Tuscaloosa committee approves amendment creating citywide honorary naming process

A committee of Tuscaloosa City approved an amendment to the city's honorary naming process that would standardize how streets, buildings and other infrastructure are named and make such designations honorary rather than changes to official street names.

The amendment moves honorary street renaming rules into an administrative section that applies to any city asset proposed for a commemorative name, including buildings, bridges, pipes and a "mayor's lift station," Scott, a city staff member, told the committee. Scott said the change is intended to set clear criteria for naming and to avoid replacing official street signs.

The policy also includes a timing restriction: items may not be named for a person until after that person has left public office, Scott said. He tied the changes to prior work on street-renaming rules dating back to 2014 and earlier notes by Tim Nunley that were incorporated into the draft.

Committee members discussed public-safety and mapping concerns. A presiding member asked whether emergency callers might give honorary names instead of official street names; Scott replied that honorary signs would be smaller and distinct and that city systems such as computer-aided dispatch would be updated as needed so responders can locate addresses.

The committee recorded a motion to approve the amendment and took a voice vote. The transcript shows the presiding member asked, "All in favor?" and members responded "Aye." The committee announced, "Motion passes." The record does not show a roll-call vote or a numerical tally.

The committee scheduled its next properties meeting for January 6 and then adjourned.

Provenance: Scott introduced and explained the amendment beginning at 00:00:14 of the meeting transcript and the motion and vote appear at 00:05:01.