Can your house number be easily seen from the street. Imagine an ambulance or a fire engine traveling down the road in the dark of night. Will they be able to see your house number.
Massachusetts General Law: Identification numbers required on buildings, homes, etc.; entry into 911
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 148 section 59 states: "Every building in the commonwealth, including, but not limited to, dwellings, apartment buildings, condominiums, and business establishments shall have affixed thereto a number representing the address of such building. Said number shall be of a nature and size and shall be situated on the building so that, to the extent practicable, it is visible from the nearest street or road providing vehicular access to such building.The state wide emergency telecommunications board shall cause such number and the address of such building to be entered into the electronic database for use in enhanced 911 service as defined in section eighteen A of chapter six A."
City of Gloucester Code of Ordinances: Numbers to be affixed to or inscribed on buildings.
Gloucester Code of Ordinances Section 21-4 states:
(a) Numbers shall be affixed to or inscribed on all dwelling houses and other buildings in regular series, now or hereafter erected on any street or way in the city, in accordance with a plan approved by the city council. Numbers shall be not less than three(3) inches in height and shall be of a contrasting color to the surface to which they are attached. Numbers shall be prominently displayed on the house or building in such a manner as to be seen from the street at all times without difficulty.
(b) The primary location for numbers shall be near the door facing the street or way that provides the principal approach to the house or building. On houses or buildings obscured from the street by trees or other obstructions and houses or buildings which have a setback in excess of one hundred fifty (150) feet from the traveled way, numbers shall be securely displayed at a distance not more than twenty (20) feet from the edge of the traveled way. Property owners shall be notified in writing of their assigned house number in accordance with a plan approved by the city council.
(c) Penalty for violation of section 21-4(b). Upon finding a violation of section 21-4(b) the enforcement officer shall first issue a written warning notice. If the building is not properly numbered within thirty (30) days, the enforcement officer may file a complaint or issue a ticket pursuant to section 1-15.
(d) This section (21-4) shall be enforced by the city building inspector or his agent. All notices and complaints shall be directed to the owner of the real estate.
If you do not have a proper number on you house, please put one up NOW. The law requires a minimum number size of three inches but, the bigger the better.
HOUSE NUMBERS . . . IT'S THE LAW
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