Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-08-17
AN IMPORTANT AMENDMENT
Proposed Change in the City's
Building Regulations.
FATHERED BY COUNCILMAN KANE
Who Introduced 1t In Council
Last Thursday.


building regulations of the city was
proposed at Thursdays meeting of
City Council. In a word. it is to give
the building inspector full jurisdiction
over all building construction and to
prevent repetition of such row as
that which occurred over the building
permit for the High School, 1t will
be remembered that the A. S. Reed &
Bro. Co. offered to pay for permit on
the basis of the cost of the building to
them, whereas the building inspector
demanded fee on the basis of the cost
to the board. Afterwards, when the
building inspector was willing to &C.
cept the smaller sum, the money was
tor Conrad carried the matter to Chan
Gerry to compel the taking out of fee.
1t developed, however, that the city
ordinance made no provision that
allowed any penalty for failure to take
out fee for school building. The
ordinance was not specific as to whether
the cost was that to the contractor or
to the owner. When it came to the
court, the city, which was in the posi-
tion of fighting the Board of Educa-
tion as we'll as the contractor, both the
latter being defendants in the Chan
Gerry suit, had no case and the proceed.
ings were dropped. A bill of SAG. 9S
for costs in the case was passed by
Council last night.
The proposed ordinance, which was
offered by James Kane, provides for
the amendment Of an ordinance of
May 10Th, 1884, by striking out section
8, the defective section, and inserting
in lieu thereof. the following
Section 5. Before any person, firm,
Il
begin the erection, construction, altera-
tion or repair of any building within
the city of Wilmington, he, they or it
shall make application in writing to
the building inspector Of said city for
permit so to do. Such application
must be accompanied by written
statement showing the location of such
proposed building, its dimensions, the
purpose for which it is to be used, the
number of stories it will be in height,
the material to be used in it, the man
nerNof its construction and the esti-
mated cost to the owner thereof to
complete the same. Such application
shall also be accompanied by the fee
hereinafter provided. If the said build
ing inspector be not satisfied from such
written statement that the proposed
building, alteration or repairs comply
in all respects with the provisions of
the ordinances of said city in relation
to buildings he shall be empowered TO
see the plans and specifications thereof,
or to take any other steps necessary to
satisfy himself that such proposed
building, alterations or repairs are in
accordance with the said building
ordinance.
THE fees to be paid said building
luSnnrfnr for SIlph nprntt Ghal ha
For every new building, or for
any old building to be repaired,
altered or remodeled- if the cost to the
owner of the completion thereof amount
- more than fifty and not more than
five hundred dollars-one dollar; il
such cost be more than five hundred
and not more than one thousand dol
lars two dollars, and one dollar for
every additional thousand dollars, or
fraction thereof, of cost. No fee
shall be charged for altering or repair
ing any old building when the cost to
the owner of such alteration or repairs
shall be less than fifty dollars. No fee
shall be charged the State Of Delaware,
the county of New Castle, the city Of
Wilmington, or any of its departments,
nor the Board of Education in and for
the city of Wilmington for any build
ing to be built or repaired by them or
any OF them, but they and each of
them shall be subject to all the other
provisions of this ordinance.
II any owner, agent, contractor,
person, firm or corporation shall begin
to erect, build, construct, alter, re-
model or repair any building whatever
within said CITY without having first
complied with the provisions of this
section and secured the permit herein
provided for, he, it or they shall, upon
conviction thereof in the Municipal
Court of said city, be punished by d
fine OF not less than fifty nor more than
one hundred dollars. 9
The proposed ordinance had its first
reading and was read the second time
by title.
1t will be observed that the amend.
ment makes the cost of the building to
the owner the basis on which the fee is
TO be reckoned, and allows the State,
county, and city and its departments,
including the Board of Education, to
do building work without paying a fee,
The fees continue the same as before.
The law and finance committees re-
ported fayorably on the ordinance to
authorize the issuance of certain bonds
or certificates of Indebtedness and to
provide for the payment thereof The
ordinance provides for refunding
s24, 600 of bonds issued in 1873 and fall
ing due September LIST next. The new
bonds are to mature October LIST, 1913,
and are to form part Of series No.
1lS of the sinking fund The ordi-
nance was unanimously adopted, and
Will next go to the mayor.
A communication from the executive
committee of the League of American
municipalities was received, inviting
the Council to attend the third annual
convention of the league in Syracuse,
N. y, September 10th to 22d. On mo
tion of Mr.. Kane the invitation wa
accepted and referred to the committee
of the whole.
City Treasurer Hamann reported tn,
balance in Union Bank to the accoun
of current expenses to be S237, 06l. GA
special fund for park purposes
Sl7, 54. 50. He reported the following
receipts From Auditor |. G. PYLE
S24; Collector Z. NJ Savers, So. $50
Tax Collector t. S. Lewis, 81, l15
On motion of Mr. Kane, Sl34, 4S4 will
be drawn from Union Bank and S33, 90
will be deposited in each of the fou
depository banks, First, Central, Della
ware and Wilmington and Brsndywin,
Banks.
City Auditor Pyle reported that h
had audited the accounts Of Reeistra
Grohe of the Water Department. ia
July and found collections of sl3. 451. 81
An order for Sl2, 920. OIL was ordore,
drawn in favor of the Board of Fduca
iton, that being its monthly appropria
tion.
Mil, Tne,ooto. NHoU:lI 4