Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-05
WOULD TAX CELLARS
Commissioners Have Eyes on
Those Under Streets.
SEND BILL TO THE CAPITOL
Gives District Control and Provides
for Release From Damages.
RIGHT TO CONDEMN GRANTED
Authorities Believe That Property
Owners Should Pay for Their
Use of Public Space.
RIGHT TO CONDEMN GRANTED

Any one thinking about building house
with a coal cellar attached under the side
walk should figure on paying extra
tax, because the Commissioners have
framed bill to tax tr.at particular sort of
coal holes. cellars and vaults. If this
measure becomes a law all such vaults
and cellars built after November | of this
| year wiz be subject to a tax of at least 81.
The bill will provide an accurate sYs-
| tenn of measurements and taXations for
| this new kind of taxable property the
following will show:
Sec. >. The amount of this rental shall
be determined by the following formula:
The number of square feet in the area of
the vault, including the area of the en-
trance thereto, if any, upon public space.
multiplied by the assessed value per
square foot of the adjoining land. multi
piled by one-haf of per cent, the mimi
| mum rental to be So
Must Be Paid in Advance.
| The bill speaks of this tax as a rental.
as will be seen in the paragraph quoted.
It will have 10 be paid in advance No
Vember / each year.
Furthermore. any coal cellar or any
| other cellar or vault under the sidewalk
may be condemned by the Commissioners,
who may declare it a nuisance and fill il
up at any time. If this is done they may
send d bill to the owner of the vault, who
! has to pay it or have the same as cloud
on his title. For the filling up of vaults
which are declared d nuisance, the APP
preparation for the abatement of nui-
! sanceS is to be drawn upon.
When the Commissioners wish to fill up
| a cellar under the sidewalk, all the
notice necessary will be a card. with GER
.aiJ, j1rin tioc tor cd
where on the property. If the owner of
the place should he in Nova Scotia
any other distant point, this card tackled
on the property s all the notice required.
| His cellar would be filled up.
Need of Bill Outlined.
| In sending the bill to the Capitol. the
Commissioners have prepared a state
ment which contains the following:
| PROJECTIONS from private buildings
onto public space are granted for bay
windows, vaults, areas, show windows,
etc, and the projections. except those for
vaults, are permitted in order to give a
diversity in the architectural appearance
| of the building, and to allow the display
| of goods. The projections for vaults,
however. involve an occupation of space
under ground in front of business prop
| erty for the sole use and benefit of that
property, and no public purpose is served
| thereby.
| "On the contrary, the openings from
these vaults into the adjoining public space
very often prove a source of danger to
| the public and the District of Columbia
has been sued for accidents caused by
| these projections. In such cases it has
remedy against the permattee, but d
practical difficulty often arises as to the
responsibility as between the landlord
and the tenant, making this recovery of
! doubtful value.
No compensation is paid to the United
| States or the District of Columbia for
this use and occupation of public space,
| and i'll the case of projections other than
vaults the Commissioners are not pre-
! pared at this time to recommend that
| compensation be charged.
In the case of vaults. however. they
| believe that this valuable occupation of
| public space should be paid for by those
| to whom permits are granted and it is
with this object in view that the Com
missioners have drafted the inclosed bill.
Considered a Rental.
| 1.-The bill provides that the owner of
| any land or parcel of ground I'm the Dis
| trict of Columbia adjoining which a
vault has been constructed in public space
or in front Of which a vault is permitted
| in the future to occupy public space
| shall pay an annual rental therefor and
| be given a license for such occupation
| subject to revocation at any time by the
| Commissioners. The amount of this rental
| is to be determined by formula based
OH the area of the vault and the as
| sessed value of the adjoining land.
| This license is made a covenant run
ming with the land, and one of the con-
| ditions of the license is that the owner
| shall indemnify the District of Columbia
from all suits for damages caused by
! such occupation of public space. All
| rentals and judgments are made lien
! upon the land to which such vault is
appurtenant, and the collection of the