New-York tribune., 1919-10-19
Asks That Violators of
Billboard Law Be Reported
Such Action Will Bring About Effective Enforce.
ment of Zoning Measure in Residential Dis
tricts. Declares Herbert s. Swan

one or more families. boarding houses
and hotels having thirty or more sleep
ing rooms.
Clubs, executing clubs the chief ac-
tivity Of which is service customarily
carried on as business.
Churches, schools, libraries or pubiio
museums.
Philanthropic or eleemosynary uses
or institutions, other than correctional
institutions.
Hospitals and sanitariums, railroa d
passenger stations. farming, truck gar
dening, nurse ries or greenhouses.
The term accessory use" does no.
include any building or use not located
on the same lot with the building o.
use to which it is accessory. A private
garage for more than five motor veh
cles is rot deemed an accessory use
Presumably the only kind of signboarc
constituting an accessory use is the
ordinary "to let" or "for sale sign
affecting the premises on which it is
located.
Commercial advertising can in no
sense be deemed accessory TO any Of
the uses specifically permitted in res
dental districts. The erection .
signs in the future will therefore b
confined to such sections of the city
are situated in business districts ol
unrestricted districts.
Would Report Violat0rs
The city's determination to enforce
this provision of the zoning resolution
has been demonstrated in several in
stances by the revocation of permits
mistakenly issued for the erection of
billboards in residence districts, and
by the institution of SUITS to bring
about the removal of billboards where
the owners have not complied with the
removal orders. Several cases of this
sort are now pending in the courts. To
bring about effective enforcement of the
law in this respect property owners in
residential districts who have suffered
from the invasion of billboards since
the enactment of the zoning law should
Immediately place the matter before
the Superintendent OF Bui dings in
their borough.
The coming law, it must be remem-
bered, is not retroactive in any of its
provisions. Uses not conforming to
the restrictions imposed on the dis
.ricts in which they are situated are
allowed to continue, provided they ex-
listed in the district previous to July
25, 1916, the day the law was passed
Hurtful or harmful uses, which have
invaded residential nelghborhoods since
! that date, unless authorized by the
Board of Appeals after public hear
ing. at which all property owners I'M
mediately affected by the proposed use
were notified to appear and have then
objections heard, are IN the nature OF
violations.
Remedying an Evil
The zoning resolution has at one
stroke done more to remedy the bi l.
board evil in the residence districts OF
the city than all the laws and ord
nances previously passed on this sub
ject put together. Instead of merely
regulating the height. size and con-
struction Of signs, it frankly recng-
nizes the fact that there is no su- N
thing as a billboard respectable enough
to rub elbows with churches, schools
and private homes. When hereafter
erected the billboard must go where it
will cause a minimum Of harm ong
side business buildings and industrial
Establishments.