ROGERS — A change in street addresses has some residents in the gated community of Shadow Valley upset.

Tom Jenkins, Rogers fire chief, requested in November 2010 all street addresses in Rogers contain a compass direction: north, south, east or west.

“We requested the change to help emergency responders and 911 dispatchers better locate an address,” Jenkins said.

The changes are made as 911 maps are updated, officials said.

Charles Reaves, developer of Shadow Valley, said this week he is not happy compass directions have been added to addresses in the western Rogers development.

“Our streets aren’t on a grid. The streets twist and turn; putting a compass direction doesn’t make sense. A street may go north then west, back to the north or some other direction,” Reaves said. “I wish the city would rethink changing the street addresses out here.”

The streets in Shadow Valley have never been dedicated to the city, but are private streets maintained by the Property Owners Association. The streets may be privately owned, but the subdivision is inside the city and city codes apply, said Ben Lipscomb, city attorney.

Some residents didn’t notice the change in the address until they started receiving more junk mail or other residents’ mail, Reaves said.

Employees in the city’s Planning Department said one man complained about the change. He said he saw no reason to add directionals and the greater St. Louis area — with a population of nearly 3 million — doesn’t require them.

Jenkins said he understands the concerns of Shadow Valley residents, but maintained compass directions are necessary.

As an example, Jenkins said 18th Street could have two 2202 18th St. addresses, which could confuse 911 operators and emergency responders.

“Not all firefighters in the department are from this area, and don’t have streets memorized,” Jenkins said. “By putting north or south in front of 18th Street, it gives 911 operators and first responders a better address, which improves response times,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins had Lipscomb write a letter requesting streets within the city limits contain a compass direction. The letter went to the Benton County Division of Public Safety, which oversees the county’s 911 service.

“We made the change as directed,” said Mary Kay Sullivan, director of Benton County 911 .

Once the street address changes were made, they became part of the Benton County assessor’s map, said Bear Chaney, county assessor.

“We don’t have anything to do with changing the addresses, we just refl ect the changes made,” Chaney said.

Advertisers often buy addresses from companies that compile addresses from the assessor’s office records, which may explain the increase of junk mail received in Shadow Valley.