CITY COUNCIL: Policy Direction on City-Paid Home Mail Delivery

Meeting Date: June 8, 2010
Prepared by: Rich Guillen

City Council
Agenda Item Summary

Name: Receive report and provide policy direction on the City-paid home mail delivery.

Description: Carmel resident Carolina Bayne recently requested that the Council reconsider City-paid home mail delivery. Ms. Bayne has submitted background materials (see attached) that include: 1) a letter from the USPS regarding its need for a numbering system prior to implementing mail delivery; 2) Article 9 of the 1998 California Code mandating that address numbers be clearly posted; and 3) a memo that went to the Council adopting the 1997 Uniform Fire Code as an Ordinance.

Overall Cost:
City Funds: $50,000 annually
Grant Funds: $0

Staff Recommendation: Provide policy direction.

Important Considerations: Mail delivery by the USPS, if instituted, would require that homes within the City limits have clearly posted addresses. The City has a longstanding tradition of not having home addresses; instead, mail delivery has occurred at the Carmel Post Office. The Uniform Fire Code requires “address” identification, but has not been implemented as part of the Municipal Code.

Decision Record: Commencing in 2001, the Council approved the funding of home mail delivery in the amount of $60,000. A reduced amount of $50,000 was authorized shortly thereafter and approved annually as part of the City’s operating budget. The home mail delivery contractor is Peninsula Messenger Service.

Reviewed:
Rich Guillen, City Administrator Date