property owners along the subject street.

   C.   Application: A street name change application shall contain the following:

      1.   A completed application form, provided by the county assessor.

      2.   A map or plan that accurately depicts the location and names of existing and proposed streets.

      3.   An explanation of the reasons for the requested name change.

      4.   A list of the names, signatures, and addresses of the property owners who are impacted by the street name change who consent to the street name change, amounting to at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the affected addressed properties.

   D.   Application Review:

      1.   The county assessor shall review proposed street names for conformance with the requirements of this chapter and shall schedule a board hearing for applications that are found to be in compliance.

      2.   As part of the review process, the county assessor shall forward the application to certain agencies for review, and those agencies shall be given ten (10) business days to provide comment on the application's compliance with this chapter and the agency's standards. The county assessor shall consider these comments in determining whether to approve or deny an application for a board hearing. Applications must be sent to the following agencies for review: Ada County Highway District, Ada County Sheriff dispatch, the fire department responsible for properties accessed by the subject street, and if the street is within an incorporated city or city impact area, that city's planning department or another appropriate department if there is no planning department.

      3.   The county assessor shall notify the applicant of the results of the review. If an application is denied, the reasons for denial shall be provided to the applicant.

   E.   Notice Of Public Hearing: All owners of property along the subject street shall be notified by mail of the public hearing at least thirty (30) days before the hearing. The notice shall include the reason for the change and information about the board hearing.

   F.   Effective Date: Upon an affirmative action by the board, a street name change shall become effective sixty (60) days after the date of the board's decision.

   G.   Notice Of Change: The county assessor shall mail notices of a street name change to affected property owners within seven (7) days of the board's decision. The county assessor shall notify certain public agencies of a street name change within thirty (30) days of the board's decision. Notice shall be provided to affected agencies, as determined by the county assessor, including but not limited to, public health and safety agencies, the United States Postal Service and utility companies.

   H.   Subsequent Address Changes: After a street name change, the county assessor shall change the addresses of any affected structures or properties to reflect the new street name, according to the requirements of this chapter.

   I.   Correcting Plat Scrivener's Errors:

      1.   In the event a plat is recorded with a scrivener's error, including but not limited to a misspelled street name or an incorrect or missing pre-directional or post type, the county assessor may correct the street name on the plat by filing an affidavit of street name change with the county recorder.

      2.   The county assessor shall mail a notice of the filing of the street name change affidavit to all owners of property along the subject street at least fourteen (14) days prior to recordation.

      3.   If, as determined by the county assessor, the incorrect street name is significantly different in spelling or pronunciation from the correct name and the incorrect name is already in public use, the street name change affidavit must be approved by the board at a public hearing prior to recordation. The county assessor shall send notice per subsection D of this section prior to the hearing.

   J.   Correcting Plat Street Names to Match Existing Street Names:

      1.   In the event a previously recorded plat depicts a street name that doesn't reflect the existing street name, and there is no previously recorded affidavit indicating a street name change noted on the plat, the county assessor may correct the street name on the plat by filing an affidavit of street name change with the county recorder.

(Ord. 1001, 9-9-2025)