New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-30
Advocates Adoption
of Foreign Rules

'Nor are the differences in streets which
should be made the basis Of districts con-
fined to those between chief traffic or
business streets and minor or residence
streets. Nearly all the distinctions which
exist. or which we wish 10 create IN our cay
planning are those Of the building. with re-
lation to particular streets. The rich man
should have his avenue, with lots suited to
large houses, and the homes of the more
humble citizens. upon smaller. cheaper
lot. should be on the street beyond to the
advantage Of both and the whole com
munity OF which they both form a part.
1--WE do not believe any longer in work
ingmens quarters, or fashionable quarters
Of impenetrable SIZE and We do not find
them In the better and newer city plan
ming abroad.
The inoffonsiye industries, too. should
form long. narrow strip. with working
mems houses on some nearby parallel
street and the homes OF tine employers on
still another street parallel TO that.
"rhe street basis has tendency 10 d.
versify cities and 10 ft itself TO their di-
versities and thus preserve them. The
tendency. There are now more divorsties
in neighborhoods than we realize, and
system that preserves them without de-
stroying the units of the neighborhood has
for this reason alone very much IN IT'S
favor
Some districts. it Is true, should he
large and broad. Offensive industries
should be segregated. isolated and given a
considerable territory to themselves. But
these districts are no exception; they als1
consist Of certain number of streets and
may be advantageously defined and linz
ted rs street districts. like the rest.
Original ideas are seldom valuable.
The principle ] have been stating IL the
result of the thirty years of Germanys
experience.
The district system Of building -eSu-
lation was first evolved ard advocated IN
Germany in the 10's and was first put
into actual practice there in 1884 and
1891. II was originally called the zone
system. because most German cities were
walled, and when the walls were torn
down development came in belts, or zones,
with the old city as a nucleus.
Gradually it was found that the same
regulations could not with advantage be
applled TO all the streets within any zone,
end classes of streets within them were
created and subjected TO class as we'll as
zone rules. other streets remaining subject
70 zone rules only.
THE fact that this completely Is UNI
necessary and that the street alone is the
better unit is winning recognition in Ger
many. and some cities have discarded the
older zone system entirely for the street
class or street district system l have
been describing
THE width and character of the street
have always been the principal bases
II the zone or district regulations. and the
adoption Of the street as unit Of the dis
trct and sole basis OF regulation was,
therefore. the logical development.
'In the science and practice Of mu-
nicipal government. ana especially IN city
planning, Germany to-day occupies a iead-
ing position. The district system, which
originated there, has been tried IN tina.
country for thirty years, and is now IN
use in most of her cities. The experience
with il elsewhere is slight.
Germany is country OF exact knowl-
edge. She has proved that she is prac-
teal nation by winning with that knowl-
edge formidable position in business and
trade among the nations Of the world.
The fact that the results Of German ex-
perience are in favor of the street on the
basis of dstrcting is Of great Importance
10 us in this country at this time, when we
are just beginning to adopt the district
ing sYstem.'