County weighs addressing changes to improve emergency response

Mariposa County officials are considering changes to the county’s addressing system after an 18-month review found inconsistent practices, hundreds of unnamed roads and gaps in procedures that officials say could affect emergency response and public services.

The findings were presented to the Board of Supervisors during its Tuesday, Aug. 11, meeting as part of a countywide effort led by the Geographic Information Systems division and involving several county departments.

Board Chair Danette Toso said the public safety implications were significant. “Just the safety issue alone is huge,” Toso said.

The review identified several longstanding concerns, including inconsistent historical addressing practices, unnamed roads serving numerous residences and the absence of a codified process for assigning and maintaining addresses.

Those issues can complicate emergency response, development and the delivery of public services, county officials said.

Supervisor Rosemarie Smallcombe said addressing problems have been a recurring concern for the board. “I think there is probably no supervisor who has sat on this dais that hasn’t had addressing issues, and finding a solution makes a whole lot of sense,” Smallcombe said.

The county has developed a proposed Addressing Code that would establish standardized procedures for assigning addresses, requesting road names and correcting addressing problems. The proposed code also would clarify signage standards and create an appeals process.

More than 300 unnamed roads currently serve more than 1,400 addresses in Mariposa County, according to the presentation. County officials also have proposed a temporary road-name application fee waiver program to encourage participation from neighborhoods where road naming is needed.

The Aug. 11 discussion was informational and focused on identified problems and possible next steps. Following boarddirection, the county plans to conduct community engagement, particularly in areas affected by unnamed roads. Meeting times and locations will be announced later.

A first reading of the proposed Addressing Code is expected at a September board meeting. Any ordinance would return to the Board of Supervisors for consideration through the public hearing process before adoption.

Ethan Smith, a GIS specialist with Mariposa County, said the effort grew out of concerns about residents and emergency responders navigating the county’s current addressing system.

“After hearing stories about ambulances struggling to locate those experiencing medical emergencies and people being incorrectly told their house had burned down in a fire, I knew GIS could help push solutions forward to provide better public service for all of us,” Smith said. “We’re looking forward to working with our community to create a consistent and transparent addressing system that serves Mariposa County well into the future.”