1. All new private road and municipal street names shall conform with the following principles: a) Avoid duplication - there should be no duplication of road names and numbers used as names should be avoided. It is also preferable not to differentiate road and street names exclusively by selecting a different road type, for example, Portland Road and Portland Drive. b) Avoid confusion - road names that sound very similar should be avoided. The reason for avoiding similar or similar sounding names is to eliminate diction problems when people are reporting road names under stress. c) Establish continuity - a road running in one compass direction should have one name only and should have the same name throughout its entire length in the Town and, if possible, in adjoining municipalities. 2. In particular, the following standards shall be applied: a) Road names should be: i. easy to pronounce; ii. comprised of recognizable words or acceptable combination of words; iii. easy to spell for a person with intermediate reading level; iv. take into account any long-standing local usage of name or words used in the name; v. in good taste; vi. contain only those special characters which can be electronically recorded and manipulated with ease using varying conventional software, and shall exclude stylized symbols found in the Latin 1 ASCII set, for example, #, %, etc. b) Qualifying words such as Upper, Lower, New, Old, etc., should be avoided unless the qualifying word has been applied in some other official context (for example as found in the Nova Scotia Gazetteer); c) All names must have an associated road type and the road type should conform with the road type criteria in the attached Road Type Schedule, but existing nonconforming road types may be continued to avoid the cost, confusion and disturbance of changing only a road type; d) Road names should be alpha-numeric and name submissions using a numeric should be rejected: for example, "First Street" would be acceptable, but "1st" Street" should not be accepted. e) Where a new road is a continuation of an existing road, wherever possible the new road will be given the same name as the existing road. f) There will be no duplication of road names within the Town and, if possible, duplication of names with names used in immediately adjoining municipal units should be avoided. g) Road names, including abbreviated road type, shall have no more than 35 characters. h) If the road is named after a topographic feature or place name, the name should reflect the official name as found in the Nova Scotia Gazetteer. i) A personal name (a combination of given name and surname) should not be applied to a municipal street unless such application is in the public interest. The person commemorated should have contributed significantly in the area in which the road is located. The adoption of a personal name during the lifetime of the person concerned should only be made in exceptional circumstances. Formal titles of distinction, such as Captain, Major, Admiral, etc., should be avoided. Company or commercial product names and names associated with copyright or trademarks should be avoided. Names containing words in languages other than English, French, and Mi’kmaw should be avoided except where a proper noun is used. Words should be spelled correctly and names with mixed language should be avoided except to the extent of always using an English [or French] road type.
No other place name policies
The City of Stockton implements a comprehensive and highly structured framework for naming city facilities, parks, and properties. All naming decisions require approval by the City Council and must follow a formal nomination and evaluation process. Nominations are collected and maintained in a centralized “Master List,” managed by the Community Services Department, ensuring continuity and administrative oversight.
The policy emphasizes strong eligibility criteria. Names must reflect geographic, historical, or cultural significance, or be associated with individuals or groups demonstrating substantial contributions to the community. For individual recognition, nominees must typically have at least 25 years of service, demonstrate measurable community impact, and receive support from at least two recognized local organizations. Additionally, individuals must be deceased for at least one year before being considered.
The process includes a public nomination period of at least 60 days for new facilities, followed by review by an ad hoc Naming Committee appointed by the City Manager. The committee evaluates applications but does not independently propose names, ensuring procedural neutrality. Final recommendations are submitted to the City Council, which retains ultimate decision-making authority.
The policy also includes safeguards to maintain integrity, such as restrictions on duplicate recognitions, prohibition of renaming based solely on financial contributions, and the ability to revoke naming if it later reflects negatively on the City. Renaming existing facilities requires strong justification and must follow the same rigorous process. Overall, the policy demonstrates a high level of procedural rigor, transparency, and governance control.
