§ 23-182. Roadway name changes.

(a)

Who may submit petitions; required information. Petitions for roadway name changes may be submitted by any property owner abutting the roadway involved or an adversely affected citizen of Hernando County. Petitions shall be made to the department and shall contain the proposed name, a list of adjacent property owners, copies of maps or plats showing the exact location of the roadway, a general location map, the appropriate fees for roadway name changes and written approval of the new name or name change by a majority of the property owners abutting the roadway.

(b)

Review of petitions; notice to property owners; approval or denial. Petitions for roadway name changes submitted by a property owner that complies with the county roadway naming and addressing procedures and all department-initiated roadway name changes shall be reviewed by the department. The department will send by certified mail a "notice of intent to change a roadway name" to all property owners abutting the roadway involved. The property owners will be given fifteen (15) days to send their response to the department. If there is no opposition or no response is received, the department will consider the roadway name change petition and approve or deny the request for a roadway name change.

(c)

Procedure in case of opposition. Should there be opposition to a roadway name change petition and alternate names are considered, the department may schedule a public hearing with the board of county commissioners. Should a hearing be necessary, notice will be mailed at least ten (10) days before the hearing to all property owners abutting the roadway and shall be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation within the county no less than ten (10) days prior to the hearing. Those in favor or against the petition will have a chance to testify before the board of county commissioners. The board will approve or deny the request for the roadway name change. The department will notify the property owners abutting the roadway affected stating the outcome of the hearing.

(d)

Department-initiated changes. The department may initiate roadway names or changes when any of the following conditions exist:

(1)

Where there is an existing duplication of roadway names within the county;

(2)

Where a roadway has a similar sounding name to another roadway, regardless of any difference in spelling;

(3)

Where a roadway has more than one name and a change to a single name would be in the interest of the public safety and welfare;

(4)

Where there is one or more roadway serving more than one residence; or

(5)

Where emergency response services has reported a response problem to a particular roadway.

(6)

When it is deemed by the department to be in the best interest of the general public.

(e)

Appeals. Any property owner adversely affected by the actions of the department may appeal such action to the board of county commissioners. Prior to appealing to the board, a letter must be filed with the department stating the intent to appeal, and all concerned property owners must be notified.

(Ord. No. 94-03, § 7, 2-22-94; Ord. No. 2004-02, § 7, 1-6-04)