Mullen Road Name/Rename Change (Mullin)Masterpiece on the Mississippi
SUBJECT: Request to correct spelling of Mullin Road
Dear Property Owner:
Planning Services
City Hall
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001 -4864
(563) 589 -4210 office
(563) 589 -4221 fax
(563) 690 -6678 TDD
planning@cityofdubuque.org
www.cityofdubuque.org
July 9, 2012
The City of Dubuque was recently made aware of a mistake in the spelling of the street
signs for Mullen Road. Currently, the street sign reads, "Mullen" Road spelled with an
"e ". The City of Dubuque received an inquiry from a local citizen questioning the
spelling of the street name. The City found that the original subdivision plat of 1927
spelled the name as "Mullin" Road. A copy of the plat is attached to this letter. The
area was not yet annexed into the city. The street was spelled Mullin Road on the City's
zoning maps up until the City transitioned to the electronic map where the road name
was spelled with Mullen. City staff also found that the County plat map spelled the
name as Mullen, but the table of contents for the plat maps spelled the street as Mullin.
Just to add to the confusion, Google Earth spells the street name as Mullen Road, while
MapQuest spells it as Mullin Road.
The City Clerk researched City records to find if the City had ever officially changed the
street from Mullin to Mullen. No such record was found. The City Clerk did find a few
references to the roadway in City Records. In 1946, Ordinance 18 -46 referenced Mullin
Road for establishing a street grade. In 1950, Resolution 239 -50 was approved that
provided for the improvement of Mullin Road from Asbury Road to Hillcrest Road.
However, just three years later in 1953, as part of a schedule of assessments, the street
name was spelled as Mullen Road. Subsequent to that date though, the street name
was listed on various City documents as Mullin Road.
Given that there is no official document changing the street name from Mullin Road to
Mullen Road, the City feels the correct spelling is Mullin Road. Since the change is to
correct an error, no City Council action is necessary to make the street sign name
change.
The City of Dubuque will have City street crews change the street signs at the
intersections of Asbury and Hillcrest Roads to read Mullin Road on September 10,
2012.
I will be sending notification of street sign name change to local utility companies and
appropriate City of Dubuque and County Offices. The list of the organizations that will
receive notification of the street name change is attached to this letter. The Post Master
has been consulted with regard to the potential change and he has indicated that the
Service People Integrity Responsibility Innovation Teamwork
Post Office will keep both old and new addresses in their system. All City Departments
also will be notified of the change.
recommend that as the date for the street sign name change draws near, that when
your bills come in the mail, that you provide the billing agency the new spelling for Mullin
Road. Typically, there is a box to check on the portion of the bill that you send with
payment that notes any changes in address. You may also want to notify doctor and
dentist offices when you are at your next appointment of the change in the spelling of
the street name. However, again, note that mail addressed to either Mullen Road or
Mullin Road will be delivered to your address.
If you disagree with this proposed street sign name change, you are welcome to submit
correspondence to the City Council for placement on an upcoming meeting agenda via
the City Clerk's Office at the address below. A request to address the City Council in
person also should be made in writing with the topic and meeting date indicated. The
City Council meets on the first and third Monday of each month. Comments also are
accepted at City Council meetings during the Public Input section at the end of each
meeting, but only on items that are not already listed on the agenda. Please note that
the City Council cannot act on comments made during the Public Input session until a
subsequent meeting to comply with Iowa's Open Meetings Law.
All correspondence to the City Council should be addressed to:
The Honorable Mayor Buol and City Council Members
City Clerk's Office
50 W. 13th St.
Dubuque, IA 52001
Please contact me at 563- 589 -4210 or kkritz(a cityofdubuque.org if you have any
questions regarding the information in this letter or need clarification of the proposed
street sign name change. Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Kyle L. Kr itz
Associate Planner
Attachments
bc: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Don Vogt, Public Works Director
Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Kevin Firnstahl, City Clerk
Book of Plats #9, page 185, Plat of "Hillcrest Subdivision No. 2" in
Dubuque Township, Dubuque County, Iowa, filed Dec. 14, 1927:
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80
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47 = 38
48 _ 37
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DUBUQUE. IOWA
FA °m THis PoiAT CENT[fl °F 9snNsY ST, 9r CITY
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CENTER of ASBURYRon D THEuce S.4&57 -
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The City of Dubuque will notify the following utility providers, County offices
and the U.S. Postal Service.
Utilities
• Alliant Energy
® Black Hills Energy
® Century Link
• Mediacom
County Offices
® County Auditor
® County Recorder
® City Assessor
® Emergency Communication 911
® County GIS Coordinator
U.S. Postal Service
Page 1 of 1
The land my house sits on was originally owned by my great grandparents. They bought it in 1847. At
one time the street name was spelled correctly. I don't know when it was changed or who changed it
but the city of Dubuque doesn't seem inclined to correct their mistake. They first asked me why I had
taken so long to point out their error. That's easy, I moved away for 23 yrs and didn't see the sign
change. I pointed out to them the plat maps at the courthouse have it spelled Mullin, google earth
spells it the same way, Mullin. Their response was I would need to get a petition together and get
60% of the people who live on this street to agree to correcting the spelling. It is just too much work
to correct their error. They would need to update their info, let the post office know, let all the utility
companies etc know if they changed it to what it was originally.
The lack of response from the city is irritating. I don't see why they can't fix their error other than that
they are lazy.
As an FYI my great grandfather originally donated the 22 acres where St Jose Sanitarium was built on
Asbury Road to Dubuque but they can't seem to bother to fix the spelling.
It would be great if you could get them to do the right thing and correct the sign.
Pam
Pam Mullin (pammullin @hotmail.com)
about:blank 8/1/2012
Gary Miehe
Subject: FW: Change in name of Mullen Road
Mayor Boul and City Council Members
City Clerks Office
50 W. 13th St.
Dubuque, Iowa 52001
received your letter of July 9th from Kyle Kritz regarding the mistake in the spelling of the
name of Mullin /Mullen Road. I strongly disagree with your proposed solution to revert to the
name Mullin for the following reasons:
1) The mistake was made by the city sometime in the 1950's. You, not the homeowners on
Mullen Road, should take action to correct the mistake in the most practical way.
2) None of the present residents of this street have ever known it as Mullin but have always
known it as Mullen. All our documents (drivers license, mortgages, many mailing addresses on
bills, etc) are based on Mullen and it would be a significant inconvenience for all of us to
change these documents -- perhaps this change would even generate legal issues with
mortgage documents /companies.
3) No one cares that the name was once Mullin. We like it called Mullen.
4) It would be a simple matter for the city to act and change the name officially to Mullen. In
addition you would not have to make new street signs - -this would save the city time and
money.
For the above reasons, we wish the city to change the name officially to Mullen and not put
the burden on your taxpayers to take any actions. I live out of state (my mother lives in the
house I own on Mullen Road) so I will not be able to address the council in person, however,
please put this item on the agenda. If it is possible for me to participate by phone I would be
pleased to do so.
Gary R. Miehe, Owner of 2013 MULLEN Road
9 Hackett Ct
Poolesville, MD 20837
301 471 0447
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