The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-25
WOULDABOLISH
BUILDING
FEES
Supt. O'ROurke FayOrs Civil
Service Appointments.
Praises New Code.

Building superintendent William p.
O'Rourke placed his annual report for
the veal 1907 in the hands of City
CLERK James +. Connolly yesterday, to
be presented at the February meeting
of the Common Council.
The report advocates taking the
power to grant permits out of the
hands of the alterations and repairs
committee of the Common Council and
vestinE it in the head of the building
department.
The report a y that the fee system
Is unnecessary and that the supervision
OF plumbing and drainage should pc
under the direction of the building de-
Partment n not the Board of Health.
The superintendent says that the
present building ordinances are not up
to date, and that the new code, which
is being prepared, will cover all the
Joints mentioned.
The report is strongly in favor of
evil service appointments and favors
d.anissals only for just cause, and not
ltcause of politics."
Following is the report in part:
The character of the building work
being lone IN Newark is generally good,
Dut III lub ldSL lew years Ile averages
Vi lirst-class and good work have some
what lowered, and this, in my Judgment,
is largely 1ue to the greatly increased
amount If speculative building that has
been going on since that time. This class
ct buildings is erected as cheaply as pos
siblc, and the architects who design them
rarely supervise them. In facI, these
buildings have no competent continuous
auperintendence and the result is that this
department is obliged TO give them more
attention than we should be called upon
Ia frN In tho nnnlaaf nf Afhnr ri m
the contrary, the work being done by the
aichitects aud builders of standing In the
city requires, no more than the usual and
general supAytsion given it.
This department was never Intended to
lake the place Of architects, or such other
private supertntendence as an owner should
give his building. but n number OF specula-
i've building operators seem TO be uuder
that Impression, and it has been and shall
continue to be my endeavor 10 rid them OF
such views, and TO compel them to provide
competent continuous supervision to their
J ulld1ngs in addition to the periodical in
slectioIs made by the department in
s~pcctors. When this is done / am convinced
liat one Of the chief causes of dangerous
tul defective building will have been elm
mated.
The department is now engaged in pre-
pairing a new building code the present
pultiihs ordinances being out of date and of
limited scope. The new code is being large
- based on the code recommended by the
lsHt'onal Board of Fire Underwriters, due
regard being paid to its application to pc
ouiiar local conditions, and is now well
along toward completion.
Il would suggest that consideration be
given to the matter OF including In the
new code rules and regulations for plumb
ing and drainage of buildings which are
How looked after by the Board of Health.
In many large cities this work has been
transferred from the Board of Health to
the building department, and, so far as
] can learn. with good results. 1t would
HlsC ave the effect of bringing under one
department all work of municipal build
Ing inspection and thus, again, tend to
concentrate and lessen the work OF the
building public in connection with the
filing of plans and specifications prepara-
tory to beginning building operations.
Prom the experience gained during tlle
time hat have been at the head OF this
department j would earnestly recommend
that 1t be placed upon a civil service basis
and that appointments be made only after
examination and removals made only for
cause.
Another matter that, in my judgment.
requires reform is that connected with
alterations and additions to frame build
ings in the fire limits, AT present permits
for this class OF work nre granted by the
Common Council, after inspection, approval
and recommendation by the committee Oh
construction and alteration Of buildings.
permits be placed directly in the building
department, and that the committee OH
construction and alteration of buildings sit
once a month as a board OF appeals TO con-
slider applications rejected by the depart
ment and to listen to protests against the
action Of the superintendent. and then
make 1T mandatory upon the superinteuo-
ent to issue permits for such applications
as are approved by a majority OF the COM
mittee.
az would also respectfully recommend
that consideration he given to the question
of eliminating the fee system. II does not
seem TO me to he right that an owner OF
property should be obliged TO pay this adj
ditional ax-which the fec is-foE improv-
Ing his property aud benehting his neigh.
horhoodS and. while I recognize that some
good has resulted from the fee system in
that II has had the tendency to make build
ers pay more attention to the matter Of
itkina out permits, simply because they arc
obliged to pay for them, still ! believe the
Injustice OF II far outweighs any possible
bod that may be derived, and | conse-
qucntly recommend its abolition