New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-06

the fire limits should not be co-cxtcn-
sivc with the city limits are given by
Rudolph p. Miller. who is working on
the revision of the building code.
There are still large sections Of the
city for which street system or ten
tativc city plan has not yet been
adopted" says Mr.. Miller. Even in
Manhattan there T., u district. InwOod
Hill, for which such a plan has not yet
been prepared. II would be manItestlg
unfair to require an owner in such
section 10 erect a permanent structure
II ne should find it necessary or deslr-
able to improve his property in order
to utilize it.
again. many sections of the city,
such as the Flatbush and Bay Ridge
sections Of Brooklyn. the University
Heights section in The Bronx, Rich
mond Hill. Bayside, Hollis and many
others in Queens, have developed as
residential districts in which frame
construction because of its lower cost
and greater adaptability to one-family
dwellings has been almost universally
used. Some of these sections have de-
veloped more than others, but there is
hardly one IN which there are not still
many vacant lots being held for the
same sort of development. To place
such sections in the fire limits and re-
uuirc the building, thereafter to be of
brick would not only be an unwar-
lanted restriction on the owners in pre-
venting them without sufficient reason
from doing what their neighbors have
done, but would tend to discourage the
erection of private dwellings on such
vacant lots and TO start the encroach-
ment Of business Into such districts. 1t
Is highly desirable that the residential
character OF such sections be main
tanned as long as possible.
Moreover, there are parts Of the city
where property values because of in
adequate transit facilities or Of prob
able assessments on account Of future
public Improvements are such that the
greater cost Of permanent buildings Is
not justified. The restriction Of the
the limits would probably Kill develop
meut in such sections.
ION the other hand, the very reasons
for leaving out Of the IRE limits the
residential, or. rs they might well be
called, the suburban sections, seem to
Justify some restrictions with view
toward maintaining their residential
character. II has been suggested, and
the suggestion is receiving cOnsidera-
ton with a view Of securing municipal
legislation, that beyond the tire limits
IS now fixed outer zones or suburban
limits be established within which no
frame construction be permitted except
for one or two-family houses which do
not cover more than 50 per cent
of the width of the lot. This idea IS
not entirely new, as it has already bcch
applied by amendments IN 1900 TO the
old Building Code 20 the Flatbush and
BAY Ridge sections OF Brooklyn, and
still applies % those localities. What
H. now proposed is 70 extend this prin-
ciule and take IN all sections that are
developing as residential districts IN
the several bOrOughS.
Just what areas these suburban
limits should include IS not yet de-
ciGed. II would seem. however, that
they might properly include all see
tons in which street systems have
been regulated and graded, or sutti-
GENTLY so that building has been
started, even if only on small scale.
zone effect Of such limitation would
be to stop the erection OF rows OF
frame buildings, a very desirable re-
suit from all standpOlnts. Provision
should be made and undoubtedly would
be to permit within proper limitation
the placing Of private garages or sta
bles on plots with dwellings