Item 6A - Resolution 15-07ClTY OF ATLANTIC BEACH
CITY COMMISSION MEETING
STAFF REPORT
AGENDA ITEM #6A
AUGUST 10,201 5
AGENDA ITEM: Di scussion regardin g postal service issues and potential adoption of a resolu tion
requesting the United States Pos tal Service to change the last line of the add resses
from Atlantic Beach to Jacksonville for those properties which are not w ithin the
City limits of Atlantic Beach.
SUBMITTED BY: Nelson VanLiere, Ci ty Managcr c;:.?
DATE: July 15 ,2015
BACKGROUND: Since the 1960s, when Zip Codes were first used, citizens have been pleading with
the government to align municipal boundaries with the postal codes. The United
States Postal Service (USP S) has over the years resisted these changes for any
reason because the mailing address is tbr the delivery of mail and the Zip Codes are
the comerstone of that system. C i tizens frequently turned to members of Congress
for their respective jutisdictions trying to get changes to Zip Code boundaries.
More recently, the USPS has developed a "Zip Code Boundary Review Process"
that promises "every reasonable effort" to consider and, if possible, modify the last
lines of an acceptable ad dress or modify Zip Code Boundaries. T he process places
the responsibility on the District Managers rather than local postmasters, to review
requests for boundary adj ustments . If a District Manager rejects a reques t, the
process provides for an appeal to the Manager of Delivery at USPS Headquarters.
This boundary review process enhances the possibility of accommodating
communities s uch as Atlantic Beach that des ire a modification. The so luti on that
seems feasible would be to a ll ow the use of more than one City name on the last
line of the address w hile retaining the Zip Code number of the delivery post office.
It is possible now for the USPS to change the n ame of the City and keep the Zip
Code the sa me due to the modem postal equipment sorting functions. There are
places nearby suc h as Nocatee and Ponte Vedra th at are already doing thi s.
The City of Atlantic Beach shares the Zip Code 32233 with the portion of
Jacksonville north of Atlantic Beach a ll the way to Mayport. This has been a
source of frustration for many yea rs. This has caused confusion wiUJ Jacksonville
residents seeking services such as police, utility, code enforcement, an im a l control ,
bu s iness taxes and building permits from Atlantic Beach when they should be
contacting the City of Jacksonville.
Many property owners assume that they live in the City des ignated by their m a iling
address and are confused and sometimes shocked or even angry when they tea m
the truth. We are asked many times to fill o ut fonns with a mailing address and a
physical address. Most people in this situation do not know th ere is a diffe rence.
One aspect of this request that makes it unusual is that the City of Atlantic Beach is
proposing that Jacksonville residents change their address to match their
juris diction. The USPS has indicated that this is very easy to do because
Jacksonville is the default address for those locations anyway, but that it is
BUDGET:
AGENDA ITEM #6A
AUGUST 10, 2015
overwritten with Atlantic Beach. The postal service indicated we would need a
resolution from our governing body showing support to initiate this review process.
The process may entail a survey of affected residences and it is possible they may
not want this.
No budget impact
RECOMMENDATION: Direct staff to finalize a resolution to be forwarded with a letter to the
District Manager of the United States Postal Service requesting that the
"City Name" portion of the addresses for those properties within Zip Code
32233, but not located within the City limits of Atlantic Beach be changed
to Jacksonville.
ATTACHED: (1) Resolution No. 15-07
(2) Example of a letter to citizens from the postal service as a result of a similar request.
RESOLUTION NO. 15-07
AGENDA ITEM #6A
AUGUST 10, 2015
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA, SUPPORTING A
ZIP CODE BOUNDARY REVIEW BY THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE TO
CHANGE THE LAST LINE OF THE ADDRESS FROM ATLANTIC BEACH TO
JACKSONVILLE FOR PROPERTIES WHICH ARE NOT WITHIN THE CITY OF
ATLANTIC BEACH
WHEREAS, the Zip Code system for identifying address locations was created in the 1960s and is often
found to be misaligned with municipal boundaries; and
WHEREAS, Zip Codes are based on the location of delivery post offices and often do not correspond to
municipal jurisdiction boundaries. Currently, some citizens in Jacksonville, Florida receive their mail from a post
office in Atlantic Beach, and their mailing address reflects the name and Zip Code of this post office rather than the
jurisdiction where they actually live; and
WHEREAS, municipalities sharing a Zip Code has created some unique problems and a great deal of
confusion and frustration for citizens, vendors and businesses; and
WHEREAS, citizens become frustrated when they contact the City of Atlantic Beach to request police
services in a time of crisis only to find out they are calling the wrong City. There is also confusion when citizens
try to report code enforcement violations within their neighborhoods and are told that they are not in Atlantic
Beach's jurisdiction and must contact the City of Jacksonville to file a complaint; and
WHEREAS, it is often very difficult for Atlantic Beach staff members to explain to contractors submitting
applications for building permits that although the property has an Atlantic Beach address and Zip Code, the
approval authority is the City of Jacksonville; and
WHEREAS, municipalities using the same Zip Code for non-postal purposes has exacerbated problems for
citizens who have a mailing address that does not match their actual City of residence.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Commission of the City of Atlantic Beach,
Florida hereby supports and requests a Zip Code Boundary Review by the United States Postal Service to change
the last line of the address from Atlantic Beach to Jacksonville for properties which are not within the City limits of
Atlantic Beach.
PASS ED AND ADOPTED by the City Commission of Atlantic Beach, Florida, this ___ day of August
2015.
ATTEST:
DONNA L. BARTLE, CMC
City Clerk
Approved as to form and correctness:
RICHARD KOMANDO, ESQUIRE
City Attorney
CAROLYN WOODS
Mayor