Address assignment scheme
An address assignment scheme identifies the components that make up an address and describes how values are assigned to these components.
An address assignment scheme establishes the framework of rules, both spatial and non-spatial, adopted by an address authority for assigning addresses within the area it administers. The address assignment scheme includes, as needed, rules governing address numbering, street naming, block definition, sub-addresses (suites, offices, apartments, etc.) and place names. The address assignment scheme may also define address baselines (north-south or east-west lines used as a zero starting point for address numbers) and datum points (origin for numbering), polylines (streets, geometric lines, or other lines used to measure address number assignment intervals and ranges within an address system), breakpoints (points along a street denoting where an address range beginning and/or endpoint is located) and breaklines (lines that connect breakpoints to indicate where one scheme ends and another starts) to guide address numbering throughout the area.
A number of address assignment schemes are described in the Annex of ISO/TC 211 N 3188. While this is not a comprehensive review of all schemes, it does reflect the wide variety of address assignment schemes in use all over the world. It also includes a scheme described in the book ‘Street Addressing and the Management of Cities’ (Farvacque- Vitkovic 2005), which is a guide for assigning street addresses in areas where they do not exist.
Because of socio-economic, cultural, legal and other implications, there is not a single best address assignment scheme that suits all countries. Therefore it does not make sense to develop an address assignment scheme as an international standard; it would be better to provide guidelines of good practices for address assignment schemes.