§ 8-9. Same—Criteria.

Because the naming or renaming of City facilities should be approached cautiously with forethought and deliberation, the evaluation and selection of names for City facilities shall comply with the criteria set forth below:

(1)

In all cases, City Council shall have the prerogative of accepting or rejecting a naming or renaming proposal.

(2)

Once the name of a City facility has been changed by City Council, renaming should be strongly resisted.

(3)

Names which could be construed as advertising a particular business shall be avoided.

(4)

Cumbersome, corrupted, or modified names and discriminatory or derogatory names from the point of view of race, sex, color, creed, political affiliation or other social factors shall be avoided.

(5)

Proposed names shall be based upon a relationship to:

a.

Individuals who have made major and distinct social, cultural, historical, or civic contributions;

b.

Neighborhood or geographic identification;

c.

Historical figures, places, events or other instances of cultural significance; and

d.

Natural or geological features.

(6)

City facilities shall be named after individuals only and not after multiple persons, groups or organizations.

(7)

Preference shall be given to the names of persons who are natives of the City of Richmond or who resided in the City during the time of their contributions.

(8)

With rare exception for individuals whose service or contributions are extraordinary, memorials shall only be made recognizing persons who have been deceased for five years or more in order to ensure that actions being recognized stand the test of time.

(9)

The naming of multiple facilities after the same individual shall be avoided.

(10)

Only surnames should be used, unless additional identification is necessary to prevent duplication.

(11)

Historical names placed on designated landmarks listed on City, State or National Registers of Historic Places shall not be changed.

(12)

Street names, plats, specific sites and places and natural features indicated on general usage maps for 50 years or more (i.e., age criteria applied by the National Register of Historic Places) should only be changed under exceptional circumstances.

(13)

In the development of new City facilities, address designations shall be used until City Council approves a naming proposal. To the extent possible, names shall be designated before opening new City facilities to public use.

(Code 2004, § 26-9; Ord. No. 2004-35-64, § 1(8-17), 4-13-2004)

(Code 2004, § 26-9; Ord. No. 2004-35-64, § 1(8-17), 4-13-2004)