Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-07
NEW LONDON BUILDING LINES
Change in Charter Which Gives City Power to Enforce Them-Increase in Park Commissoners-Ice at Cost Highway Commissioner Retained.

That little building affair on Mon- tauk avenue has resulted in the pass age of an act amending the charter of the city of New London that gives full and undisputed power to the city to enforce building lines in any and end to the promiscuous laying out of streets and erecting houses to lit the building lots without regard to the street lines and there will be no more such apologies for streets as those of DarroW, Orchard and other similarly laid out thoroughfares. The city now has power to establish building lines on the lands abutting on any street, highway, or public place, between which lines no building or part there of shall be erected. The mayor, ac- coFding to the amended charter, shall appoint a commission on building lines, to be composed of three taxpayers, one for a term ending January l, 1914, one for term ending January l, 1915, and one for a term ending January 1, 1916, and in the month of December 1913 and annually thereafter he shall appoint one member of the commission for three years. The commission shall be non-partisan so. far as possible, and the members will serve without pay, and the action of majority shall be the action of the commission. The commission may, and shall upon the direction of the mayor and court or common council, establish building lines and may employ engineering or other service for the purpose and fix the compensation.
 Before the commission shall estab- fish any building lines 1t shall give hearing to all parties in interest and give public notice of hearing, and the commission shall make report of it's doings to the court of common council, which shall embody a descriptive sur vey of the building lines under con- sideration, for the approval of the court of common council. IT the re- port is not approved 1t will be returned to the commission for reconsideration and the court of common council may at any time discontinue the proceed ings If the report be accepted it shall be signed by the mayor or city clerk and recorded in the records of the council When report shall have been accepted each building line shall have been established, and the court of com- mon council shall proceed to assess damages and benefits as provided for in the charter approved June 20, 1905.
 If at the time of the establishment of any building line there shall be any building or part of building between the building line and any street. high way, or public place. the commission may at the time of such establishment, or any subsequent time, order the re- moVal of such building. or part there of provided the action of the com mission in ordering the removal shall be on the assessment for damages and benefits basis. The commission has the power to notify or re- establish build ing lines. Any person who shall erect or permit to be erected any building or part of building between an estab- Iished building line shall be fined not more than $100, and each twenty -four hours that any building or part of building erected in violation of the ordinance shall be separate offense. Any building or part of building al lowed to remain in the prescribed limits may be removed by order of the court of common council at the owners expense, and the expense shall be- come debt due the city and shall be added to the tax bill for the property on which the same is situated next t1 be made out and rendered by the col lector of taxes and the property shall be held for it's payment This is per haps drastic measure. but there IS absolute need for just such an ordin- ance in the city of New London.
 The charter is farther amended so that the city may. by ordinance, pro- vide for the regulation of the emission of smoke from any chimney smoke stack, or other source within the limits of the city. to provide penalties for the violation of the ordinance, and for the enforcement of the ordinance through inspectors. So it Is up to the council to end the smoke nuisance in the city from any cause.
 Provision is also made in the amend ment for the increase of the park com missioners by two members to be chosen by the court of common council One of the members shall be chosen for the term ending on the date of the regular council meeting in October 1914 and the other for the term ending on the date Of the council meeting iIt October, 1915. The term of each mem Der of the board. except the mayor. chosen to succeed the present mem- bers of the commission and the two members provided for, shall be TOT a term of five years and until their sue cessor is chosen and qualified. The board of park commissioners will De required to prepare comprehensive plan for the systematic and harmofIi ous development of the city, and to that end shall have power to employ expert advisers and to pay therefor and for such. other expenses as may be necessary, not exceeding the annual appropriation for such purpose All questions concerning the location of any street, avenue, highway, boulevard or parkway shall be referred by the board to the court of common council for it's consideration and report befnrA a ic f4l-