The San Francisco call., 1906-05-29
PLAN TO PROTECT
THE RESIDENCES
Advice Given to Keep Them Back From Sidewalk
Line, Thus Widening Open Street Space.

An important suggestion that vii
make for a SAFER and more beautiful
city is contained in the report of the
committee on Burnham plans, which
, was adopted yesterday by the recon
struction committee Of forty. In ad-
: dition TO condemning lands for the
widening of streets, as agreed upon
by the joint committee and indorseo
by the. reconstruction committee and
the Board Of Supervisors, the commit
tee on Burnham plans recommends
that the city exercise its police pow
ers and compel builders on residence
streets to place their structures a
specified distance back of the side
walk line.
This is a power that is exercised by
many of the Eastern cities and re-
suits not only in Identification
through the planting of grass and
trees in front of each structure, but
places the houses on opposite sides of
streets farther apart, making ii less
easy for flames TO spread and giving
fire fighters greater room in which 10
operate. The report of this commit
tee, which was presented by Chair
man James D. Phelan, is as follows:
We have subordinated our work merely
TO the consideration of useful features OF
the Burnham plan and have co-operated
with the committee on the widening, eX-
tension and grading of streets and restor-
ing pavements, whose report we have in
oOrsed. That committee has for the
burned district substantially adopted the
Burnham plan and we recommend the
adoption of all recommendations of the
Burnham plan and report and the execu-
ton of the same within the fire zone and
the balance as circumstances may deter
mine. We recommend that Seventh street
be substituted, however, for Eighth street
as parkway. TO correspond with the plar
submitted to and adopted by the commit
tee Of forty.
WATER FRONT IMPROVEMENTS.
We recommend as a matter Of great
practical Importance as the determination
OF the line on which property owners may
at once rebuild that the proper municipal
authority should forthwith fix the build
ing line on streets which are to be wild
ened so that the matter shall not be lef,
10 slow judicial proceedings.
We recommend that in the reconstruc-
ton OF the water front the committee
having that department in charge carry
out. so far as practicable, the recon-
boulevard surrounding the city be car
ried as a roadway over the one-story fire.
proof warehouses TO be erected on the
line of the seawall. and that the United
States Government be petitioned to con-
tinue the boulevard through its property
and at the same time TO lay out the pa
rade ground drill ground and drives in
the Preside, as indicated in the Burnham
plan. The Federal Government has
shown a commendable desire to improve
its property at this season in order TO
give employment TO our people and to
harmonize its plans with those adopted
by the city for the general improvement.
We would also petition the Government
TO construct a driveway around Fort Ma
son and not permit its contemplated
buildings to encroach upon that line.
The plan already adopted by the COM
mittee Of forty provides that within ten
years the Panhandle be extended to
the junction Of Market street and Van
Ness avenue. which represents in part
the burned area. We recommend that
within the same period the Panhandle be
extended to Baker street. making a com
plete and direct roadway from the park
and ocean 70 the city
We recommend that property owners
be urged, by common agreement among
themselves, TO open up the diagonaIs
through the territory north and south of
the park as a necessary means to give
access 70 those sections and promote cir
culation within them.
PARk AND RESERVOIR SITE.
We recommend that reservoir sites. and
incidentally park sites, should be reserved
on the high points of Russian Hill, Cali
forn.a-street Hill and also on TeIegraph
HIi as shown On the plans The matter