Fiscal Note
This resolution updates the Madison Engineering Division Official Street Naming Policy and the Policy for Street Name Changes. Costs associated with street names are funded at the time of street naming or renaming by the entities involved with development or a street naming project. No appropriation is required.
Title
Updating the Madison Engineering Division Street Naming Policy for New Streets and the Engineering Division Policy for Street Name Changes.
Body
WHEREAS, the Common Council, by Resolution No. 12,459, File Number 5055-47, adopted in 1967, approved a “General Policy - Street Names” for the criteria and process for approving of new names and changing of existing street names; and
WHEREAS, Section 10.34 - STREET NAMES AND ADDRESSES, Madison General Ordinances, establishes requirements and standards for street names and addresses. This section of the General Ordinances was last repealed and recreated by the Common Council adopted by action on February 27, 2007, Enactment Number ORD-07-00030, File ID 04160; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works approved a “Policy for Street Name Changes” on April 22, 2015, File ID 38,082 for parties requesting the renaming an official street name within the City of Madison. The Policy sets forth the procedures and criteria for the renaming an official street name; and
WHEREAS, the City of Madison Engineering Division developed and applied additional criteria over several decades used for the review and approval of official street names within the City of Madison; and
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 12,459, Section 10.34 of the City of Madison General Ordinances and the Policy for Street Name Changes assign the review and approval of official street names by the City of Madison Engineer; and
WHEREAS in July 2021, The City of Madison conducted a Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiative Analysis of the existing street naming program; and
WHEREAS, the RESJI analysis found that the current guidance and policy for the naming and renaming of official public street names needs to be more inclusive due to City of Madison Residents being from many diverse cultural backgrounds; and
WHEREAS there is also another resolution running concurrently for approval of an Honorary Street Name Program and Criteria. The Honorary Street Names Program and Criteria generally allows for honorary street names to be approved addressing the need to honor historically underrepresented communities in Madison, and also addressing the need for celebration and veneration of important people in Madison.; and
WHEREAS, for consistency in the review and approval of street names the City of Madison Engineering Division proposes the repeal of Resolution No. 12,459, File Number 5055-47, adopted in 1967, “General Policy - Street Names”; and
WHEREAS, for better consistency in the review and approval of street names and to address issues of inequity associated with policies for the official naming and renaming of streets within the City of Madison, the City of Madison Engineering Division proposes for approval the “Madison Engineering Division - Street Naming Policy for New Streets” and the revised “Policy for Street Name Changes” attached hereto and made part of this resolution; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by approving this resolution, the City of Madison Common Council hereby repeals Resolution No. 12,459, File Number 5055-47, adopted in 1967, “General Policy - Street Names”.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED, for better consistency in the review and approval of street names and to address issues of inequity associated with policies for the official naming and renaming of streets within the City of Madison, the City of Madison Common Council hereby approves the attached “Madison Engineering Division - Street Naming Policy for New Streets” and the revised “Policy for Street Name Changes” revising and replacing the current “Policy for Street Name Changes” on April 22, 2015,File ID 38,082.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED, the City Engineer shall be responsible for the implementation of and future revisions to the attached “Madison Engineering Division - Street Naming Policy for New Streets” and the revised “Policy for Street Name Changes” under the advisement and approval by the City of Madison Board of Public Works.