Norwich bulletin., 1913-05-10
NEW LONDON BUILDING LINES
Chances of Law Suit Over Situation Montauk Avenue Favorable to Acceptance of Thames River Bridge Matter of Statewide Interest.

City Sheriff Luke J. Martin, who before taking up his residence in New London was chief of the Wallingford fire department. is the owner of prop erty in Montauk avenue not far from Bank street and he seems determined
 to utilize that property as he sees fit and regardless of the law and public sentiment or the detrimentS of other property in the neighbOrhood. Mon tauk avenue is one of the finest pub lie thoroughfares in the city and is lined with handsome residences for nearly it's full length, and the Martin 1 residence of itself is in general keep ing with the others. The property owners took pride in an endeavor to have the residences built on a line several feet back of the sidewalk line though there was no iron -clad agree i ment to that effect. Sheriff Martin seems to have digressed from the rule | and is determined to get all he can out of his property investment even at the sacrifice of his own home and the homes of others in the vicinity and contrary to the rule of civic pride. In the rear of his home he has
 erected a large tenement house of the cheaper grade which he has rented to several Italian families and the sec tion is more populous than any other on that semi fashionable thorough : fare. He has also erected beside his own a one-story shack out close to the sidewalk line and beyond the line of the other houses There was pro- test against this building and the matter was given consideration by the court of common council but with ! out result. Now 8le sheriff has com mehced the construction of three ten ement house on the other side of his residence and in line with the shack lie commenced this work without the blJIl0jn2 spectOT of buildings and the court of common council and it Is alleged in l violation of city ordinance and state statute, and is therefore liable to prosecution. The sheriff declares that he is proceeding advisedly, but he will probably be made defendant in suit brought by the city.
 The committee on new buildings gave notice at the council meeting on
 Monday evening that the sheriff defied
 interference by the city and was going ahead and erect that building on his
 own land and had no fear as to the 1 result While the building committee has the power to act by itself in such
 matters. Chairman William Harrigan
 of the committee, decided to place the matter before the council for action if drastic measure was to be taken. The council took the pug i naciOuS animal by the horns. deter
 mined to ascertain whether the ordin ance in this case was such that it
 could be successfully defed by any . individual and If it was 10 enact an other that would stand the test So
 the matter was referred to Corporation Counsel Tanner for immediate action and a lawsuit is liable to result. The test will be to decide whether Sheriff Martin violated the law esta abishing i building lines and also erect a build ing in open defiance of the city ordin- ance that requires a building permit from the court of common council The sheriff is a city official and pre- sumably is of opinion that he knows
 the law and like the good citizen that he should he. is able to determine whether his actions are within the law.
 In justice to Sheriff Martin, be it said, that he was not the first to build beyond the established building line in Montauk avenue, for the lace
 mill since converted into 9 garage. is on 8 line with the Martin shack, and
 with the proposed tenement building But as a city official puts tt one or