USPS Cluster Mailbox Policy Change Webinar February 9, 2017 Questions & Answers United States Postal Service, Southern Area North Central Texas Council of Governments Q1: If the Federal Bill (House Bill No. 5714) is not passed, will the cluster boxes be required for new developments? A1: The Postal Operations Manual (POM), Section 631.1 3 and the April 5, 2012, POM revisions provide the Postal Service with...autonomy in determining the modes of delivery when adding new deliveries, thereby enabling the Postal Service to provide services adequate and necessary to meeting its basic function in the most efficient manner. Nationwide, secure central delivery has been determined to be the most efficient, as well as the most customer supportive method of delivery for new residential developments. Under section 202 of House Bill (No. 114H5714 RH), 39 USC 3692 would be amended to provide, at 3692(c)(1), that (f)or any new delivery point establish after the date of enactment of the Postal Service Reform Act of 2017, the Postal Service shall provide a primary mode of mail delivery other than door delivery, with a preference for secure, centralized delivery. Therefore, the current House Bill is consistent with the current POM language and reinforces secure, central delivery as the Postal Service s preferred mode of delivery for all new residential developments. For new residential developments currently under construction, the Dallas/Fort Worth Delivery Team is available to meet with you at your convenience to discuss the approval process. Q2: Who is responsible for the maintenance of these central mailboxes? A2: The Home Owner s Association. Q3: Do you know at what time the USPS Districts will contact municipalities to implement a strategy to require cluster mailboxes? A3: The Delivery Teams for the Dallas and Fort Worth Districts are currently available to meet with you and your staff to discuss implementing central delivery for all of the new residential developments within your jurisdiction. Q4: Will you be able to print this presentation? A4: Yes! The presentation has been made available online: http://www.nctcog.org/envir/usps-webinar.asp. Q5: Who is financially responsible for the collection sites in the event of damages if no Homeowner s Association (HOA) exists for the development/neighborhood? A5: The issue will be addressed on a case-by-case basis at the time that our delivery team meets with the developer/builder and the municipality/county prior to the approval of the master plan and plat for each new residential development.
Q6: Is it correct that an agreement of some sort will be required to secure centralized mail delivery? So every plat will essentially require an agreement before they are approved? A6: Yes, you are correct. The USPS Growth and Delivery Point Management Program requires signed Mode of Delivery Agreements for each new plat before the new development is approved by the city/county. Q7: When will USPS District Offices contact municipalities? A7: In order to best accommodate staff schedules for the municipalities and counties, we would appreciate your contacting the Dallas and Fort Worth Delivery Teams at your convenience to schedule an appointment. Q8: Can you identify the level at which the USPS decisions will be made? Will the Dallas District make one decision or will local municipal postmasters make the decision for their communities? A8: In initiating contact for the mode of delivery approval process, your postmasters may serve as your initial contact point. However, only the District Delivery Team has the authority to approve the mode of delivery for new residential developments. The central delivery approval process is the responsibility of the Dallas and Fort Worth Districts. Q9: What will be the impact to existing developments? Will door-to-door delivery be changed to centralized? Who would install those new boxes? A9: The Postal Service has a Residential Mode Conversion program in place for existing developments where residents express a desire to convert to secure, centralized delivery. The District Growth Coordinator works with the local Home Owner s Association (HOA) and directly with the home owners where there is no HOA. The installation of the new boxes is determined on a case-by-case basis. Q10: Is there a plan or regulation to move established neighborhoods/singlefamily developments to centralized delivery? A10: The Postal Service does not have a regulation that requires existing residential developments that currently have curbside delivery to convert to centralized delivery. However, the Postal Service s Residential Mode Conversion program provides a convenient option for making the conversion to secure, centralized delivery. Many of our customers have made the switch based on the convenience and security that centralized delivery provides. Q11: What is the threshold for centralized delivery? Would a subdivision of 1-acre lots require centralized delivery? 80-foot wide lots? A11: Centralized delivery is the preferred mode of delivery for all new residential developments nationwide, regardless of lot size.
Q12: How can we get the local USPS office to be more involved in addressing, especially on a larger scale? A12: Please contact the District Growth and Delivery Point Management Coordinator to schedule an appointment at your convenience. The District Delivery Teams have a goal of addressing and implementing central delivery on as large a scale and at the earliest possible date. Q13: Some area cities have weekly Development Review Committee (DRC) meetings and numerous subdivisions being submitted. Is the USPS prepared from a staffing perspective to review all incoming subdivisions and provide timely feedback so as not to delay the development review? A13: Yes! The Dallas and Fort Worth Districts are prepared to meet with you and the developers/builders at your earliest convenience to review all incoming subdivisions and provide timely feedback to ensure there is no delay in the municipalities and counties development review. Q14: In high-growth areas we ve had issues connecting with local postmasters in the past; are they being provided resources to meet the high-growth demands? A14: Yes! The mode of delivery review and approval process has now been centralized in the Dallas and Fort Worth District Offices. The districts are responsible for approving the mode of delivery for all new residential developments. Q15: Who files for an exception and when is that process considered? A15: Exceptions to the standard centralized delivery process for residential developments that are currently under construction should be directed to the District Delivery Team. Q16: If cluster boxes are used, will that impact addressing? A16: No, individual box numbers are provided for each residential customer. Q17: What is quickly in USPS terms in regards to reviewing plats/plans? Cities are statutorily required to review/approve plans in certain time frames. A17: The District Delivery Team will provide review of plats/plans that you submit within ten business days of receipt. Q18: Can you require city review of centralized mailboxes prior to installation? Cities may pass ordinances for decorative cluster boxes, parking requirements, shelters, etc. A18: Yes! We respectfully request that you contact the District Delivery Team prior to drafting any ordinance that may impact central delivery.
Q19: If the placement and agreements are worked out between developers and the USPS, then what role do you see being filled by municipal Planning Commissions, DRCs, or Planning Departments? A19: The Postal Service is relying on the Planning Commissions, DRCs and Planning Departments to make the mode of delivery approval process a standard part of the planning approval process required for other essential government services, such as water, electric, gas and fiber optics permitting. The goal is to have the mode of delivery agreement approved by the districts prior to the approval of the developers /builders master plans and plats. Q20: How many lots in a new development area will trigger centralized delivery? A two-lot subdivision? Three-lot? Four-lot? A20: The smallest currently approved central delivery box provides for eight residential customers. Q21: With a 30-day timeframe to act on a plat, how can a municipality force a developer to meet with USPS within that timeframe? A21: The Dallas and Fort Worth Districts are requesting that the municipalities and counties provide notice that the developers and builders must seek and obtain approval for mode of delivery agreements prior to having their master plans and plats approved. In our meetings with the developers and builders who belong to the Dallas Builders Association, they have expressed a desire to work with the districts in moving their new projects to centralized delivery. With your support, we believe that over the next eighteen months, the districts can have the developers and builders designing all of their new residential developments for centralized delivery. Q22: What kind of access is required to the centralized mail boxes? Parking spaces? Sidewalks? Signage? You're creating an area of a neighborhood with increased pedestrian and vehicular activity that may cause new conflicts. A22: In determining access required for centralized mail boxes as far as parking spaces, sidewalks, and signage, the developer should refer to any State and Federal laws with which the developer must normally comply. Q23: We have heard about some subdivisions that have central delivery are having their residential mail picked up from the cluster boxes and delivered to each home. Any idea how this works? A23: Currently, there are residential developments that have approved centralized delivery where the HOAs have elected to provide private contract delivery within their communities. The carrier delivers to the designated central delivery point and the HOA contactor assumes responsibility for individual deliveries.
Q24: Who will control the keys to each of the boxes? How will new home owners get keys? What if they lose a key? To whom do they need to go? A24: All new boxes come with locks and 3 keys per lock. When the builders buy and install them, they would just put the keys for each compartment in each compartment. As soon as they re installed and it is safe to do so, the district will send someone from maintenance out there to install the USPS arrow lock and someone to label the inside of the boxes with the addresses (which will be assigned when CBU locations are determined the plots and addressing is finalized). Options: As customers moved in, the carrier could give them their keys. Best option because the carrier could inform the customer which box was theirs and he would know when to begin delivery. The USPS could give the builder a copy of the CBU addresses and the builder will give out their keys as their new residents move in. The builder will give them to the new HOA, who will then give customers their keys. The HOA agreement with the builder mandate that the HOA maintain the units, as well as responsibility for keys/lock changes. All three keys do not need to be given out to the new home owners at the same time. The HOA may give out only one and the homeowner has the option of making duplicates. There is no prohibition on making duplicate CBU keys. Lock changes would need to be done whenever there is a change in ownership. If there is no HOA, or the HOA does not agree to be responsible, then the USPS can change the locks for individual customers for a locally determined fee. The homeowner also has the option of using a private lock change service in the event they lose a key. Q25: How have other communities done trash pickup around these kiosks? Litter of envelopes and junk mail will most definitely be a new issue. Can USPS add this as a service? A25: No, the Postal Service cannot provide trash service for areas adjacent to central delivery units. Currently, the HOAs and home owners provide for this service.