Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-26
UNIFORM BUILDING LINES
Commissioners Propose Legislation to Apply
to Narrow Streets.
Authority to Establish Lines on
Feet in Width-The Bill.

The District Commissioners have for
warded TO the chairman of each District
committee in Congress a draft of bill to
provide for the establishment of building
lines on certain streets in the District of
vorable action thereon.
The Commissioners explain that during
past years, on a number of occasions citi-
zenS of thesDistrict have desired to estab-
llsh building lines upon some of the narrow
streets where the lots were deep. 1t is evil
dent, the Commissioners believe, that, with
out compulsory legislation, where one or
two residents in a block refuse to accede
to such building lines, the efforts of the
remaining property owners are in vain,
since 1t is necessary that all the buildings
In one square should be on one line. Hence
In number of instances efforts made by
owners to establish building lines have
proved abortive through the lack Of CO.
operation of one person.
On a number of streets in the northwest
section of the city, they add, building lines
have been established along a portion of a
street by the concurrence of the land own
ers. and the streets, though narrow, pre-
sent a handsome appearance, with ample
width OF roadway, sidewalk and parking,
while few squares further along, where
the property owners did not establish such
line, the appearance of the street and its
sanitary condition is badly marred The
bill submitted is designed to remedy this
condition Of affairs.
As a general rule, where lots are deep, it
Is believed, say the Commissioners that
the establishment of the building line would
work no hardship to the land owners. But
there are instances of corner lots, they
say, where the establishment of building
lines on two streets abutting would take
away so much Of the land as to render the
remainder Of the lot unavailable for build
ing purposes, and In such cases the owner
of said lots should receive compensation
They believe the bill is desirable one and
that its operation would be attended by
no cost to the District of Columbia or to
the United States.
Provisions of the Bill.
The bill is as follows:
BE 1t enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled: That the
Commissioners of the District of Columbia
are hereby authorized to establish building
lines on streets or parts of streets less than
ninety feet wide in the District of Column
ola upon the presentation to them of plat
OF the street or a portion of the street upon
which such action is desired showing the
Iots and the names of the record owners
Thereon and accompanied by petition of
the owners of one-half of the real estate
shown on said plat requesting that build
ing lines be established or when said Com
missioners shall certify that public health,
building lines be established
Section 2 That upon the filing of such
pat and petition in the Office of said Com
mlsstoners. or when said Commissioners
convenience require that such building
lines be established. said Commissioners
shall make application in writing to the
United States marshal for the District of
Columbia to summon and impanel a Jury
or twelve citizens, who have no interest in
the real estate mentioned in the petition
(and 1t is hereby made his duty to summon
ana 1mpanel the same in all such cases
upon application in writing of said Com
missioners), who, after first taking and
subscribing an oath in writing to discharge
the duties imposed upon them by the pro-
visions of this act justly and impartially,
shall proceed to ascertain and appraise the
damages which may accrue to the real es-
tate OF any person or persons by the estab-
isnment OF said building lines, which shall
be the value of the land at the time of the
taking and the said jury shall make and
return their verdict in triplicate. one orig
fnal to be filed in the office of the said Com
missioners. one in the office of the recorder
of deeds of said District, and one In the
once OF the surveyor of the said District
And the damages awarded by said jury
shall be payable out of any funds available
for opening. widening and extending alleys,
under the act approved March 3. 1893, en-
s st,ed An Adea aSt making appropriations to
supply deficiencies in the appropriations
for the fiscal year ending June 30. 1893, and
ior prior years, and for other purposes
Jury to AppOrtiOn Damages.
Section g. That the said jury shall ap-
portion an amount equal to the amount of
said damages, ascertained and appraised rs
aforesaid, including the fees of the mar
shall for his services, and $50 for the SER
vices of said jury, according as each lot or
parcel of land In any square may be bene-
nted by the establishment of building lines
and they shall make return Of such amor
tionment to said Commissioners, in which
they shall designate each lot or part of lot
of land so benefited, and the amount so an
portloned to each. respectively; and in case
OF failure to pay the amount so apportioned
1t shall be the duty of the collector of taxes
TO levy tax upon each lot or part of lot
of land, in accordance with such apportion-
ment, and to collect the same as other
taxes on real estate are collected and said
assessments shall bear interest at the ratio
OF 10 per centum per annum until paid
Section 4. That the said marshal shall
give or cause to be given notice of the
time and place of meeting of said jurors
for the purposes aforesaid to each proprIe-
Tor OF land In the square where the building
line Is proposed to be established, as pro-
Vided in section 6 of the act of Congress-
approved July %, 1892, entitled An act to
provide for the opening of alleys in the
District Of Columbia
As to Projections.
''Section 5. That the said Commissioners.
whenever they deem it desirable in the in
terest Of economy. may permit buildings
existing at the time said building lines are
established and which project beyond said
lines, to remain until such time as the
owners of said buildings desire to recon-
struct or substantially alter the said build
ings: Provided. That the act of Congress
approved March 3. 1891, providing for GER
tain projections upon street parkings shall
apply to all parkings established under this
act, and the control of said parkings other
wise shall be vested iii the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia, who are hereby
authorized to make and enforce all reason
able and necessary regulations for their
care and preservation
ADJUSTMENTS.