The days of having a mailbox at the end of the driveway may be at an end for new residential developments. The local postmaster will now decide if mail will be delivered to the driveway or if cluster mailbox stations will be installed in new subdivisions.
Coweta County Planning Director Robert Tolleson at the July 15 meeting of the Coweta County Commission said, “The county has received notice from the United States Postal Service that mail delivery within new residential developments will be determined by the local postmaster. The type of delivery mandated can be the standard curb line delivery or central delivery via cluster box units.
The latter, most likely will be the form of delivery mandated for new developments due to the cost savings to the postal service.”
Tolleson said including the requirement in the county’s development ordinance is a proactive step. The USPS mandate is currently in effect.
Responding to questions from commissioners, Tolleson said the federal mandate gives the postmaster the option of requiring clustered mailbox stations or allowing the subdivision to be outfitted with the customary fashion of placing mailboxes at the end of driveways.
“The new subdivision (developer) will have to go to the postmaster to see if it requires regular mailboxes or clusters,” said Tolleson. “The postmaster decides.”
Tolleson said some developers feel that the county should not be involved in the process.
“However, it is the homeowners that may find themselves without mail delivery, within their community, if the county is not involved at the initial stage of development,” Tolleson said. “Staff has determined that other communities have had to face the USPS mandates and have developed local ordinances and regulations to address the issue.”
Commissioners approved the amendment which will require that the preliminary and final plat filings for subdivisions include the information needed for county staff to ensure compliance with the mandate.
