CHAPTER 3- --
UNIFORM RURAL ADDRESS SYSTEM
TITLE IV - STREETS, ROADS, PUBLIC WAYS, AND TRANSPORTATION

 

SECTION 1.  PURPOSE
This ordinance mandates the use of a uniform rural address system for residents of Jones County in order to promote the convenience, safety, and general welfare of those residents and provides for a penalty.
 
SECTION 2.  DEFINITIONS
For use in this ordinance, the following terms or words shall be interpreted or defined as follows:
 
      A.    "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, unincorporated association, or other entity.
 
      B.    "Subdivision" shall mean the division of a tract of land into separate lots or parcels for the purpose of transfer of ownership or building development.
 
      C.    "Building" shall mean a roofed and/or walled structure built for permanent use.
 
      D.    "Base Map" shall mean the map used by the agency coordinating the uniform rural address system in Jones County. Such a map shall indicate all addresses in Jones County subject to the provisions of this ordinance.
 
      E.    "Engineer" shall mean the Jones County Engineer.
 
      F.    "E911 Addressing Coordinator" shall mean the Jones County E911 Addressing Coordinator.
 
      G.    "Business" means any commercial operation conducted at a given location and separated from all other activities or uses at that location.
 
      H.    "Uniform Rural Address System" means the numbers assigned to each dwelling or business in Jones County, Iowa, and the numbers or names of the roads in Jones County, Iowa.
 
      I.    "Address Identification Markers" are the means by which the address of each rural business or residence is displayed.
 
      J.    "Road Identification Markers" are the means by which the name or number of each rural road or street is displayed.
 
SECTION 3.  ESTABLISHMENT BY ORDINANCE
The Board shall, by ordinance, establish the street and avenue type of uniform rural address system to be used in Jones County, Iowa.
 
SECTION 4.  EXTENT OF SYSTEM
The uniform rural address system shall extend over the entire unincorporated areas of Jones County except for those areas already using the system of a nearby incorporated area.  Any incorporated area, upon presentation of a written request from the governing body of such city to the Board, may also be included in the uniform rural address system.
 
SECTION 5.  IMPLEMENTATION OF SYSTEM
The E911 Board shall direct the E911 Addressing Coordinator to:
 
      A.    Verify the accuracy of the base map that shall be used in the assignment of addresses.
 
      B.    Make all necessary corrections and updates to that map.
 
      C.    Assign addresses in accordance with the system selected by the Board.
 
      D.    Purchase sign assembly materials which meet Iowa Department of Transportation specifications.
 
      E.    Develop, print, and make available rural reference maps.
 
      F.    Notify post offices, rural emergency providers, dispatchers, emergency vehicles, and county offices, located in adjacent counties whereby such districts overlap into Jones County of the effective date of the system and the address assignments.
 
      G.    Notify all residents affected by this mandatory system, by publication and posting, of the following:
 
            1.    How to use the system.
 
            2.    That road markers have been placed.
 
            3.    That permanent address markers have been placed indicating the assigned house number.
 
            4.    That maintenance of the system is required.
 
            5.    How to obtain address markers for new structures.
 
            6.    There is a penalty for refusing to use the system and for removing, damaging, defacing, altering, or destroying the address marker.
 
            7.    All subdivision plats shall be reviewed by the E911 Coordinator prior to acceptance of final subdivision plat.
 
            8.    Upon approval of the subdivision, the developer must purchase and install markers identifying streets within the subdivision in accordance with current specifications.
 
SECTION 6.  ROAD MARKERS
The County Engineer shall supervise the installation of road identification markers at each public road intersection in Jones County whereby the provisions of this ordinance apply.  Such markers shall be in place on or before the date the system takes effect.
 
All subdivisions and non-public roads or accesses which require Road Marker Identification shall be assigned a number designation consistent with the E911 grid system for the first route off of the public road system.  This grid system designation shall continue for this route at least up to the first intersection.  All other non-public roads must be identified by a name or number consistent with the official platted subdivision or survey. Sign placement in public right-of-way shall be installed by Jones County. Sign placement other than in public right-of-way shall be installed by subdivision owner(s).
 
The E911 Addressing Coordinator shall be responsible for the initial purchase and installation of permanent markers identifying roads within subdivisions approved by the Board of Supervisors prior to January 1, 1998.
 
Maintenance of the subdivision street markers shall be the responsibility of the developer and/or any home owners association now or hereafter created of the subdivision for which the markers are identifying.
 
After January 1, 1998, the developer of a subdivision is responsible for purchasing the street markers from the E911 Addressing Coordinator and for the installation and maintenance of the street identification markers thereafter in accordance with the current specifications.
 
SECTION 7.  HOUSE NUMBERS
Jones County
will provide for every person owning, controlling, occupying, or using any house, store, storeroom, or building situated  on premises fronting any public way as provided in Section 4, an assigned number.  Any house number existing at the time the provisions of this ordinance take effect and that is different than the newly assigned number shall be removed at the time the new number is assigned.
 
A permanent marker with the assigned number affixed shall be placed to the right of the driveway on the right of way line as you face the property from the road.  Alternate placement will be allowed only by written approval from both the E911 Board and the Board of Supervisors.
 
The provisions of this ordinance shall not apply to accessory buildings but may apply to such buildings located on a separate unit of frontage if requested by the owner or proprietor and approved.
 
Property owners within a private subdivision shall be responsible for the purchase, installation, and maintenance of address identification signs at commercial and residential facilities within their subdivision.  These shall conform to the same standards required for other Address Identification Markers.
 
SECTION 8.  MAINTENANCE OF UNIFORM RURAL ADDRESS SYSTEM
      A.    The County Engineer shall be responsible for the maintenance of the road identification signs in Jones County.
 
      B.    The E911 Addressing Coordinator shall be responsible for the initial purchase and installation of the Address Identification  Markers while the initial system is being developed.  The E911 Addressing Coordinator's duties shall also include assignment of all new addresses, updating maps, making available new maps, making periodic checks of the rural areas of Jones County to insure that the provisions of this ordinance are being complied with, and any other duties necessary to insure the continued maintenance of the uniform rural address system of Jones County.
 
      C.    Maintenance of the Address Identification Markers shall be the responsibility of the occupants of the respective properties for which the markers are addressing.
 
      D.    After initial development of the system, the occupants of the respective properties for which address identification markers are addressing shall be responsible for obtaining the signs from the E911 Addressing Coordinator and for the installation and maintenance of the address identification marker thereafter in accordance with the current specifications.
 
      E.    Jones County shall provide, at no additional cost to the person, the initial acquisition of address identification markers for any business or resident.  Additional signs shall be provided for a nominal fee.
 
SECTION 9.  NEW STRUCTURES
Every person erecting a building as set forth under the provisions of Section 7 of this ordinance but after the date the uniform rural address system becomes effective shall, within seven (7) days of commencement of construction, notify the E911 Addressing Coordinator who shall within fourteen (14) days assign a number to such structure.  The provisions of Section 5 and Section 7 shall be applicable to any person subject to the provisions of this section.
 
SECTION 10. PENALTY
Refusal to use or maintain the Uniform Rural Address System, or the removal, damaging, defacing, alteration, or destruction of the Uniform Rural Address Marker which indicates a premises assigned number or the removal, damaging, alteration, or destruction of a rural address system marker intentionally damaged by one who has no right to so act may be punished by a fine of not more than $100.00 or by imprisonment of not more than 30 days.  In addition, any violation of this section shall be a county infraction which is punishable by a civil penalty of not more than $100.00 for each violation, or if the infraction is a repeat offense a civil penalty not exceeding $200.00 for each repeat offense.
 
SECTION 11. REPEALER
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed.
 
SECTION 12. SEVERABILITY CLAUSE
If any section, provision, or part of this ordinance shall be adjudged invalid or unconstitutional, such adjudication shall not affect the validity of the ordinance as a whole or any section, provision or part thereof not adjudged invalid or unconstitutional.
 
SECTION 13. WHEN EFFECTIVE
This ordinance shall be in effect after its final passage, approval, and publication as provided by law.
 
 
Passed and approved April 23, 1991
Published May 8 and 9, 1991
 
Replaced October 18, 1994
Published November 2 and 3, 1994
 
Amended April 4, 1995
Published April 19 and 20, 1995
 
Amended November 4, 1997
Published November 19, 20, and 21, 1997