Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-14
PH|A. OFFICIALS GIVE
ADVICE ON CITY zON|NG
Mayor and Committee Receive
ouexsstions From J. c. Wag-
nov and @. r. Mackenzie.

Joseph c. Wagner. assistant d.
rector OF Public Works of Philadel-
phia, and George r. Mackenzie, as
astant engineer. Bureau OF Surveys,
dsve,oped tho details OF the proposed
scning ordinance for Philadelphia
before Mayor Harvey and mem
bsrs of the Wilmington committee on
scuing yesterday afternoon. Tho meet
ing wac held in the Mayors Office In
the City Hall.
Mr.. MAckenxic rrst defined Eoning as
today understood. TO be "the dividing
Of q city into districts for tho sys-
tsmatic conro, OF property. 30 that
no one may build objecronally. and
through tho regulation Of ure. size
and location, OF buildings In those
districts"
His study OF the subject has been
IN connection with the Philadelphia
ordinance. which has been carefully
considered for moro than two years,
and - still In the hands Of CITY Coun-
ell. although It's principles have been
recognised In the granting Of permits
for much OF that time.
The speaker referred TO the New
Jersey enabling act" as n model OF
legislative grant OF the authority need
81 by city. ito promote public health.
sAfcty. order and general welfare" by
regulating The location, siEc and use
Of bundinGs.- He first pointed out that
nothing In tho Philadelphia ordinance
u rctros ctivs: that 10. no exiting use.
eise or location - intcrfered with or
altered. even II out OF conformity
with its surroundings. until change
10 proposed the new use or location
becoming subject 20 regulation.
Several OF the present condition"
maps OF parts Of Philadelphia werc
shown These indicated. by different
oolors. and series. the distribution
dustT1es. factory and commercial en-
terprtses: the hetsht by stories. OF
the present buildinss: and the pro
portionai part Of the plots covered.
The used districts adopted are:
Residential, Commercial. Industrial
and Least Restricted. Special loca-
ton permits are 10 be issued for USES
which arc not In conformity with
the prevailing type.
There are established five classe. q
height districts. regulated by tn
width of the street on which the front
age occurs: also area districts. reg
ulating the proportion Of plot 10 b
covered
Zoning certificates are required 70
erection. construction. alteration
conversion or relocation" OF any build
ings; as well as building permits.
Project lndorsed by Mr.. Wagner.
Mr.. Wagner expressed appreciate,
Of the courtesy shown TO Mr.. Maokenxi
and himself. and said that in hi
opinion. now 10 the time for Whining
ton 70 take UP the matter OF regula
bon for the future. He pronounce.
proper son,ne ordinance as the mos
important that could be enacted. a,
eect1nS every piece OF real properc
IN the city. large or small. IN regar
70 public health. safety. sanitation
morals and general welfare. The prtr
cipls OF authority. IN the interest {
general welfare. has been upheld
the highest courts. he said.
While height does not promise ,
ee a serious problem here for som
time. that of location hsr already civ
"a trouble: a. OF business intrudin
nto residence neishborhoods. garage
nndestred by neighbors. and the Tx
Rodney Square was praised as pro
v!ding N open area, OF itself a prc
tection 10 public and business built
mgs around II
In reply TO \ query from Ecwa-
r. Mack. park superintendent NJ
Wagner said that city planning wa