Mail Problems In Fort Denaud?

Is It 'LaBelle' Or 'Fort Denaud' - Residents Ask

LABELLE, FL. -- Robin A. McLean E-911 Coordinator for Hendry county, Florida says she has received numerous requests from residents since 2006 for an explanation of why the mailing address changed from LaBelle to Fort Denaud for homes in the historical area west of LaBelle.

McLean explains Fort Denaud, a neighborhood west of the city of LaBelle is not an incorporated area but has been recognized as an historical area, and in 2006 a group of residents petitioned to have a Zip Code assigned to the historical area of Fort Denaud.

Fort Denaud could not be assigned a new Zip Code because it was not fiscally responsible to build another Post Office. USPS has sought to reduce rather to enlarge the number of post offices.

McLean explains the only purpose of a Zip Code system is to facilitate the efficient and orderly delivery of the mail. However the Zip Code is also used by non-delivery entities as a geographic locator that are unrelated to the delivery of mail. Zip Codes are not based on political jurisdiction boundaries. Zip Codes are based on the location of the delivery post office.


However, a compromise solution was sought. USPS did allow the alternate city name of Fort Denaud to be used in the last line of the address while not changing the Zip Code. USPS sorting only pays attention to the last two lines of an address; Full street address, City, State and Zip.

Either way, USPS will deliver to the street address regardless if Fort Denaud or LaBelle is used in the city name, says McLean.