Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-03
COL. KUTz DEFENDS
THE B0R[AND LAW
Tells the Cathedra! Heights
Association the Measure Is
Not Un-American.
POINTS OUT ADVANTAGES

The Borland law, providing for as
sessment against abutting property
owners of half the cost of street
improvements was defended by Col.
c. ". Kurtz, Engineer Commission
err of the District OF Columbia. in an
address before the Cathedral Heights
Citizens Association, last night, in the
parish hall of St. Adams Church. He
asserted that it is not un-American but
entirely American legislation.
Especially did he contend that the
law has relieved the board of Commits
sioners of great number OF unjusti-
ned applications for street improve
ments; he pointed out that. since the
passage of the bill. the requests for
street improvements have fallen off so
that the Commissioners were compelled
TO increase the slate of their own mi
tiative to meet the needs of the CON-
munity.
Advantages Are Administrative.
The advantages. he said, are largely
administrative. In the main he did not
consider that the law should be re-
garded as obnoxious. inasmuch as a
discovers that in some cases the prop
srty owners adjoining street improve
ments are assessed at full value.
He regarded it as one of the inequali-
ties of the law. however. that in roads
running through suburban districts the
roadway sometimes skirts large farms,
and to impose an assessment Tor hal1
mile of improvement. he considered, was
considerable hardship. Another correc-
tion he would make in the law would
be to assess only half the regular as
sessment for resurfacing-
city Planning" was his theme, es-
pecially in respect to neighborhood
projects. He regarded L'Enfant as the
father of city planning, which has since
grown into a science.
Many Projects Seem Unnecessary.
He pointed out that many of the
projects for city improvement looked
TO the future, when it would seem that
they were not of immediate necessity.
They will never cost less" he urged in
answering the criticism of expense put
upon property owners.
He also set forth that. in failure to
follow out the Highway plan of street
extension into the suburbs. It was fire.
ouent there would be building put
up in the very bed of the road survey.
making it difficult to acquire the right
of way. and sometimes making neces-
sary changes in the plan.
He cited the case of Woodley Lane
widening, telling of the opposition of
the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral au-
thorities to the widening, which would
interfere with some existing property
rights A bill pending before Congress
is intended to meet the wishes of the
Cathedral authorities; if it fails of pas
sage at this Congress, he gave assur-
ance. the cathedral authorities would
no longer oppose.
In the matter of Wisconsin avenue.
the widening to 120 feet seems unneces-
sary at this time, but he had confidence
that the future would justify the con-
demnation proceedings at this time. He
could not say when the process of wild
ening would be undertaken.
Regarding K1ingleford valley. he said
that the House has eliminated from
the bill the provision for taking it over
as public park. He mentioned that
the Mcmillan Park plan did not con-
slider the acquisition of this property.
which he considered an omission and
oversight. He hoped for later legisla-
ton.
Opposes Feature Of Park Project.
Commissioner Kutz did not favor the
parking project. which contemplates
park and roadway hewed to the line of
the boundaries of the District of CO.
lumbia. He did not believe in straight
lines. but in following plan that would
take into consideration the engineering
problems and the inequalities of the
land. This, he said. equally referred to
water and sewer lines, as well as sur
face roadways
Commissioner kutZ submitted him.
self to questioning by members of the
organization. and was under rapid fire
of interrogatory for nearly hour.
His answers were prompt, and nearly
always threw light on the matter
brought up.
No formal business was done by the
organization. Adjournment was taken
to enable the members to meet Com
missioner Kutz informally.
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