The town is looking to update specifications for property owners on the proper display of street address numbers on buildings and mailboxes, to help further ensure quick response in an emergency.  A public hearing will be held tonight on proposed changes to code regarding specifics for affixing street address numbers.

The hearing will be part of the regular Town Council meeting set for 7 p.m. in Town Council Chambers at Town Hall, 909 Foxon Road. 

The existing rules are listed in Chapter 205 of the Town Code, "Street Signs and Number of Buildings." The code states the purpose of the ordinance is to "...promote public safety and convenience through proper posting of street signs on public and private roadways, along with a building numbering system ensuring that addresses can be identified with the ease and speed essential to the quick response of emergency services, such as firefighting, police and emergency medical care."

A housekeeping change to the ordinance includes making it the duty of the building owner to properly affix identification numbers within 60 days of the Town Council's adoption of any amendments or revisions to the chapter. Currently, the ordinance states "such numbers shall be affixed by Oct. 1, 1995."

Other changes up for discussion at tonight's public hearing include going from displaying the building number on the exterior front of the building or on its post or mailbox between the building and the street front; to displaying the number on the building exterior and on both sides of its post or mailbox.

While the size of building identification numbers would remain no less than three inches in height, a proposed change calls for using reflective numbers on the post or mailbox. Also, buildings set back more than 100 feet from a street's center line, with no clear visibility from the street, will need to affix reflective numbers on both sides of the post or mailbox.  Common driveways will also require reflective directional numbers/letters and reflective directional arrows at each branch of the common driveway.

Complexes with two or more residential, business and/or commercial buildings served by separate driveways will need to add reflective identification numbers at the entrance of each driveway as well as reflective directional arrows.