Road Naming Procedure

Applicant’s Instructions for Renaming Roads

Procedure for Re-naming a Road (fees $235 plus label and sign fees)

  • Get two certified lists and six (6) sets of labels of abutters from the Town Assessor’s office.
  • Pick a first choice name and a second choice name.  Fill out the Planning Board’s “Road Name Change” form.
  • Bring the  name change form to the Fire Department for written approval of the names chosen and their sign-off on the form.
  • Mail all landowners abutting the road abutter sign-off forms stating that they agree to the name choices.  Mail shall be sent by certified mail with the return receipt to the Planning Board. Acceptance by a two-thirds majority of the abutters is needed to proceed with the road name change.  
  • A check payable to “The Town of Wellfleet” in the amount of $200 shall be filed with the Wellfleet Town Clerk, who will date stamp the name change form.
  • Submit the completed abutter sign-off forms, the name change form, one copy of the certified list of abutters, and the abutters’ mailing labels to the Planning Board Secretary, who will schedule a hearing with the Planning Board for the requested name change and notify applicant and the abutters. 
  • Planning Board will hold said public hearing on the proposed road name change.
  • Planning Board, by majority vote, makes an order to change the name of the road.  The new name will be included in this written order, signed by the Planning Board Chair. The Planning Board Secretary shall file a copy of this order with the Barnstable County Registry of Deeds/Land Court.
  • Provided the Planning Board votes to approve the name change, the applicant shall return to the Fire Department a copy of the approved name change form signed by the Planning Board Chair and the certified list of the land owners abutting the road to have the change completed with the appropriate utilities. The Fire Department fee for this change is $35.
  • Following name change approval, the applicant/abutters shall engage the DPW to erect an appropriate street sign specifying the new name at or near each point where the road joins another road or way.  In the case of a private road, abutters pay for the sign, but the DPW will install it.
  • The Planning Board secretary will send letters informing abutters of the Planning Board’s decision.

Applicant’s Instructions for Naming a Way

Procedure for Naming a Way (fees $110.50 plus label and sign fees)
  • Get two certified lists and two sets of labels of abutters from the Town Assessor’s office.
  • Pick a first choice name and a second choice name.  Fill out the Planning Board’s “Way Name Change” form.
  • Bring the name change form to the Fire Department for written approval of the names chosen and their sign-off on the form. 
  • Provide all landowners abutting the way with abutter sign-off forms stating that they agree to the name choices.  Acceptance by a two-thirds majority of the abutters is needed to proceed with the name change.  
  • Submit the completed abutter sign-off forms, the name change form, and one copy of the certified list of abutters to the Planning Board secretary who will schedule a meeting date with the Planning Board for the requested name change.
  • Planning Board, by majority vote, makes an order to name the way.  The new name will be included in a written order, signed by the Planning Board Chair. A check payable to “The Barnstable County Registry of Deeds” in the amount of $75.50 shall be filed with the Planning Board Secretary.
  • Provided the Planning Board votes to approve the  name change, the applicant shall return to the Fire Department a copy of the approved name change form signed by the Planning Board Chair and the certified list of the land owners abutting the road to have the change completed with the appropriate utilities. The Fire Department fee for this change is $35.
  • Following name change approval, the applicant/abutters shall engage the DPW to erect an appropriate street sign specifying the new name at or near each point where the way joins another way or road.  In the case of a private road, abutters pay for the sign, but the DPW will install it.
  • The Planning Board secretary will send letters informing abutters of Planning Board’s decision.