MEMORANDUM

TO: Chair and Members of Development Services Committee

FROM: Jim Baird, Commissioner, Development Services

Robert Tadmore, Senior Project Coordinator

DATE: June 15, 2010

RE: Request by Mr. Himanshu Patel for a change of address from 4 Page Crescent to 2 Page Crescent

RECOMMENDATION:

That the request for an address change by Mr. Himanshu Patel from 4 Page Crescent to 2 Page Crescent be denied on the basis that the requested change would not comply with the Town’s approved street addressing criteria.

BACKGROUND:

Staff received a request from Mr. Patel to change the address of his property from 4 Page Crescent to 2 Page Crescent citing his number 4 address as having religious and ethnic based concerns. Mr. Patel’s property is the next lot in from the corner lot situated north-east of the intersection of Page Crescent and Cartmel Drive (see Appendix’A’). That corner lot is addressed as 149 Cartmel Drive. In accordance with addressing policy the address 2 Page Crescent is reserved as an alternate address for the corner lot in case the owner wishes to re-address the property.

After reviewing the requested address change, Staff identified conflicts with the Town’s “addressing criteria” and denied the request. Mr. Patel contacted his Ward Councillor asking for assistance with his address change request. Mr. Patel has decided to make a deputation on this matter to Development Services Committee.

Staff denied the requested address change based on the Council adopted “addressing criteria” that Staff is required to administer when assigning addresses (see Appendix ‘B’). These criteria were developed to ensure a coherent and consistent addressing system within the Town. One of these criteria (# 11) requires the assignment of two addresses to corner lots, one to be used and one to remain reserved in case it is required in the future. When Staff assigns an address to a corner lot at the Plan of Subdivision stage a building permit has not yet been issued and staff is not aware of the orientation of the home with respect to its front facade. Staff typically assigns an address along the front lot line (shorter lot frontage), as was the case for 149 Cartmel Drive.

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If, after construction Staff find that the front entrance of the house is actually located on the longer frontage and the owner requests an address change, Staff will re-address the house on to the frontage where the main entrance is located. This is typically requested by owners because they experience situations where people have trouble locating the home, as the front entrance does not correspond to the street address. The address change may also facilitate emergency response. Staff also reserves the alternate number for corner lots in case the orientation of the front building facade should change in the future through either renovation or new construction.

In this instance the front facade and main entrance to the home at 149 Cartmel Drive faces onto Cartmel Drive, but the Council adopted addressing criteria requires the reserved address to be held in case it is needed in the future. On this basis Staff denied Mr. Patel’s request to use the address 2 Page Crescent. The current or future owner(s) of 149 Carmel Drive should have the option of changing their address onto Page Crescent if any future changes to the orientation of the home would necessitate an improved identification of their property and facilitate emergency response.

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