The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-11
Topeka Urges New Measures
Before Legislature.
Zone System Wanted by Plan
ming Board.
MORE MONEY FOR PARKS
Appropriations Needed In Beau.
tifying Projects.
City Water Department Has
Three Requests.

If Topeka's legislative hopes are
realized the lawmaking body of Kan
sas will have to give attention to a
number of suggestions for the govern
ment and growth of a city that To-
peka thinks should become laws.
The hearts desires of Topeka from
the legislature include eight or ten
hoped for laws of various kinds In
erder to carry on city beautifying
projects Topeka will ask the legisla-
ture to empower its city planning
board to zone" the city, will ask more
extensive authority in paving city
streets. and will ask to be allowed to
use more money in the improving of
its city parks.
Zoning System Is Important.
The zoning of city is important in
Arranging identifying projects, the city
planning board has agreed. By "zon-
ing" is meant the dividing of the city
into definite industrial, commercial,
residence and park districts, allowing
no building in the future to violate
zoning rules, and changing conditions
already existing that interfere with
proper coming, if the planning board
sees fit.
If the paving law that property own
Iers must petition for any paving in
their communities is amended accord
ing to the wishes of w. S. Hancock,
provements, Topeka will pave many
of it's old streets. neglected for fifteen
or twenty yeaRS because of the indif-
ference of property owners.
City Has No Power.
1--WE want to ask the legislature to
allow us to take the matter into our
own hands after property owners have
let pavement run down for fifteen or
twenty years." Hancock said today.
"As it is now the city can do nothing
without the petitioning of the property
owners"
Commissioner Hancock also has an
other request to make of the legisla-
ture. He would have a special fund
set aside for flood water sewers, and
for draining off surface water, for
which Topeka has no provision. A
condition now in North Topeka de-
mands such an arrangement. =
Not Enough for improvements.
Not enough money may be used
from the general fund for improve
ment of parks, the commission has
agreed, and a special fund should be
permitted from taxation for PARK inn
proyement purposes. Commissioner
McGiffert of the park department is
in a hospital at present and his views
on the subject were not obtainable.
For no identifying purpose, but for
practical need, the city water depart
partment would like special law
prohibiting the use of sewer flush
lines for industrial or domestic use.
Too many sewer lines are on flush
lines rather than on the regular sewer
main, and sewer flush lines should be
used for nothing else but flushing the
sewers, Another request of the water
department is that SO per cent of res
idents should be required to petition
before new city water line is laid,
and that one-fifth of the cost of the
line should be borne by all of the res
idents, regardless of whether they
have petitioneds or not, on the ground
that the extended main adds a large
amount of value to the property. The
third water department bill, LOW in
contemplative stage, is to amend the
state law that city governments or de-
partments thereof may not increase
the salaries of employees. That law
has been violated for the last several
years by every city commission in the
state, w. A. Stanfield. city water COM
missioner. pointed out.
Want Pensions for Firemen.
The fire department, in cooperation
with other fire Departments over the
state, is interested in obtaining PEN
sions for firemen after stated num-
Der of years Of service and a bill to
that effect win be presented to the
legislative body. Another fire de-
partment request is for financial pro-
vision for the double platoon system,
Topeka to succeed the old twenty -four
hour working day for firemen. Only
temporary provision was made for the
system by which the firemen are on
twelve hours and off twelve hours.
All of Tepekas legislative requests
were presented to the local legislation
committee composed of representa-
tives and senators of the three districts
which Topeka includes in meeting at
the court house on Saturday. and were
promised the. special efforts of the
local legislators.