Phoenix Background
1. Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Address and Street Name Assignment
Policy states that a “newly developed street will assume the name of the street on which
it aligns.”
2. North/South streets are typically numbered (per the established grid system).
3. All numbered streets west of Central Avenue use Avenue, Drive, Lane, Glen and Dale
in that order as the specifically numbered street is located further west.
4. All numbered streets east of Central Avenue use Street, Place, Way, Terrace and Run
in that order as the specifically numbered street is located further east.
5. East/West, angled or loop right of way have a name assigned that is in the same
alignment or a new street name is identified per the new name assignment policy.
6. City of Phoenix has a nationally recognized reputation for ease of navigation due to
consistently adhering to the “Grid” system of named and numbered streets
7. For New Name Assignments, the name cannot be used anywhere else in the Phoenix
metropolitan area. Names should be short, easy to pronounce, easy to spell, be
sufficiently distinct from existing street names and be free of offensive or derogatory
language (in any language/translation) based on City Code Section 18-1.
Types of Activities
1. New plat with right of way dedication(s) or Map of Dedication (MOD)
2. Right of way dedicated but not yet named (separate instrument dedication)
3. Street name changes to correct an error
4. Requests by property owners to change a recorded street name
5. Requests by the mayor or three city council members to change a recorded street name
when it is deemed offensive or derogatory based on City Code Section 18-1.
Naming Process
Street Name Review for Subdivision Plats and MODs:
Developer submits Plat or MOD with suggested street names (collector, local) following
assignment criteria. Planning and Development Department (PDD) staff reviews and
names unnamed streets or works with developer to revise names when necessary.
Street names will be identified on plat, MOD, master plan, and site plan.
Right of way dedicated but not yet named:
PDD names the street in accordance with assignment criteria and requests City Council
approval of the naming ordinance.
Street name changes to correct an error:
These changes are made according to Ordinance G-4593, approved by City Council in
April 2004. This process allows the PDD to administratively correct street name errors
on newly recorded subdivision plats or MODs. The following are the processes
depending on which party initiates the correction or change. A. Certificate of Correction initiated by the Engineer of Record for the subdivision plat
Process:
The Certificate of Correction or Change shall state the following information:
i. The corrections and/or changes requested;
ii. The date that the plat was recorded;
iii. The recording book and page number of the plat which is to be modified;
iv. Written consent to the correction or change by the current owners of record of all
the properties affected by the correction or change;
v. Signature line for approval by the PDD Deputy Director; and
vi. Signature line for a representative of the City Law Department approving the
form of the Certificate of Correction.
The developer or his representative shall have the certificate or change recorded
with the Maricopa County Recorder. A copy of this document shall be filed with the
City Clerk Department and notification of the street name change shall be distributed
to all interested parties by PDD.
B. Certificate of Correction initiated by the City of Phoenix
Process:
The PDD Deputy Director, or designee, prepares the Certificate of Correction
stating the following information:
i. The corrections requested;
ii. The date that the plat was recorded;
iii. The recording book and page number of the plat which is to be modified;
iv. Written notification by certified mail of the correction to the owner(s) of record of
all the properties affected by the correction;
v. Owner(s) shall have seven days to request a hearing before the City Council if
they oppose the correction;
vi. Signature line for approval by the PDD Deputy Director, or designee;
vii. Signature line for a representative of the City Law Department approving the form
of the Certificate of Correction.
The PDD Deputy Director shall have the Certificate of Correction recorded with the
Maricopa County Recorder. A copy of this document shall be filed with the City Clerk
Department and notification of the street name change shall be distributed to all
interested parties by PDD. Requests by property owners to change recorded street name:
These changes are made according to City Council policies on street renaming adopted
in June 2006 and revised in January 2012.
Process:
i. Applicant meets with PDD to discuss the application and submittal requirements
ii. Upon submittal, the applicant must pay a $600 application fee in accordance with
the PDD Fee Schedule. Additional fees may be applied if permit records and sign
changes are required.
iii. PDD will provide a list of affected property owners to the applicant and direct
them to resources indicating tenants on these properties. The list identifies
owners of property addressed off of the street. A petition must be submitted with
signatures of 75 percent of the affected property owners in support of the street
name change. If the application affects 12 or fewer properties, a petition
indicating that 100 percent of the owners are in support of the change is required.
A notarized Arizona State “Affidavit of Circulation” will be required to accompany
the petition.
iv. There are additional applicant notification requirements for proposed changes to
the names of arterial or collector streets. Applicants must notify by mail all
owners, residents and neighborhood associations registered with the City of
Phoenix Neighborhood Services Department within ½ mile of the affected street
for arterials and within 1/8 mile for collectors. The applicant must also mail a
proposal letter requesting HOAs notify their members of the proposed change.
Applicants must also post a sign (similar to current zoning modification signage)
about the proposed renaming before City Council consideration and at time of
mailing. Signs must be posted 45 days before City Council consideration for
arterials and 30 days before for collectors.
v. Notification of the name change must be provided to the City of Phoenix Village
Planner to be distributed to Village Planning Committee members and/or
provided as an information only presentation to the appropriate Village Planning
Committee.
vi. PDD will review the request. This review includes comments from Fire, Police,
Water and Street Transportation departments, the United States Postal Service,
and will require compliance with the criteria outlined in the Maricopa Association
of Governments “Address and Street Name Assignment Policy.”
vii. If the application is denied, the applicant has the option to file an appeal to the
City Manager’s Representative in PDD.
viii.If name change is approved by staff, a Request for Council Action will be
submitted for approval at a formal City Council hearing. Requests by the Mayor or three City Council members to change a recorded street
name when it is deemed offensive or derogatory based on City Code Section 18-1 as
identified by the City Council:
These changes are made according to the City Council policy approved June 27, 2017.
Process:
i. The Mayor or three Council members may request initiation of the process to
change a street name along with proposed new street name or name options
and basis for the change. The request with proposed new street name(s)
should be submitted to the City Manager in writing.
ii. In accordance with established deadlines, at the next available Formal
Council meeting, staff will request City Council action to decide whether to
initiate the process to review and later decide whether to change the street
name. If approved by the full City Council, the process begins, as outlined
below.
iii. PDD will conduct a review of proposed street name(s). This review includes
comments from Fire, Police, Water and Street Transportation Departments,
the United States Postal Service, and will require compliance with the criteria
outlined in the Maricopa Association of Governments “Address and Street
Name Assignment Policy.”
iv. Within 21 days of approval by City Council to start the renaming process,
PDD will mail the first notice via Certified Mail to residents, businesses and
property owners on the affected streets to inform them of the proposal to
change the name of their street. Staff will identify all multi-unit properties,
either commercial or residential, and consult USPS databases to locate
individual unit mailing addresses to ensure all rental tenants receive
notification, in addition to the property owner. The letter will contain a phone
number and e-mail address to which residents may submit input on the
proposed change.
v. City staff will schedule two public meetings as additional ways for residents to
learn about the process and provide input. The meetings will be held in the
vicinity of the street proposed for renaming and meeting details will be
included in the first resident mailing noted above.
vi. All results of the technical review will be included in a report to City Council
that also will include a map of impacted streets and abutting properties, a
comprehensive summary of resident and business and property owner input
on the proposed street name, a detailed estimate of city costs to replace
street signs and a potential source of funding to cover those costs. The report
will include an estimate of any financial impact to property owners, business
owners and residents for required updates to addresses that would result
from a street name change. It will also identify potential city funding for
Council consideration to cover the costs, with the goal to ensure property
owners, business owners and residents would not need to cover any required
financial costs. It will list the steps staff will take to assist affected individuals
with any additional notifications and processing of address changes, as
requested, to reduce inconvenience and time impacts on property owners. Staff also will evaluate potential timing issues that may need to be considered
and will make a recommendation for an effective date to minimize any
negative impacts.
vii. Within 90 days of the request, an item will be placed on a Council meeting
agenda for the City Council to decide on the proposed street name change.
viii.Fourteen days prior to the meeting at which the City Council will vote on the
proposed name change, PDD will mail via Certified Mail the second required
notice to all affected property owners to inform them of the date, time and
location of the Council meeting.
ix. If City Council approves the renaming of a city street, PDD will compile and
then share with residents a comprehensive resource list that includes
hyperlinks and other contact information to minimize the time and
inconvenience of updating addresses on personal accounts.
x. If Council proposes to change the street to an alternate name that had not
been reviewed, the alternate name would require additional analysis and up
to 60 additional days for technical review.
After City Council Approval of a Name Change
Any City of Phoenix fees related to changing of a street name under the provision
approved June 2017 will be waived for affected property owners and/or residents. The
City will notify the USPS, which will update their database to ensure that any mail sent
to an address with the previous street name will be delivered to the address under the
new street name. PDD also will notify the Police, Fire, City Clerk, Finance, Law,
Neighborhood Services, Planning and Development, Street Transportation, and Water
Services departments, Maricopa County Recorder, Maricopa County Assessor, Arizona
Public Service, Salt River Project, Southwest Gas, Cox Communications, Century Link,
Federal Express, United Parcel Service, and private mapping services such as Google,
Bing, Yahoo, MapQuest and Wide World of Maps.
PDD also will send to each property owner a notification letter of approval, an Address
Change Notification and a copy of the ordinance. These can be presented by the
property owner to any private entity that may request official documentation. NEW DOCUMENT Park Naming Criteria
The Parks and Recreation Board shall have final approval authority for all names for
parks, parks features and recreational facilities.
In considering proposed names for parks, park features and recreational facilities, the
Board shall consider whether the following conditions apply:
1. The person or entity proposing the name donated the park, park feature or
recreational facility.
2. The person or entity proposing the name donated funding equal to the value of the
land for the park or the development of the park, park feature or recreational
facility.
3. The person or entity proposing the name donated funding equal to at least 50
percent of the cost of the park’s development or major renovation.
4. The person or entity proposing the name made a series of donations to the City of
Phoenix park system whose sum is the percentage values required in paragraphs
1, 2, or 3.
5. A nonprofit organization that operates a parks facility and proposes a name for a
park, park feature or recreational facility meets the criteria outlined in the Naming
Rights Guidelines for Nonprofit Operators of Department Facilities below.
6. The individual person whose name is proposed is accepted by the general public
as being a local, state, or national hero or has had historical significance deemed
deserving of extraordinary recognition through park naming.
7. The name conveys and reflects a City of Phoenix park and/or facility.
The Board shall have the authority to establish additional guidelines/criteria which may
not be covered in this policy. The Board may consider names through contests,
community recommendations, the establishment of a special naming subcommittee,
term agreements, or other appropriate means representative of the policy guidelines.
Special Park Feature/Recreation Facility
A specific park feature or recreational facility may be named in honor of a donor or in
recognition of a special event, person, or cause without having to rename the park it is
located in. For example, a person or group may wish to donate a special piece of
equipment, the construction of a basketball court, the dedication of an amphitheater, ball diamond, construction of a picnic ramada, etc. Plaque dedications, benches,
special tree plantings, trail dedications, etc., have traditionally become recognized
features in parks. The Department shall have the authority to approve the naming of a
special park feature. The Board retains the authority to approve the naming of multiple
special park features of significant monetary value. Monuments and memorials are
addressed in a separate Board-approved policy guideline.
Term-limited Sponsorship Agreements
The Parks and Recreation Board shall have approval authority over all term-limited
naming-rights agreements. Such an agreement involves a delicate balance between
the public park facility and a potential sponsor. The Board should consider
opportunities for the Parks and Recreation Department to earn revenue by granting the
naming rights for a period of time while preserving programming and facility rights for
the public. The naming rights agreement shall address signage, promotional materials,
media exposure, programming, and other benefits that match the sponsor’s
business/individual development perspective. In valuing a sponsorship, the board shall
consider the potential value of other sponsorship opportunities in a park or recreational
facility. The Board shall also consider other terms, such as a right of first negotiation to
renew the agreement at the end of the term.
Naming Rights Guidelines for Nonprofit Operators of Department Facilities
The Parks and Recreation Department relies on nonprofit organizations to operate
numerous Department facilities and services for the benefit of the general public.
Nonprofit operators of Department facilities may offer naming rights, subject to Parks
and Recreation Board approval, as a means to generate facility operating funds
according to the following considerations:
1. The nonprofit operator shall contribute a percentage of the facility’s fair market
value in funds, furniture, fixtures, and/or equipment at levels sufficient to merit
Parks and Recreation Board approval of naming rights during the term of an
operating agreement. The total contribution may be less than the levels
established within this policy for other entities.
2. A nonprofit operator may, subject to the approval of the Parks and Recreation
Board, offer naming rights in acknowledgment of a donation. Such naming rights
donations shall be used by the nonprofit operator for the operation of the City
facility and its services for the general public in compliance with the terms and
conditions of the Board approved Operating Agreement. The nonprofit operation
shall provide the Parks and Recreation Department an accounting of the use of
the funds.
3. Lesser contribution levels for naming rights for an area or feature of a facility may
also be considered.
4. The Parks and Recreation Board will have the option to approve facility naming
rights on behalf of nonprofit operators in perpetuity when the level of contribution
meets the requirements listed in Park Naming Criteria above. 5. This policy applies only to facilities owned by the Parks and Recreation
Department. This naming rights policy does not apply to programs or other
sponsorships (such as events) to which the nonprofit operator may provide
naming rights in acknowledgment of a donation.
Park Renaming/Un-naming
With the exception of parks and facilities with term-limited names, the Board shall not
change the name of any named park or facility unless there are extraordinary
circumstances of local or national interest and no other park facility can be so
designated. Officially named parks and facilities are defined as those which have been
named by the Board. The Board should change the name of a park only with great
deliberation. For example, (1) in reaction to related geographical name changes; or (2)
in response to negative public opinion related to inappropriate, derogatory, or offensive
naming reference; or (3) to commemorate a person or persons who have made
overriding contributions to the park or who are of local and national interest and whose
distinctions are as yet unrecognized. A five-year waiting or “grace” period from the time
of the death of a person whose name is being proposed for a park shall be followed.
For renaming an existing park, it is the policy of the Board to take no formal action until
after a thorough public notification/hearing process has taken place on the proposed
change. Living next of kin shall be queried as to their wishes regarding any request to
change the name of a “person/family named park.” The stated purpose of this policy
guideline is to preserve, honor, and protect the official actions of previous Boards and to
consider a name change only after thorough research and public discussion has taken
place. In all cases, the Board shall have the prerogative of formally considering,
accepting, or rejecting the proposed name change. Board policy decision is final for
City of Phoenix designated parks. Naming or renaming of specific geographical
features may be subject to State Board of Geographic and Historic Names (A.R.S.
§41.935.02, 835.05) and U. S. Bureau of Geographic Name policies.
