People who live in rural DeKalb County might be changing their addresses soon and making sure everyone can see it.

The DeKalb County Board unanimously adopted a new rural house numbering system at its meeting Wednesday.

The new numbering system is a result of the county’s need to provide better police and fire protection.

The system will establish base lines and a grid system for redetermining addresses.

The new ordinance states the south and west county lines will be the zero lines the address grid is based on.

The ordinance also states “owners or occupants of buildings in the unincorporated parts of the County shall furnish, erect and maintain the house number identifying their properties.”

Chris Aiston, director of the DeKalb County Planning Department, said houses that are set back more than 100 feet must add a number that is visible from the road as well as having the address on the house itself.

Aiston will be the administrator of the new rural numbering system.

The new numbering system will begin immediately, said Capt. Jim Laben, DeKalb County Sheriff Department.

A resolution was also passed unanimously to make part of Genoa Road, County Highway 13, a Class II truck route.

The resolution was the result of businesses being prevented from transporting their products to different counties, County Board member Richard O’Kane said.

Chairman Robert Hutcheson said the change in the road to a Class II truck route will affect the width and length of the loads trucks are carrying, but not the weight, which will remain the same.