Evening star., 1898-05-14
SUBDIVISIONS OF LAND
Regulations Proposed by Commissioners and
Submitted to Board of Trade.
Provision for Plating and Rquirfng
Each House to he Sixteen
Feet in Width.

The District Commissioners today for
warded to Mr.. Theodore w. Noyes, pres
iGent of the Washington board of trade,
for the consideration of the board, the
draft of regulation proposed by them for
the subdivision and plating of land.
The Commissioners state that a late ju-
dicial decision by Justice Cole leaves the
regulat tons pertaining to lands and build
ipgs in an enigmatical position. The Com
missioners have long been desirous of mod
flying in certain particulars these regula
ticns, and now it seems to them to be quite
necessary that this be done. The regula-
tions are, in general three-D as to the
Subdivision of land proper; () requiring
that each house be on it's own piece of
land, and (3) requiring that each house
slall be at least sixteen feet wide.
Justice Cole, the Commissioners explain
declared that the third regulation could
not be upheld in general and that the
be based on definite considerations of pub
lie health. safety and convenience. The
otter two regulations remain unaffected by
the decision, and the Commissioners believe
1t Is evident that for purposes of taxation
1t is quite necessary for each premises to
be separate and distinct.
Care Should Be Observed.
THE subdivision of land the Commits
sioners say, should be watched over with
the greatest care, for if land is subdivided
into lots that are very small, and these
lots pass into the hands of different own
ers, it is evident that 1t would be with ex-
treme difficulty that any one could obtain
enough of such small lots to erect build
ing of any size, and in fine neighborhoods
such subdivision would work very great
damage to adjoining property. On the
other hand, there are portions of the Dis
trict where a small subdivision might be
very beneficial and work but little harm.
The future beauty of Washington depends
in large measure upon the proper sub,
division of land, and the question is a seri-
Gus one, and demands serious conSidera-
ton 1t is also pressing question, and the
Commissioners would request that yoI
please get early action from the proper
committee of the board Of trade with such
recommendations as they may see fit to
offer, for the assistance of the Commits
SiOnerS.''
The Regulations.
The proposed regulations are as follows:
In all subdivisions of agricultural land
into lots and blocks, lots shall not be less
than sixteen feet in width, or less than
sixty feet in depth, and shall abut on an
alley.
w men lots in squares and blocks are
res esubdivided, no lot shall be less than six
teen feet in width and fifty feet in depth,
except where, within the fire limits, the
market value Of land is less than one dol
lar per square foot, in which case a mini
mum width of twelve feet will be allowed.
Where a lot is of such width that
there shall be a surplus of less than sixteen
feet and more than eight feet after laying
off sixteen-foot lots. then such lot may
be subdivided into equal widths, not less
than fifty feet in depth and in number
equal to the number of sixteen-foot lots
plus one.
Where one or more substantial houses
are on the same lot, the lot may be sub
divided SO as to give each house a separate
lot.
Where a triangular or polygonal lot
abGts on two streets, it may be Subdivided
into lots not less than eight hundred square
feet in area, each of which shall abut on
two streets"