ZIP: ‘Passion’ for community identity

Linda. The petition submitted to the USPS cites potential economic impacts as a key reason to establish a new code.

“Often, systems and applications don’t support a one-to-many relationship between ZIP codes and community names,” Bradford said. “Therefore, in many cases systems and applications incorrectly identify the community as Olivehurst.”

Because the locations are clumped together under one ZIP code, statistics involving insurance rates or figures regarding local economic activity are less accurate for each specific area.

“When income, property values or public safety statistics are combined for merely statistical purposes, it can come at a price. It can lead to lost economic opportunity as businesses/retailers consider other locations that are perceived to have a better quality of life, and it can also lead to higher car and home insurance premiums if it is perceived to be unsafe,” according to the petition.

Residents are asking the USPS to conduct a ZIP code boundary review to essentially redraw borders.

To save costs in the event a new boundary is created for the community, residents advised that the Olivehurst post office continue to serve the Plumas Lake area by using existing mail delivery-routes and infrastructure.

“Like most small communities, residents of Plumas Lake are passionate about their community and its identity,” Bradford said. “As a resident myself, I share that passion.”