PURPOSE
The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake honours and promotes the heritage and identity of the Town and therefore, the purpose of this Municipal Street Naming Policy is to provide guidelines and a consistent process for the naming of streets. This policy further protects the reputation and integrity of the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake and its assets, and ensures a format for uniform development.
POLICY
The naming of new public and private streets is the responsibility of Town staff. Street names proposed by the proponent of a development which incorporate new public or private streets are subject to the approval of the Director of Community and Development Services.
The Community and Development Services Department is responsible for processing street name requests for consideration by the Director of Community and Development Services. Street name requests are evaluated for suitability and appropriateness based on conformity with the street naming policies contained herein.
Approved street names are to be placed on the Town’s Approved Street Name List for future use. Only approved street names may be assigned to public and private streets. The Community and Development Services Department is responsible for maintaining the Approved Street Name List and all records related thereto.
PROCEDURE:
1. Street Naming Process
a) The Process for Assigning an Approved Street Name
i. The proponent of a development is encouraged to review the up-to-date Approved Street Name List for street name selection.
ii. Street names will be assigned at the time of the clearance of draft plan of subdivision or draft plan of condominium conditions.
iii. Selected street names are reserved for use within the proposed development and are to be shown on the draft Final Subdivision or Final Condominium plans.
b) The Process for Approving an Addition(s) to the Approved Street Name List
i. A written request is to be submitted to the Community and Development Services Department and shall include: a brief but complete explanation of the reasons for the proposed name(s), the categorization of the street (see Section 2 and 3 of this policy), and a map clearly identifying the location of the specific street where the name(s) would apply (only if it is related to a specific development).
ii. The proposed street name(s) will then be reviewed by staff and checked against all existing street names within the Town for similarities and duplications.
iii. Where no concerns with the proposed street name(s) are foreseen, the proposed street name(s) will be presented to the Director of Community and Development Services for consideration and approval.
iv. If a proposed street name(s) is found to be similar or a duplicate of an existing street name, the applicant may propose another street name(s) for approval.
v. Where an approved street name(s) is intended for a specific development, the street name(s) is placed on the Approved Street Name List and will be reserved for use within that development.
vi. Town staff shall consider all streets named after individuals, provided that written consent is obtained from the individual’s surviving family. The honouring of a living local, regional, national or international public figure requires the individual’s consent.
c) Private Street Names
i. All private streets in residential developments within the Town shall be named.
ii. The following is the process by which the Town will enact a street name on a private street:
a. the proponent of a residential development proposal shall submit the following in conjunction with a Development Application:
§ site plan depicting all proposed private streets and associated proposed street names.
b. the proposed street names are reviewed in accordance with the guidelines of this policy; and,
c. the street name signage requirements are to be fulfilled as part of the Development Agreement.
2. Categories of Street Names
a) Honouring Those Who Have Given Their Life in Public Service
i. The Town will facilitate the naming of streets after Town residents who have served and lost their lives in the Canadian Armed Forces.
b) Historical Figures
i. The Town will facilitate the naming of streets after Town residents who are considered to have had a historical impact on the Town.
c) Other Names
i. Names that promote pride in the Town, acknowledge local heritage, history, and recognize unique features and geography are appropriate. Proposed street names should meet one of the following criteria:
a. commemorate local history, places, events, culture;
b. strengthen neighbourhood identity to reflect the character of the area;
c. recognize native wildlife, flora, fauna, natural features; or,
d. recognize communities that contribute to the public life of the Town.
ii. Names that represent specific themes are encouraged as they are easily recognizable for Emergency Services and provide consistency in large developments.
3. Guidelines for the Suitability and Appropriateness of Street Names
In addition to the policies of Section 2, ‘Categories of Street Names’, the following policies have been developed to assess the suitability and appropriateness of street names.
Ease of Spelling and Pronunciation
Street names should be easily pronounced, recognized and use conventional spelling to avoid difficulties in emergency situations. Street names should be spelled the way they are pronounced.
Two Word Names
Proposed street names consisting of two words should be changed to one word. Only a person’s last name should be used unless additional identification is necessary to prevent duplication with an existing street name in the Town.
Street Name Characteristics
Street names should generally not exceed ten characters in length to ensure that the above mentioned criteria is met and that standard street signage across the Town is achieved.
Names to Avoid
1. Names that could be construed as advertising a particular business; and,
2. Cumbersome, corrupted, modified names, discriminatory or derogatory names from the point of view of race, sex, colour, creed, political affiliation or other social factors; and,
3. Names with any sexual overtones, inappropriate humour, parody, slang or double meaning; and,
4. Names that have a secondary negative or offensive connotation; and,
5. Names spelled differently but sounding alike (Ex. Crosby Lane and Crosbie Lane) or having similar pronunciation but are spelled differently (Ex. Heirloom Street could be pronounced with the ‘H’ dropped (Ex. Eirloom Street); and,
6. Use of complex words (Ex. Quetico Drive); and,
7. Names with hyphens, apostrophes or dashes are discouraged and only considered on a case by case basis provided other criteria have been met.
4. System for Assigning Street Name Suffixes
| Major roads | Named for their shape |
| Avenue | Circle |
| Boulevard | Crescent |
| Concession | Quadrant |
| Line | Square |
| Road |  |
| Street | |
| Townline | Named for their function |
| Approach |
| Small roads | Bypass |
| Alley | Center |
| Bend | Circuit |
| Byway | Close |
| Drive | Esplanade |
| Gate | Estates |
| Lane | Extension |
| Manor | Front |
| Mews | Link |
| Path | Parade |
| Pathway | Park |
| Route | Place |
| Run | Plaza |
| Terrace | Promenade |
| Trace | Quay |
| Trail | |
| Walk | Other |
| Way | Chase |
| Common |
| Cul-de-sac | Downs |
| Court | Green |
| Cove | Key |
| Place | |
5. Conclusions and Recommendations
It is important to adopt a consistent approach for assigning street names. Many problems can be avoided if these policies are applied:
1. Avoid any duplication of street named;
2. Avoid street names that sound similar, even if they have a different suffix (ex. Street vs. Road etc.);
3. Coordinate Draft Plan of Subdivisions and Condominiums to ensure that streets are assigned one name for their entire length;
4. Maintain continuity when assigning suffixes (ex. Crescent, Avenue, etc.);
5. Give consideration to grouping names by themes for certain areas;
6. Avoid long street names; and,
7. Ensure that when a new street name is proposed, that it falls into one of the established categories of street names. |