The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-06-21
KERN POINT D OUT
GREAT NEED HERE
OF BUILDING CODE
Directors Arnett and Morris
Agree With City Attorney
in Matter.

|
f.There is a wonderful oppor-
tunity in Fairmont to duplicate
the Washington theater disaster
of last year unless some system
for the regulation and inspection
of building is adopted, in the
opinion of City Attorney Albert J !.
Kern
Erection Of small temporary
buildings which are dangers to
adjoining properties, construction,
of large buildings which may be
fire-traps, encroachment of bust
ness upon residence sections and
the eventual destruction of the
beauty Fairmont possesses, are
evils which can be stopped by a
modern building code, according
to Mr.. Kern.
Since he has been in office as
city attorney, Mr.. Kern has never
failed to draw attention to the
necessity of such a code whenever
suitable occasion arose. 1t is
an urgent need of the city at the
present time, in his opinion, and
must have a building code some
time, it should be worked out at
once SO that the city may have
the benefit of it as soon as pos
sible.
Morris and Arnctt Agree.
Director of Water j. Clyde
Morris and Director of Streets w.
E. Arnett agree with Mr.. Kern
that building code is needed in
Fairmont and both are heartily
in favor of it.
II am strongly in favor OF a
building code for Farm ont de-
clared Mr.. Morris this morning.
IF it can be provided for without
increasing the taxes of Fairmont
persons. l am of the opinion
that this can be done. Work on
the budget for the fiscal year
1922-1923 will begin about July
1 and will continue during the
month OF July and at that time
we will work this matter out de-
finitely. We should be able to
reach a decision on the question
before the second Tuesday in
August when the levies will be
laid.
1--WE have as good-looking
streets, bridges and shrubbery as
any city in the state, and we
should see that they have some
protection. The erection of un-
slightly buildings along our streets
would destroy their beauty. A
city the size of Fairmont should
have a building code, and I, for
one, will, do everything in my
power to have one worked out.
81 have been considering this
question: said MI. Arnett," and
i think we will be able to care for
81 IA, n wear
That is the soonest, of course,
that we can carry out the plan, as
it would have to be provided for
in the budget
Director of Finance z. F. Davis,
stated that he had not yet form
ed any opinion on the matter OF
building code.
Mayor W. w. Conway is I'M
derstood to favor building
code, also.
Demand Seems Urgent
A building code for Fairmont
has been discussed before, but
never before has the demand tor
one seemed so urgent During
the last week, cases have come
before the Board of Affairs where
the authority of code would
have been much appreciated, it is
said. At the last council meeting,
Mr.. Kern mentioned the subject
of a code before the board, but
the topic was not taken up for
general discussion
Mr.. Kern was interviewed on
the subject yesterday afternoon
and told of his reasons for favor
ing a code
:At present the city does not
have a building code in the proper
sense of the word" said Mr.. Kern.
The present law requires that al
application be filed, stating general
~ what material the building IS tol
be composed of, its location and It's
size. The board may require that
plans of. the building be submitted
before the permit is granted.
practically the only restrictive
feature of the present law is tina.
within a certain district, called thei
fire limits no wooden building or
wooden addition to any building
shall be erected. and there are GER
tain minor requirements about roof
ing.
This ruling is, in intent, that
only buildings of non-combustibie
material may be built. However,
the ruling is SO vague that most any
kind of building can be erected.
1t doesn't mean a fire proof build !
ing at all.
Defines Fire Limits
"The fire limits generally, COW
er the main business section of the /;
city and extend out Fairmont ave
nue. to Fifth street and down to
Walnut avenue on one side and to
CASTOR avenue on the other side.
Recently the ordinance was amend
ed, extending the fire limits SC
that they embrace larger amount
of territory than they did formerly.