TYLER, Texas — Neighbors in North Tyler are continuing their effort to rename Confederate Avenue, but it may not be an easy task.
Section 10-260 of Tyler’s Code of Ordinances says residents must bring a petition to the city requesting a name change and it must be signed by everyone who owns property on the street.
Heather Nick, Managing Director of Planning and Economic Development for the City of Tyler, says she could not recall an instance in which a citizen’s petition resulted in a renamed street, but says it happens occasionally when an internal request is made. She says city leaders might ask for a street name to be changed at the behest of emergency personnel if it would help them more easily find an address.
She says the process is the same regardless of whether a citizen brings a petition or the city asks for a change.
“It does go to the Planning and Zoning Commission for the City of Tyler, and they consider the request,” Nick said. “And then from there, it moves on to our Tyler City Council for their final approval.”
Nick says the ordinance has been on the books for decades and stops most people from trying or succeeding to change a road’s name, but she believes the wording is deliberate. “And the reason for that is because of the monetary impact on those adjacent neighbors,” she explained, “so that can be challenging.”
Changing a road’s name does not cost the city much—just the price of new street signs. Nick says the people who live and own businesses there can spend lots of time and money during a switch.
“You could see anything from, you know, having to change your driver’s license to maybe a business sign or stationary, or any kind of documents associated with your business, if you’re a business,” she said. “You know, maybe even changing your passport.”
It may be difficult to get 100% of the neighbors to sign the petition, whether based on differences of opinion or the challenge of reaching an absent property owner. Nick says it is easier to get a name changed on a shorter street than a longer street because there are fewer neighbors involved. She suggested this could be an answer for those attempting to rename Confederate Avenue. The street is divided into north and south sections. North Confederate Avenue is a long street with lots of homes and businesses, but South Confederate Avenue is a separate road and is only a block long. Nick says the petitioners could try to narrow their focus to make the process more manageable.
“We can evaluate, is there a systematic change, or incremental, maybe, and to see if that may be a possibility,” she said. “I think that, in those scenarios, [they should consider] working with the City to see if there’s ways that maybe we help in that scenario. Our staff would be happy to do that.”