CP094 (Naming City Property)CITY OF JANESVILLE Policy No. 94_
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CITY COUNCIL POLICY STATEMENT
Date Issued: 3/23/2015
Revised: 11/8/2021
Subject: Public Property Effective Date: 11/8/2021
Specific Subject: Naming City Property Cancellation Date
Supersedes No.
Responsible
Dept/Div: City Manager’s Office
PURPOSE
To establish standard procedures and guidelines for the naming of public property, or portions
thereof, owned and/or operated by the City of Janesville.
This policy may not be consistent with existing names of City properties. No suggestion is made or
intended that existing names be changed. This policy is a basis for future decisions.
This policy will apply to the majority of situations and is intended to maintain fairness and
consistency. The City recognizes that there may be unique circumstances or events that may
warrant a departure from this policy for the overall good of the City. The Common Council shall
consider such matters and shall identify any special considerations and the justification to deviate
from this policy on a case-by-case basis.
STATEMENT OF POLICY
Any naming or renaming of public property shall require initiation by the City and approval by the
Common Council.
A. Requests for the naming or renaming of streets as well as public buildings, parks, and
facilities shall be submitted in writing to the City Manager. The City Manager may forward
requests to the appropriate Common Council committees for consideration as follows:
• Streets: Plan Commission and Common Council
• Parks & park/recreation facilities: Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and
Common Council
• Library building, or portions thereof: Library Board and Common Council
• All other City buildings and facilities, or portions thereof: Common Council
B. Once a street, public building, park, or facility is named, the name of the public property
cannot be changed for a period of 25 years unless, after investigation by the City, the name
is found to be inappropriate in light of new information.
C. All costs associated with the naming, including the cost of any recording nec essary and the
cost of signage, shall be paid by the person(s) submitting the request. This cost may be
absorbed by the City if authorized by the Common Council.
PROCEDURES – STREETS
A. New Streets
1. All new streets shall be named when the street right-of-way is first dedicated or
CITY OF JANESVILLE Policy No. 94_
Page 2 of 6
CITY COUNCIL POLICY STATEMENT
Date Issued: 3/23/2015
Revised: 11/8/2021
Subject: Public Property Effective Date: 11/8/2021
Specific Subject: Naming City Property Cancellation Date
Supersedes No.
Responsible
Dept/Div: City Manager’s Office
accepted by the Plan Commission and Common Council.
B. Renaming Streets
1. To request the renaming of a City street, by anyone other than the City, a petition
signed by at least 50 percent of all property owners along the street, with a
maximum of one signature per parcel, shall be submitted to the City Manager and
follow the procedures outlined below. Signatures shall be obtained by the person or
persons requesting the renaming. A street renaming shall not be considered unless
the number of signatures exceeds 50 percent of the number of parcels along the
street.
2. The City Clerk-Treasurer shall determine the legitimacy and sufficiency of the
signatures on the petition and the City Manager shall review the proposed name in
terms of the criteria contained in Council Policy #94.
3. All affected property owners adjoining the portion of street proposed for a name
change shall be notified by mail in advance of the Common Council meeting where
the name change will be considered.
4. The Plan Commission shall not review the renaming of an existing street unless the
Common Council refers such matter to the Plan Commission for its
recommendation.
5. The Common Council shall evaluate the proposal based on the information
submitted as well as hold a public hearing as part of the review process.
6. After the public hearing, the renaming of a street shall be approved by the adoption
of a Common Council resolution.
7. Upon Common Council approval of a street name change, an affidavit signed by the
Director of Public Works shall be filed with the Rock County Register of Deeds.
PROCEDURES – PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PARKS, AND FACILITIES (OR PORTIONS THEREOF)
A. Each proposal shall include:
1. The specific public building, park, or facility being proposed for naming or renaming
including its address or a sketch showing its location.
2. All names considered.
3. The full form of the name being recommended.
4. The origin or meaning of the proposed name, if applicable.
5. If the proposed name refers to an individual, a brief biography of that individual.
6. The rationale of naming or renaming the public building, park, or facility and if
applicable, an explanation of how the name or individual is or has been associated
with the building, park, facility or the area in which the public building, park, or facility
is located.
CITY OF JANESVILLE Policy No. 94_
Page 3 of 6
CITY COUNCIL POLICY STATEMENT
Date Issued: 3/23/2015
Revised: 11/8/2021
Subject: Public Property Effective Date: 11/8/2021
Specific Subject: Naming City Property Cancellation Date
Supersedes No.
Responsible
Dept/Div: City Manager’s Office
B. Once a proposal is received by the City Manager, there shall be a waiting period of 90 days
to allow for the submission of additional names for consideration. The 90-day wait period
shall be waived when the naming proposal is tied to a donation of $100,000 or more at one
time made to the City of Janesville by an individual or entity.
C. The Common Council shall evaluate the proposal based on the recommendation from
applicable committee(s) and the information submitted. Review and recommendation from
applicable committee(s) shall be waived when the naming proposal is tied to a donation of
$100,000 or more at one time made to the City of Janesville by an individual or entity.
D. The Common Council shall hold a public hearing as part of the review process.
E. After the public hearing, the naming or renaming of a public building, park, or facility shall be
approved by the adoption of a Common Council resolution.
CRITERIA – STREETS
In reviewing a proposed naming or renaming of a street, committees and the Common Council shall
consider the proposed name in relation to the following criteria:
A. A name shall not be considered if it duplicates or sounds similar to an existing name for a
street.
B. Names that could be considered derogatory, obscene, blasphemous or in poor taste based
on community standards shall not be considered.
C. The following guidelines shall apply to the naming or renaming of a street after an individual:
1. A street shall not be named in honor of a living person.
2. The name of an individual may be considered only if it is determined that it is in the
public interest to honor the individual or the individual’s family for historical or
commemorative reasons.
3. The name of an individual shall not be given consideration unless the individual
portrayed a positive image or was associated with or made a significant contribution
to the area in which the street is located.
4. Names of individuals who have made contributions in the arts, entertainment and
business shall be considered along with names of individuals known for outstanding
careers of public service.
5. Names of individuals who have made significant contributions to the City of
Janesville shall be preferred over names of national figures.
CITY OF JANESVILLE Policy No. 94_
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CITY COUNCIL POLICY STATEMENT
Date Issued: 3/23/2015
Revised: 11/8/2021
Subject: Public Property Effective Date: 11/8/2021
Specific Subject: Naming City Property Cancellation Date
Supersedes No.
Responsible
Dept/Div: City Manager’s Office
6. An individual’s epithet, nickname, or title may be used if it would provide a more
appropriate, interesting or enduring name.
7. Full names shall not be considered unless use of an individual’s last name only
would render the street unidentifiable or create confusion with other such streets.
D. The City may honorarily name a street such that the existing formal street name will not be
changed. Honorary street names shall adhere to the criteria outlined in this section.
CRITERIA - PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PARKS, AND FACILITIES (OR PORTIONS THEREOF)
In reviewing a proposed naming or renaming of a public building, park, or facility, committees and
the Common Council shall consider the proposed name in relation to the following criteria:
A. Descriptive names are required. Examples include:
1. The building, park, or facility’s purpose
2. Outstanding features of the facility
3. Landmarks
4. Topographic features
5. Adjoining subdivisions
6. Streets
7. Geographic locations
8. Commonly recognized historical events
9. Individuals
B. A name shall not be considered if it duplicates or sounds similar to an existing name for the
same type of public property.
C. Names that could be considered derogatory, obscene, blasphemous or in poor taste based
on community standards shall not be considered.
D. The following guidelines shall apply to the naming or renaming of a public building, park, or
facility after an individual:
1. The name of an individual may be considered only if it is determined that it is in the
public interest to honor the individual or the individual’s family for historical or
commemorative reasons.
2. The name of an individual shall not be given consideration unless the individual
portrays a positive image and is or was associated with or made a significant
contribution to the public building, park, or facility being named or renamed or to the
area in which the public building, park, or facility is located.
3. Public property shall not be named after a former City employee until the person has
been retired for at least one (1) year.
CITY OF JANESVILLE Policy No. 94_
Page 5 of 6
CITY COUNCIL POLICY STATEMENT
Date Issued: 3/23/2015
Revised: 11/8/2021
Subject: Public Property Effective Date: 11/8/2021
Specific Subject: Naming City Property Cancellation Date
Supersedes No.
Responsible
Dept/Div: City Manager’s Office
4. Names of individuals who have made contributions in the arts, entertainment and
business shall be considered along with names of individuals known for outstanding
careers of public service.
5. In the naming of parks, libraries, transit centers, fire and police stations and other
facilities with specific missions or functions, preference shall be given to names of
individuals who have made significant contributions in occupations related to those
facilities.
6. Names of individuals who have made significant contributions to the City of
Janesville shall be preferred over names of national figures.
7. An individual’s epithet, nickname, or title may be used if it would provide a more
appropriate, interesting, or enduring name.
8. Private dollars fundraised in public/private partnerships for the purposes of
constructing or rehabilitating public buildings, parks, and facilities (or portions
thereof) may be donated contingent on naming rights to the property. In such cases
and when the City has accepted said private dollars under those terms, the City
Council shall honor the naming rights granted, provided that the name meets the
criteria set forth by Council Policy #94.
E. Names of corporations or civic groups will be considered if they had a significant impact in
the establishment or development of the City of Janesville, State of Wisconsin, or the United
States of America.