Addison staff seek council direction to pursue ZIP code unification; campaign would require 50.1% of survey responses

Town staff asked the Addison City Council for direction to pursue a formal ZIP code unification petition to the U.S. Postal Service that would move the 75254 portion of Addison into the 75001 ZIP code.

HR coordinator Emily Watson briefed the council on the USPS process and recommended a council resolution that would prompt a USPS district‑level review. Watson said the request can be made once every 10 years and that if the town submits a formal request USPS would mail surveys to affected postal customers; every address receives one survey and passage requires that 50.1% of returned surveys be in favor. Watson said the town’s records show about 670 addresses in the 75254 area would receive the survey.

Why it matters: Unifying Addison under a single ZIP code could reduce misrouted mail and simplify addressing for residents and businesses that currently use Dallas as their mailing city. Businesses that operate across multiple ZIP codes, or that market to outside customers, told staff in past outreach they often prefer the larger-city name for recognition; council members asked staff to determine whether USPS can designate an “acceptable city” (for example, permitting an address to be in ZIP code 75001 while still allowing “Dallas” as an acceptable mailing city) for businesses that prefer the Dallas name.

Watson described a proposed outreach plan that includes direct mailed materials to affected addresses, social-media messaging, business visits, an ambassador program and a town-hall Q&A. She asked the council whether to place a resolution on the Sept. 9 agenda to request the unification. Council members asked for additional information before taking formal action — specifically, confirmation from USPS about whether addresses in the unified ZIP could still use “Dallas” as an acceptable city name and further outreach to commercial property owners to understand any costs they would incur from changing addresses.

Next steps: Staff said it will seek clarification from the Postal Service about acceptable-city options and return to council with additional business outreach results before placing a resolution on the Sept. 9 consent agenda.