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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRPT 2 REG MAILBOXES 08-16-93,GENDA.-._ REPORTS NO. 2 8-16-93 Inter-Com DATE' AUGUST 16, 1993 TO: FROM: SUBJECT: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT REPORT ON U.S. POSTAL REGULATIONS ON MAILBOXES RECOMMENDATION Receive and file. FISCAL IMPACT There are no fiscal impacts associated with this project. No City financial assistance is requested. BACKGROUND On July 19, 1993, during the City Council review of Vesting Tentative Tract 14748 (Presidio Expansion) questions were raised regarding mailbox design and location. The Council requested staff research the laws regarding the issues to determine what the regulations are and what issues are postal service policy. Regulations-Attached are relevant pages of the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM). According to this manual, the following requlations apply to residential mail deliveries: Individual Boxes - Individual mailboxes may 'be installed either at the curb (directly adjacent to the street) or behind the sidewalk (if the sidewalk abuts the curb). If the average lot frontage is 75 feet or less, the boxes are not required to be grouped. Clustered Boxes - If the average lot frontage exceeds 75 feet in length, then the boxes must be installed in groups of at least two. If mailboxes are clustered, the location and equipment must be approved by the postal manager and the customers must not be required to travel an "unreasonable" distance to obuain their mail. City Council Report U.S. Postal Regulations on Mailboxes August 16, 1993 Page 2 Locked Mailboxes - Customers are not prohibited from placing locks on their mailboxes, however, the box must have a slot large enough to accommodate their normal daily mail volume. Again, the design of the equipment must be approved by the postal manager. Policy - While the establishment of mail delivery is guided by specific general regulations (Postal Operations Manual 611.1), the actual location of mailboxes, additional grouping (beyond what is stipulated in the domestic mail manual) and route .of delivery service is a policy decision of the local Postmaster General. In order to establish mail delivery to a new tract, the most efficient method of delivery will be utilized to ensure adequate service to the City. In addition, there is concern for the safety of the postal employee servicing the boxes. Each city has its own Postmaster General who establish their own policy for establishing new delivery service and as a result, there may be some Variations within Orange County. Staff discussed these issues with Mr. Robert Boone, the Tustin Postmaster General, who indicated that he not only considers the regulation establishing delivery service, but also the following principles: · · to be sensitive to customer needs; to maintain the existing character of Tustin; to maintain an overall efficient mail delivery system for .the City of~Tustin; to provide a safe work area to service the customer. As a general rule, our local Postmaster usually clusters mailboxes in groups of two or four boxes for standard single family homes, where adequate maneuvering space is available. With the new patio home concept (Presidio and Tract 14782) there is not adequate street width for a mail vehicle to make a U-turn within the auto court. Therefore, mailboxes have been clustered on a post on the private streets. Mail delivery routes are designed so that the delivery vehicle does not need to back up, thereby improving the efficiency of the delivery system and ensuring the public and postal worker's safety. Security - The Postmaster General does not believe that security has been a major problem in Tustin. In addition, the Police Department has indicated that there are not sufficient theft reports to conclude that there is a prevalent problem. The Postmaster believes that the mail is more secure in clustered locations since the site is more visible and there are more customers that would be visiting the site. It is not expected that City Council Report U.S. Postal Regulations on Mailboxes August 16, 1993 Page 3 any changes in current policy will be implemented by the Post office in the near fUture. If anything, the Post Office is being pushed by the pOstal Service to provide more clustered boxes. As staff was directed at a previous City Council meeting, the City will be requiring the following condition regarding locking clustered boxes on all future patio home subdivisions. "Final mailbox design, location and orientation, including methods to ensure security provision with locking devices where an acceptable manufactured product is available, shall be subject to the review and approval of the Community Development Director. In determining final location, the Director shall consider the following: a · mailboxes shall be located as close as possible to a designated parking space; b· mailboxes shall not be located within ten (10) feet of a street/court intersection, or within ten (10) feet from the back of curb return; and C· the location of mailboxes should encourage people to walk to their mailboxes." Mr. Robert Boone, the Tustin Postmaster 'General indicated that he will be available to answer any questions that the City Council might have on August 16th. RECOMMENDATION Receive and file. // /; "/~ Sara ~..: Pashalides / Asso~i'ate Planner Christine A. Shingle~fo/ - Assistant City Mana~ CAS:SJP:kd:mai [bxes.ccr Deposit, Collection, and Delivery D042.8.3 Identification 8.3 Receipts 8.4 TO obtain mail, unit mail clerks, mail orderlies, postal clerks, and assistant postal clerks must provide proper identification. Return receipts for registered, numbered insured, and certified mail must not be completed by anyone other than the addressee. 9.0 CITY DELIVERY Establishment 9.1 Requests 9.2 Hardship 9.3 Maintenance of Receptacles 9.4 Receptacle 9.5 Locks Door Slots 9.7 Apartment Buildings 9.8 Mailbox Information 9.9 City delivery is provided under USPS policies and procedures, the characteristics of the area to be served, and the methods needod to provide adequ~.te service. Requests or potitions to establish, change, or extend delivery service must be made tc the local postmaster. Changes in the type of delivery authorized for a delivery point may be considered if service by existing methods imposes an extreme physical hardship on the customer. Customers must provide authorized receptacles or door slots, except for mail receptacles authorized by the USPS to be owned and maintained by the USPS. The purchase, installation, maintenance, and replacement of mail-receptacle equipment used by customers for mail delivery are not the USPS' responsibility. However, the USPS may authorize neighborhood delivery and collection boxes and parcel lockers to be purchased, installed, maintained, or replaced by the USPS. Mail receptacles or door slots are not required at businesses and offices that are open and have someone on hand to receive the mail when the carrier calls. If customers place locks on their receptacles, the receptacles must have slots large "~ enough to accommodate their normal daily mail volume. Door slots must meet specific criteria: a. The clear rectangular opening in the outside slot plate must be at least 1-1/2 inch wide and 7 inches long. b. The slot must have a flap, hinged at the top if placed horizontally, or hinged on the side away from the hinge side of the door if placed vertically. c. When an inside hood is used to provide greater privacy, the hooded portion must not be below the bottom line of the slot in the outside plate if placed horizontally, or beyond the side line of the slot in the outside plate nearest the hinge edge of the door if placed vertically. d. The hood at its greatest projection must not be less than 2-1/16 inches beyond the inside face of the door. e. Door slots must be placed so that the bottom of the slot is at least 30 inches above the finished floor line. Apartment house mail receptacles must be approved by the USPS. The purchase, installation, maintenance, and replacement of mail receptacles, boxes, or parcel lockers are not the responsibility of the USPS except for neighborhood delivery and collection boxes and parcel lockers authorized by the USPS to be owned and maintained by the USPS. When apartment buildings are substantially renovated or remodeled to provide additional apartments, or a material change is made in the location of boxes, obsolete receptacles must be replaced by currently approved receptacles. Information on the installation of receptacles, specifications for construction, installation procedures, and approval procedures for manufacturers is in Publication 17, Apartment House Mail Receptacles--Regulations and Manufacturing Standards. D-20 DMM Issue 4£. 7-1-93 155.12 Domestic Mail Services g. Satisfaclory '~.alk~ exist for the carrier where req u i red. h. Approved mail rccc?tacles or door slots are installed at designated iocat ~ons. 155.12 Extensions. In :.~is l)art. 'cxlcnsion' refers to the initiation of city (lcl~;'cry service in any areas not included in the boun(:aries of present.delivery service. but part of a community for which city delivery service is airen(ly established. T~te delivery service requirements for extensions arc thc ~.'~mc as those listed in 155.11 for establisiaments, except iaat: '. a. Sec:ion 155.1 la tloc~ not apply lc, extensions, and .. b. Thc al)i)iicability of 1.55. I lb may nc waived if · (17 There is a rcasonarfle expectation that thc requirements of 15.5.1 lb can be met within 12 months, and · , · t2) Clustcrboxe~; or neighborhood box units are to be used for dcli,,cry. : ' 155.13 Existing Establishments and Extenslons Not Affected.. Nothing in :his part shall he interpreted to require any changes in any city delivery service initiated under prior city delivery regulations. . .. ,, .: ~: .- 155.2 Delivery Establishment and Extensions. ,- 155.21 General. Est,~hlishmcnt or extension of city delivery service is considered for those areas meeting the criteria in 155.11 and 155.12. Normally,. this is by motorized carrier to curblinc boxes or 'to central delivery points or receptacles, supplemented.as.; give,n below. ; .-:'~ .. 155.22 Business Areas. The type and design of buildings govern the method of delivery'service to' be imple- mented. The deliver)' options are the following: "' ' ";' a. Central Delivery. Central delivery service for business office buildings, which may include call windows. post office boxes, or mechanical conveyors (only for highrise, multiple-tenant buildings, and only if certain conditions are met: consult postmaster for ,. details). . :: b. Single Point DeliverY. Single points, receptacles, or door slots provided by business management. . · · J155.23 Residential Housing (Except Apartment Houses .,,.. . . . .: .~ %,,,. and Mobile or Trailer Homes) ' .. ., 155.231 General. For all residential areas, except apartment hous-..3 and mobile or trailer homes, the delivery options are either curbside, sidewalk, or central delivery, under the regulations given below, i . ..- ! '155.232 Curbside Deliv¢.~.. Delivery may be provided to boxes located at the curb so they can be safely, and conveniently served by :ne carrier f~-'om his vehicle. '.'~' .. '. ~ ' t";:? (~?' ' ,i- 155.23J Sidewalk Delivery. . ~ . . a. If the sidewalk abu:s the curb or if other unusual · conditions exist ~e.g.. excessive street parking) that make it difficult or impractical to install or serve boxes at thc cur~,i;nc, those customers may bc permitted to i~:~tal', all their boxes at the edge of thc sidewalk nearest t~o. :'esidcncc. where they can all be served by the carrie.'- from thc sidewalk. b. If thc average lot frontage is 75 feet or less. the boxes are not required to bc grouped Iogcthcr; but. if-the ~ average lot frontage exceeds 75 feet. the boxes must be installed in groups of at least two, c. If the average Iai frontage i~ 50 feet or less. customers may locate their mailboxes al the edge of the sidewalk nearest the resi(lence rather than at the curb. regardless of whether the sidewalk abuts the curb or other unusual con(litions exist. Ail the boxes must he located so thai thc carrier can serve them from the sidewalk. i$5.234 Central Deli~,ery.' Central delivery may be provided a~ one or rr, ore central locations within a residential housing devclol)ment, community, or area. Thc rcquiremei'~ts tor such delivery are the following: a. '['he local postal managers, musi,' apl)rove the · . 'mailbox sites and equipment:, ,, .' b. There must he a minimum of two mailboxes erected at one site {there is no maximum limit); and c. 'The. customers must not he required to travel an unreasonable distance to obtain their mail. 155.255 Central Delivery AddresseS. Central delivery mail receptacles (including' neighborhood box unitsdclusterboxes, delivery centers, and postal centers) must be identified by the same addresses as the dwellings for which they serve as mail receptacles. 'These,identical addresses should be placed inside the boxes so as to be visible only to the carrier as he serves the receptacle or the 'customer. For 'security or privacy. 'mailer associ- ations or customer groups may use another· alphanu- meric identification system 'that is not part of the · mailing address. · ...... 155.24'APartment Houses.' 'See 155.6 for-I delivery pitons; ...... ,. .' .... ,. - .,... . . 55.25 Mobile or Trailer Homes, ' trailer home developments 'depend on .whether the development is permanent or transient.· ' , · .'~ '. 155.'252 Permanent Developments.: 'Permanent develop- ments consist of managed mobile home parks or residential mobile home subdivisions where the lots are permanently assig.ned.' the streets are maintained for public use, and the conditions are similar to those of a normal residential subdivision. For permanent develop- ments, the' delivery options; are either 'curbside. sidewalk, or central delivery, under the regulations given below...· .. ~ , -- ,.'. . ::. .,. · a. Curb$ide Delivery: Delivery service, may be provided ·: to.boxes ·located at the curb so that they can be safely ...,and con.veniently, served ;by: .the carrier from the - . .vehicle. , ... :.:.... ,.~; :.,.,:~:..: ,:.,.....~ .,.-..:: . &'Sidewalk Delivery ...... '.: ; . -,~..~ ........ . .... ., (1) If the sidewalk abuts the.curb or. other unusual ~ ~,,.. .... conditions exist (e.g.;,excessive street, parv. ing) ...-:. , - that make it difficult or impractical to install or -., serve·· boxes at ,the curbline, those customers may install ali their 'boxes ,at the-edge of the' I sidewalk ' nearest the residence where they can · . - . ali be served by the carrier from the sidewalk. · . 274 .DMM Issue 45, 12-20-92 Postal Operations Manual (POM) 611.21 Chapter 6 Delivery Services 610 City Delivery ServiCe .._ .......,..., 611 Establishment, Exlensions and Conversions 611.1 Requiremenls tot Delivery Service .11 Establishment. In Ihis p;,ri "cxl;ddishmcnl- J'c'fcr~, Io Iht inili;tlion ,ff oily delivery ~crvicc c~umm~nily which c~.'rcnlly d~cs m,I receive il. In c~l:d~lishing oily delivery service. ;~ coml~innlion delivery meih~ls sho~ld Ix' considered Io provide ;~tlC~l~;flc service Io ;dl rcsidcHli;d ;~)d I~mincss sec- ~ions o[ ;~ comm~mily. All csl;d4ishmenls o[ delivery service m~ml h;we lin;d ;q~provnl o[ Iht ReFion;d m;~slcr (;ener;d or his dcsiFnce, i(sl;d4ishmenl livery service will he considered when ~he ;~. Wilhin Iht ;u'e;~ Io be served Ihcre is a ~p~l;~- ~i~m o[ 2.5(I) or more or 750 i~sshile deliveries. ('l'he p~sl;d popul;flion m;W v;u'y Cre;dly [r~m Ihe censure p-p,I;~li~,~ I~-c;u~c o[ dilferenl bo~ml;u'y inlet- h. Filly ~-rcenl o[ Ibc b~fildin¢ lois in Ihe ph~ces. Where ;~ ho~se or h~fiidin¢ ;md ils yard ~rolH~d cover molL' Ih;~i oho lol. ;~1] lois ~o covered ;~rc considered Io he improved. c'. 'l'h(' slrct'l.~ ;11'~' p;~vcd ~,' olh~-rwjsc improved ix'trail Iht Ir;~vel o[ posl ollice vehicles nl ;ill limes wilho~l tl;m~;~e or dchw. si~ned by Ihe nppropri;~lc m~nicip;d ;n,horilies re;tuner Ihal prechMes th~plic;dive nmilin¢ ndtlresxes. e. The slreel si¢l~s ;~re h~ .place and Ihe house mind,ers are displayed. f. The rishls-or-way. IiirHollls, ;iHd ;ire;is I~ Ihe fo;ids ;~IRi sll'e('ls ;ire x~dlicienlly improved Ih;d lhe insl;fll;dion ;u~d scrvici~ o[ i~xcs will nol It' h;~z;~rtlo~s Io Ibc p~d~iic ~r posl;fi cmphwccs. ~'. .~;~lisr;~c~,.y w;dkx cxisl r~r Iht c;u'ricr where rcq~ircd. h. Approved m;fil rcccplacles or door slols .12 Extensions .121 GenerM. in lhis parl Ihe word "exlension" tel'ers !o Ihe iniliali~m o1' oily delivery service in any ;.'cas which ;~re nol im'lmled in Ihe h~md;u'ies prescnl delivery sen, icc. bul which arc parl of ;~ com- munilv for which oily delivery service has already been cslahl~shed. The delivery service requiremenls for ex- len,i~ms are Ibc same as ~hosc lisled in 61 I. I t for eslab- lishmem, exccp~ lha~: ¢. 61 l.l la does not apply to extensions; and b. ~e applicability of 6] J.J ]b may be waived i¢: (]) There is a rcasohablc expectation that thc requirements of 611.1lb will be met within 12 months, and (2) Cluslcrboxcs or neighborhood box units will be used for delivery. · 122 Requests for Extension of Service. i m)l wail for ct].~h)mcrs Io i'CtlllCXl cxlcnsit)ns of Kccp inl'ormcd of Imilding activitics ami whcn rcquirc- merits arc mci. cxlcnd service, if all rctlt~ircmcnls arc met. cxlcnsions of scrvi~'c may also be ;mlhorizctl Io:. livery service provided. .123 Extension Procedures. IZxlcnd service promplly lo all new Icrrih)ry rattling Iht requirements and immcdi;dcly nolil~ Iht tlcsignalcd dislricl or sec- tional ccnlcr ol'l'icc, submilling Form 697. E. vtet~.~'ion qf ~itv or Vi//a.~,e Delirerr Service. Prior approval qui'rcd only when: ;~. Thc nc.w Icrrilory conl]JcIs wilh Iht ;u'cn served by nnoihcr phxl ollicc. h. Adjuslmcnl of a rural delivery rot~lc is volvcd. al ccnlcr office. ~I;IIC [;leis ;llld ;lll;~qh compiclcd t;orm A97. in duplicnlc, a compIclc ~cl or revile-ti R~ulc Dc.~'crii~lhm. ;md ~kclch ~howin~ proposed chansc. · 124 New Routes and Positions. New regular (Iclivcry roulc~ and po~ilion~ mull hc aulhorizcd by dc~i~nalcd di~lricl or ~cclional c'cnler off icc. Icr~ al delivery ol'l'icc~ may c~lahli~h oily auxiliary rotHc~, i~16idc-ni Io cXlCllXioll~ or i1cw ~61-vic6 ;1~ vitlcd in 61 i. 12~. New at~xiliarv roulc~ rc-quircd, tluc I'OtltC ;Id. jtlMmc'i~ls, must I~c al~p~'ovcd in ;,dy;inet [~)' Iht designated district or scclional ccnlcr of f icc. .125 Customer Notificaton. Nolifv ctlStOlllCl's of chan~cs in ~crviccs on Form 1512. Delivery Service Notice. or similar approprialc m~ticc. .13 Existing Established Service and Exten- sions Not Affected. Nothing in Ibis p;,rl ~hnll !~ in- Icrprclcd to rcqt~irc ;my chimgcs in :my city delivery service which w;,x isfilmlcd tmtlcr prior oily dclivcry rcgtfialhms. 611.2 sions Delivery Policy~Establishment and Exten- .21 Criteria Issue 6, 4-15-85