The City of Central recently received a letter of rejection from the US Postal Service, for their request to obtain a unique zip code for their city. The city, which was incorporated in April 2005, has several zip codes within their city limits including ones from Greenwell Springs and Baton Rouge. The main reason stated by Jeffery Taylor of the USPS was that “Approval of the address designation of Central, LA would be inviting operational difficulties that would result in deteriorated service and higher prices“. Here is the entire letter submitted from the USPS to Mayer Watts of Central:
The Honorable Shelton “Mac” Watts
Mayor, City of Central
13421 Hooper Road, Suite 9
Dear Mayor Watts:
As indicated in my December 3, 2009 letter, I am providing an update to your request for one ZIP Code in the City of Central, LA. After conducting an in-depth analysis (attached), I regret to inform you that the request for one ZIP Code in Central, LA is denied. After quantifying the impacts and estimating the cost associated with your request, it is not feasible for us to make this change. An alternative to this request is to allow the use of more than one “city” name in the last line of the address, while retaining the ZIP Code of the delivery Post Office. This would help with any community identity problem.
In the event you wish to appeal this decision, please feel free to send your appeal to:
Manager, Delivery – US Postal Service
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW Rm. 7142
Washington, DC 20260-2802
All appeals must be made within forty-five (45) days of issuance of this decision.
Thank you for the opportunity to address this matter.
Sincerely
CONCLUSION
The Postal Service evaluates all delivery boundary change requests customers submit. However, through a ZIP Code Boundary Review Process, changes are approved only if the operational requirements of the Postal Service and the interests of the community are served. The Postal Service does not adjust postal delivery designations and boundaries solely to provide local identity. These delivery designations and boundaries do not necessarily mirror city, county, or township boundaries. Approval of the address designation of Central, LA would be inviting operational difficulties that would result in deteriorated service and higher prices. At a minimum, approval of such requests requires the relocation of carriers, changes in delivery routes and transportation schedules, revisions to directories, mail forwarding for customers whose addresses change, and significant administrative costs. However, the boundary review process offers enhanced possibilities of accommodating community desires. One accommodation that can be made is to allow the alternative use of more than once city name in the last line of the address, while retaining the ZIP Code number of the delivery Post Office. This can help with community identity problems, though not with problems such as insurance rates or tax remittances being directed by ZIP Code.
__________________
City of Central, Louisiana
13421 Hooper Road, Suite 8
Central, LA 70818-2900
City Services: 225.262.5000 • Fax: 225.262.5001
City Hall: 225.261.5988 • Fax: 225.261.0811
