Evening star., 1909-07-10

new subdivisions. the lots Of uaU.h are
/ iust now being put on the market. 1t
IS believed that the value of lots in the
subdivisions will he enhanced if pro-
spective buyers know that certain kinds
! Or buildings. 10 which they object, are
not 10 be constructed in the vicinity
Expert Advice Sought.
In order to obtain epert advice En-
giHeer Commissioner Judson recently di-
rected an inquiry to the Washington
chapter of the American Institute OF
| Architects. to ascertain whether many
| European cities of the first rank. espe-
| cialiy the capitals, impose upon builders
certain requirements as to the csthetic
| features of their structures. and asked
| that the chapter find how the matter is
treated i'll other countries, and report
upon the regulations which do exist and
! the methods followed in their successful
and efficient enforcement. j. Rush Mar
shall, president of the chapter. replied
| that the organization would aid Maj.
JCdson in the work and stated that a
committee had been appointed to con-
slider the matter carefully.
The matter of regulation by districts
has been put into force III some Euro
pean cities. and the laws of some of these
ci.ies were explained AT the recent city
planning conference held in the District
building in this city.
''One OF the most fundamentally i'm
portant features of recent city planning
in Europe has been the system of, diff
ferentiated district building regulations.
said Frederick Law Olmsted jr.. In
America we are familiar with the prin-
ciple in the case of districts developed by
land companies and syndicates aud by
/ individual large owners of land. Its APP
piication in these eases Is due 10 the
recognized fact that man who is going
70 buy a lot for any given purpose will
/ pay more for it if he can be toerabiy
| certain that the surrounding property will
not be developed iDs such manner to
/ interfere with the satisfactory accom-
/ pliShment of his purpose. These mutual
I agreements or restrictions imposed by
deed are innumerable in purpose and
| adapted III each case to the supposed
wishes of the probable purchasers. They
! are tolerably effective where the restric-
tiops are wisely drawn and where they
! cover a sufficient area: but they are
/ sometimes very inconvcnicnt because OF
| their rigidity. because of the practical
| impoSSibility of removing old adding
| new restrictive clauses to meet changing
| requirements of the district.
Some Causes OF Depreciation.
/ In America it is only where a unified
ownership over considerable area makes
! il possible to apply such district restric-
tions in a series OF deeds that we have
any legal machinery for affording pur-
I caasefs OF iotS tllls sort OF hclSEburtood
| protection. We are all familiar with the
/ marked depreciation of property. espe-
! Ciaily Of residential property, and Of the
i forced breaking up of pleasant home
! neiahhorhnods by the introduction Of Oh
4 lectionable features on one or two lots.
! \ tenement or apartment house set down
(. in the midst of detached dwellings may
produce such change: or a livery stable
/ OF Il factory or Il S;t!oon. set down in the
| midst Of lots whose occupants object Seri-
| ous y TO such company. One selfish or
| short-sishted lot owner caI, ruin a neigh
| borhood.
NOW, one of tHe purposes in view in
the system OF district building regua-
| tions which forms feature of recent
| town planning in Europe. is to give to
! every lot owner in each district in the
! city fair degree of assurance as 10 the