§ 18-2. Same—Changing; renaming.

(a)

Procedure for renaming streets and public facilities.

(1)

Any person, association, the mayor, an alderman, the planning board, the code enforcement officer, or the street superintendent may petition to name or change the name of a street or public facility within the city by filing an application with the city clerk.

(2)

The petitioner shall complete an application and provide supporting documentation, which shall be filed upon a form provided by the city clerk. A $250.00 fee shall be paid when the application is filed. An installation fee in the amount of $150.00 for each sign to be changed per each street intersection shall be paid upon approval of any naming or name change of a street or public facility. Any costs associated with notice, advertisement, publication and all other fees or costs associated with processing petitioner's application shall be borne by the petitioner. The board of mayor and aldermen may waive all fees for city initiated applications. The application shall contain the following information:

a.

Legal name and address of petitioner.

b.

Current and proposed name of the street or facility.

c.

Reason(s) for the naming or renaming, including a biographical sketch of the person for whom the street or facility will be named.

d.

Legal description of the street or facility to be named or renamed.

e.

Listing of all intersecting streets. In the case of a bridge, the closest two intersecting streets on opposite ends of the bridge shall be identified.

f.

A tax map showing street or facility to be named or renamed and all block(s) and lots involved in the request.

g.

A petition with 65 percent of property owners located on the property affected by the street naming or renaming, indicating their support of such action. A sworn affidavit or legal opinion attesting to the genuineness and validity of the signatures shall be attached to the petition.

(3)

For the purposes of this section, "public facility" and "streets" are defined as followed:

a.

Public facility shall mean a building, structure or land owned by the City of Yazoo City, Mississippi.

b.

Street(s) shall mean, open and in use rights-of-way, which are dedicated to the City of Yazoo City, Mississippi. State and federally maintained streets and highways are not included in this definition.

(4)

The city clerk shall forward the application to the code enforcement officer/building inspector and street superintendant/department.

(5)

The street superintendant/department shall provide the estimated costs the city will incur, if the proposed naming or renaming is approved by the board of mayor and aldermen.

(6)

The code enforcement officer, or his/her designee shall cause a sign providing notice of the requested name change and the date and location of a public hearing on the petition to be posted at the main entrance of the public facility sought to be named or renamed or at each right-of-way intersections of the street (or section thereof) to be named or renamed. The code enforcement officer or his /her designee shall also provide:

a.

Public notice in a newspaper of general circulation within the City of Yazoo City, Mississippi, indicating the time and date of the hearing and a detailed description of the street or public facility to be named or renamed, the existing name, if applicable and the proposed name. The notice shall be published at least 15 days in advance of the public hearing.

b.

Notice to all property owners and tenants within 160 feet in all directions from the street or public facility for which the application is being submitted. In the case of a bridge, notice shall be given to all property owners and residents and/or tenants, on both sides of the street between the closest two intersecting streets on opposite ends of the bridge.

c.

Notice to affected utility agencies requesting their approval or disapproval, of the proposed naming or renaming.

(b)

Honorary street designations.

(1)

Honorary street designations are intended to recognize and honor individuals or groups without changing the official name of the street or the official addresses of residences or businesses on the street.

(2)

Any member of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Yazoo City may initiate a request to name or designate a street to honor a group or individual within the city by placing a resolution on the regular board meeting agenda. The member initiating the action shall provide in the resolution the following:

a.

Current legal name of the street (or portion thereof) to be named or designated.

b.

Reason(s) for the honorary street naming or designation, including a biographical sketch of the person for whom the street or facility will be named.

(3)

The board of mayor and aldermen shall set a date for a public hearing on the resolution.

(4)

The city clerk shall provide public notice in a newspaper of general circulation within the City of Yazoo City, Mississippi, indicating the time and date of the hearing on the resolution. The notice shall be published at least 15 days in advance of the public hearing.

(5)

A statement from the street department indicating the estimated costs the city will incur and the feasibility of such action, if the proposed honorary street designation is approved by the board of mayor and aldermen shall be provided.

(6)

Upon conclusion of the public hearing on the resolution, the full board of mayor and aldermen may, in its discretion, adopt said resolution naming or designating a street or a portion thereof in honor of a group or individual.

(7)

Upon adoption of the resolution, the street department shall cause a sign to be erected on the street indicating the name of the honorary designee.

(8)

Each member of the board of mayor and aldermen shall be limited to initiating only two honorary street designations per calendar year.

(9)

Uniform signage shall be provided by the street department staff.

(c)

Upon conclusion of the hearing on any petition as submitted under this section, the full board of mayor and aldermen may, in its discretion, adopt an ordinance naming or changing the name of the street or public facility or adopt a resolution designating a street.

(d)

No street or public facility, named or renamed under this section, shall be named or renamed without their first having been a public hearing.

(e)

Prior to naming, renaming or designating any street the street department shall ascertain whether or not the proposed new name is identical to any existing street name. Duplicate names shall be prohibited.

(Code 1962, § 18-82; Ord. of 2-25-63, § 2; Ord. of 1-25-2016, § 1 )