The San Francisco call., 1909-11-27
ALL CONSTRUCTION
WILL BE DEFINED
Greatest Obstacle to Rebuilding
Of the City Will Be Finally
Removed


Al uncertainties viii be set aside
anaIy concerning the methods OF con-
srruction OF buildings in all par3S OF
san Francisco by the adoption Of the
ordinance 10 be known as the building
laws Of The city and county.
A meeting OF the advisory committee
- the board Of supervisors was held
during the last week and all amend
nents Or suggestions for improvements
that have received favor were embodied
supervisors at their next stated meeting
VIII be merely TO sanction
The report Of the advisory committee
was approved more than one year ago
namely. September 80. 1905. Since then
Lre provisions embodied IN Il have been
discussed by builders. architects. NATE
rial men property owners. agents for
-srge realty and all others who are con-
cerned, and the net result appears TO
he that all parties are agreed that the
ordinance Is the best procurable. That
more than a year has elapsed since the
measure was approved indicates that 70
cEe haste has been manifested
The scope OF the law is indicated By
an extract from the ordinance which
describes il as regulating the construc-
rion- erection, enlargement. raising. al
reration. repair, removal. maintenance.
Use and height OF building. regulating
character and use OF material in and
Tor building; ests blishing FIRE limits and
repealing all ordinances IN conflict with
This ordinance
SOME FINAL CHANGES
Some provisions included in the pro-
posed law were reviewed in this paper
recently but there are others Of great
Importance which We're not discussed
because some debate was still due be-
fore final adoption Two Of these re-
lated 10 class buildings and 70 the
height Of frame buildings The height
n the class c buildings has finally been
6Eed al 81 feet and the height Of frame
buildings has been reduced from 45 70
go feet The Ere limits OF the city. con-
cerning which there has been discus
sion. were left unchanged The boun-
carries Of that district are TOO well
known 10 require necapituiation- A
lreproof roofing limit is established by
tae law. which Is cOncisely described as
follows
said limits shall be bounded by line
ccmmencing al the intersection OF the
sore me ~ tAe bay OF san Francisco
Nltl me no-thcrly end Of Van Ness
areuue- rhsnce southerly along the cen
rer line q Van Ness avenue TO Green
street, thence westerly along the
center liae Of Green street TO Lyon
street. thence sOutheriT along the center
.tne OF Lyon street 10 Pacific avenue
--lEl-tr 'rcLElll hlDLE llE center line
pL Faelnc avenue 10 Its intersection
with the Southeriy Ire Of the Preside
SerE4t-on- thence following the south
erlF line ot the Preside reservation te
FIRST avenue thence southerly along
the center line Of First avenue 10 Cali
1ornla street. thence easterlE along
tae center line Of California street
I'D Preside avenue thence south
erir along rle center line OF Pre-
sldio avenue 10 Geary street, thence
cssterly along the center line Of Gesry
-
southeriE along the center line or
Rroderick street 70 Waller street.
thence westerly along the center line
~ Waller street 70 Buela Vista ave
sue- thence southerIv and easterly
aionE the center line Of Buena Vista
avenue 10 DubOce avenue; thence east
frly- along the center line OF Duboce
avenue 70 Market street thence south
erlV and westerly along the center line
- Market street 10 Dolores street.
thence SOutEerlE along the center line
thence esSterlE along the center line Of
Twenty fifth street 10 the center line OF
Potrero avenue. THENCE nOrtherly along
the center line OF POtrero avenue 10 the
center lire OF Division street. thence
essteriy along the center line OF Divi-
sion street 70 the center line of King
street. thence uorrhez srerlV along the
center line OF King street 10 the center
lire Of Seventh street thence sOutherly
and essterly along the center line OF
seventh street 10 the center line OF
Channel street. thence northeriy and
essrerlF along the center line Of Chan
mel street 10 the shore line OF the bay
shore line OF the bay Of San Francisco
10 the point OF coEnmencement-
OPTION FOR BUILDERS
A section has been approved relating
70 the use Of new devices and material.
which is also Of general interest, as il
gives builders an option that is valu-
able. This section Is as follows.
In "a which II l. claim ef that
any equally coed or more desirable
mode or manner Of construction or ma
thsn specified IN this ordinance can be
used IN the erection or alteration OF
buildings. the board OF supervisors.
upon written application 10 them for
permit 10 use the same, shall have
power 10 appoint a board Of examiners
consisting Of not less than three nor
more than FIVE members. one OF whom
must be an architect one civil engi-
neer and one a builder. each Of whom
shall have had q [ least ten t1ol years
experience IN san Francisco as an
architect civil engineer or builder
who shall take the usual oath OF Office.
said examiners shall adopt rules and
speci flcatfonE for examining and test
ing such mode or manner OF cOnstruc-
rion. or material or device Tor fire.
proofing. and furnish copy OF the
same 10 the applicant The said exam
iners shall thereupon notify such ap-
piicant 10 submit 10 such examination
and 10 make tests in the presence Of
thereof according 10 such rules and
specifications All expenses OF such ex-
aInfners and OF such examinations and
tests shall be paid by the applicant and
said examiners may require security
therefor
The said examiners shall after such
examination and tests, certify the re-
suits and their decision on the said ap-
plicatiOn 10 the board OF supervisors.
who shall have power. in the event Of
the examination and tests being salts
factory. 10 grant a permit 10 the sppli-
cant IN accordance with such decision
OF the board Of supervisors
LENGTH. WIDTH AND HEIGHT
Concerning the measurements for
height. length and width OF buildings,
the following provisions are made.
The greatest horizontal linear d.
mensi0n OF any building shall be its
length. and the next greatest hOrf-
zontal linear dimension its width.
The height Of buildings shall be
measured from the curb level at the
center OF the main front OF the build
ing 10 the top OF the highest point OF
the roof beams IN case Of fat roofs
and for high pitched roofs the average
height Of the gable shall be taken as
the highest point OF the building
For a building erected upon a street
corner the measurements shall be taken
from the curb level opposite the center