Establishing an enhanced emergency response system:
Warren County has made an effort over the last year to provide its citizens with an enhanced emergency service system. An enhanced 911 system allows emergency response personnel to not only identify the phone number of the caller, but the physical location of the call as well. In order to implement this enhanced 911 system, every road within the County with three or more residences received a road name and every home and business structure was assigned a physical address.
In October of 1994, new structure numbers were delivered to Warren County citizens. This notice assigned the new address and requested information regarding the resident’s medical history that will allow emergency response personnel to know of special medical conditions before they are in route to an emergency. The old addresses will no longer be used after January 31, 1996 and the Post Office will only recognize the new E-911 address numbers.
In the County all structures were assigned a new street address. This was done in order to be consistent with the uniform system established for this program.
The Town of Front Royal was previously assigned addresses and those addresses were not changed. To obtain an address for a new structure in the town limits please contact the Front Royal Zoning Department at (540) 635-4236.
Address numbering for new structures:
Address numbers are assigned based on a mile-marker system that has been established along all streets and roads within the County. The individual addresses are assigned at the point where a structure’s driveway meets the named roadway, or to the center of the structure when close enough to the named roadway.
It is the responsibility of the Warren County GIS Coordinator to conduct site inspections and take measurements for the purpose of assigning an address to a new structure.
Homeowners/Contractors do not need to apply for addresses for new structures. The addressing of new structures is part of the building permit process.
Approximately two weeks after the footer inspections have been conducted by a building inspector, addresses for new structures will be available. At that time, notice will be sent by the Planning Department to the building permit applicant.
Before a Certificate of Occupancy can be given for a new structure, the address number must be prominently displayed in accordance with the provisions of the County ordinance. It shall be the duty of the contractor, owner, or occupant to affix the number at the proper location. It is also the responsibility of the property owner and/or occupant to notify the Postal Service, Utility Company, and other interested parties of the new address.
Making the enhanced 911 system work:
In order to manage this new system, it was necessary for the County to adopt a law requiring correct house numbers.
The ordinance requires that each residence shall prominently display its numbered address. Street address numbers for residences shall not be less than three (3) inches in height and shall be made of a durable and clearly visible material.
The numbers shall be conspicuously placed on, above, or at the side of the main entrance so that the number is discernible from the street except where the entrance of a residence is more than sixty (60) feet from the street, or when the entrance is not clearly visible from the street. In these cases the number shall be placed along a walk, driveway, or another suitable location as near as conveniently possible to the street so that the address number is discernible from the street by day or night.
Where two or more houses are served by the same driveway, each house shall be identified by its address number according to the requirements for addressing a single residence and the common driveway at its street intersection shall also be required to have signs identifying each house number served.
Street address numbers or letters shall be of a contrasting color to the background on which they are mounted.
Commercial and Industrial Structures. All commercial and industrial structures shall display street address numbers of not less than four (4) inches in height as follows. When possible, the number shall be displayed over the main entrance to the structure. There shall be no other wording or numbers within one (1) foot of the building number.
Apartments, Town Houses, Shopping Centers. Apartments, town houses, shopping centers or other similar groupings where only one number is assigned shall display such number at the main entrance way. Said address numbers shall have a minimum height of ten (10) inches. Numbers for individual units or establishments within the complex shall be displayed on, above or to the side of the main doorway of each unit or establishment.
Failure to post or maintain numbers in accordance with the provision of this ordinance shall constitute a violation of this chapter and may be punishable as a misdemeanor in accordance with Section 1-11 of the Warren County Code.
Citizens are asked to keep in mind that cooperation is essential for good emergency services.
New addresses can be obtained by calling the Warren County Planning Department at (540) 636-3354. Callers requesting a new address or verification of an existing address, are asked to have their building permit number available.
