The San Francisco call., 1910-06-25
WORK ON Streets
PRESENTS PROBLEM
Paving ThOrOughfares Before
Water Mains Are Laid Leads
10 Added Expense

Many streets in new residence sec
tions. particularly in the Richmond dis
trict, have been conditionaIly accepted
by the city. but not permanently ac-
cepted.
his has led TO some misunderstood
0ng among property owners as to the
meaning Of these terms and how they
affect the owners fnancislly.
AZ the board Of supervisors Office the
explanation given is that conditional
acceptance means only acceptance at
property owners expense for Inainte-
nance and repair. whnefp permanent ac-
ceptanCe means that the city thereafter
assumes the care and repair OF the
streets al its own expense
ihe rule Of the supervisors is not TO
accept any street permanently until il
has been bituminized and sewers and
Sas and water mains laid.
\ street may be conditionaIly accept
&c where only the sewer has been built
and the street macadamized or btu
uinized.
Il has been found that where owners
Of property have bituminized their
streets. through the solicitation of paw
ing contractors. that they have been
subjected to much additional expense
EXTRA EXPENSE
Tie water company and gas COM
psny make connections for SO to SIS
IN street before it is paved, but after
The pavement is laid they charge about
so more for making connections and
IN some cases z much higher rate than
this. In case a street is bituminized
before q sewer is laid the additional
cost TO the owners is very considera BILE.
W ". watson. president of the Point
Lobos improvement club. makes this
statement 10 explain this matter:
1t is always advisable for owners
10 nave sewers and Eas and water
mains laid before street Is bitumin-
lied. Il saves considerable expense
But It often happens that the water
and 6as company refuse 10 lay mains
when requested 10 do so.
In such cases the owners have felt
that it was necessary to go ahead and
bltuminize their streets in order 10 i'm
prove the district even at the cost of
additional expense IN repaving But in
no case would 7 advise doing this till
the sewer at least has been laid
Contractors are constantly urging
property owners TO have the paving
done regardless of these things In
California street between Fifteenth
and Sixteenth avenues recently the
work Of curbing and paving had begun
before the water and gas mains were
In. The owners. seeing the additional
expense they would be subjected to
stopped the contractor.
Tt has been the policy of the board
Of public works TO refuse to issue paw
ing permits until sewers and water and
gas mains were in. which is right and
for the property owners interest
However, there are exceptional
cases where the waiting for these
things would hold back the building
Up and development Of q street. But
II must be borne in mind that the ex-
pense Of further repaving viii fail
upon the property owners.
CONSUMER MUST PAY
Il am aware that the water and gas
companies are responsible for repaving
the street where they DELAY LAYING
their mains until after the street is
paved. But they always charge this
Up TO the consumers by making a
higher rate for connections.
1T should be borne in mind that
while street is only conditionally ac-
cepted its maintenance and repair is
at the property owners expense. Per-
msnent acceptance is not made by the
city until sewer. water and gas mains
sre in. and ali the final paving is done
81 the owners expense. Thereafter
the city assumes the expense.
California street. from Sixth to
Ninth and between Twelfth and Thirty
third, is conditionally accepted. But in
this case there viii probably be no
TURNER expense 10 the property owners
because the street railroad company
has agreed to do the rest of the paw
ing. II viii probably do so if ii gets
new franchise. Failing in that the ex-
pense would probably fall on the own
-ers. But ] think there is no doubt that
the property owners win grant il. as il
is manifestly for the interest Of the
district 10 do SO.
While the city can refuse to do any
maintenance and repair work on con-
ditionally accepted streets there is a.
disposition on the part OF the board of
public works and supervisors to deal
literally with. new districts that are
trying TO improve. 7 think that in all
the numbered avenues in Richmond
district now under conditional accept
ance that the city viii maintain and
repair them. with the exception of re-
paving for the purpose OF putting in
sewers and water and gas mains.
In Seventeenth avenue the owners
have paved most of IT before the water
and gas mains are in. The property
owners VIII have TO pay an additional
cost for connections to cover the cost
Of rcpaving."