New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-02-27
TOWN PLAN BUREAU
SUGGESTED IN BILL
Commission Would Have Power
To Levy Assessments
HEARING FRIDAY AFTERNOON
Selectmen and Three Electors to
Serve AS N1embers-Dog Which
Slaughtered Rabbits May Have
Been Mad-Briefs

Urging the townspeople, those in
opposition as we'll as those who view
it in favorable light, to attend the
hearing to- be given before the legis-
latiVe committee on cities and Dor
oughs in the state capitol Friday af-
ternoon at O'Clock, First Selectman
w. j. johnson today made public the
bill introduced in the general assem-
bly, authorizing Plainville to appoint
commission on town plan, said body
to have the right to establish build
ing lines and to have authority over
the laying out of new streets when
the development Of property is in
progress.
The measure, which was presented
by Representative w. j. Simpson,
was drawn up by Judge B. f. Gait
ney of New Britain at the direction
OF the selectman. It is divided into
fourteen sections and covers the sit
uation thoroughly. specifying in de-
tail the powers Of the commission and
the manner in which it, shall perform
its duties.
Operation of the bill is subject to
effective until approved by a town
meeting.
Under it's terms a commission on
town plan and bureau of assessment
and award shall be raised, the first
selectman and three electors consti-
tuting the board. The appointment
of the members will be left to the
selectmen each to serve for a period
of three years without compensation.
The duties of the commission shall
be to have surveys and maps made
of the town, section by section, flllng
the same in the town clerks Office
and notifying property owners con-
cerned not less than two weeks before
the hearing is held regarding their
acceptance. Property owners are
given the right to appeal to the court
of common pleas should they be dis
satisfied with the action of the COM
mission.
The selectmen are forbidden to PER-
NIT the erection of building unless
it's location conforms to the lines es-
tablished by the commission. Neither
can they accept a street unless It's
layout Is in accord with the map pre-
pared at the direction of the commits
sion. forfeiture of 500 month
is provided in cases where buildings
are erected over the lines established,
the owner continuing to pay at that
rate until the structure is torn down
or placed in a proper location.
After the commission has approved
the layout of any street, the select
men shall establish a grade and the
commission shall estimate and assess
benefits and damages on abutting
property owners.
When the assessments and awards
have been completed by the select
men, the selectmen are authorized to
complete the work on the highways in
question. Assessor ents in excess of
awards, under the provisions of the
bill, are to remain a lien upon the
land in question. Assessments are to
made payable at the rate of one-half
of one per cent per month.
While there may be opposition to
some technical features of the meas
ure, the bill on the whole appears to
have the approval of the townspeo-
pie and it is expected that a represen-
tative number will be present at the
hearing to urge favorable report to
the House. It's passage is expected.
Plainville's attractiveness has suf-
fered considerably because of the
action of certain property owners in
erecting buildings too close to the
highway, the lack of building lines
tying the hands of the selectmen
when there appeared to be reasons
for objecting. Then, too, streets less
than forty feet wide have been laid