Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-24
UNWISE RESTRICTIONS
CAUSE OF INITIATION
technical and Research Expert Says Lack of Ordinances
Regulatin" Construction in the Majority of Cities
in This Country Is Astounding

Duniey +. Hoffman. construction
engineer. technical and research de-
phrtmcnt OF the National Lumber
manufacturers Association. Wash
ington. prepared tho following arti-
GIGS on The Need Of National
building Codes" which local build
ers and contractors will find of espe-
cial interest.
ono OF the necessities that con
fronts business in all forms IL tn,
elimination OF thu many sorts Of in
ha'ton which have loaded IL with
reproductive capital charges On-
ia'ipr OF imitation in the constitute
t'n Industry is the cost OF unwisc
ana unjustiabie building rcstric-
tnnS, These often add so much TO
the cost Of improvements that capt
IN Is diverted 10 more inviting
Mods The National Lumber Manu-
'H'trrcrs' Associations technical and
research department has been study
itg municipal ordinances relating to
inildinrs FOR IN" past two years and
has accumulated data concerning
sNch matters from every municipal.
~ In tho country with NOR" than
5000 population. Tho Al"s are kent
from becoming out ~ date by
means az "a well organized system .,
- i''l u covering current changes.
Wise Plan Aids Progress.
Tho data reveals "A vital connection
between building codes aud the
growth or nphgrnwth and the hIrnr-
t!on and nature ~ the expansion OF
cities y wisely ,houEht-out build
ine law stimulates hgiiding, and "A
chr"lcsSly drawn on" r"pr"SS.s IT,
som" section ~ q law may operate
nccd!"sTly 10 check building in ore
q. ~ ~ a "A,
another, thus incquitahly ali"riue
real estate values and som"tlrcs
creating an cyo-sorc district in what
should be a desirable section. SOM.
times an unlntelligcntly shaped
building code puts q blight on a
whole community. There has been
too much of u tendency To look
upon building codes as penal sta,-
uics the primary object OF which
ais 10 keep some ono from doing
Isom"thiug, whereas AN ideal build
az sndo would aim at encouraging
performance aud wpuii be- posltlv,.
ltAt"ad 90 negative, pTDmotivc IN
= stead ~ restrictive" The old doctors
always LOGGED at a patients tongue
his' of AL II there Is anything the
matter with tho physical growth uf
q yorr town YOU had better examine
! your huilding cod" or the place
whore 'hrrc ought 70 bc one before
roeeedIns iurther with the dag
3hoSis
+ Every Inv n HuildlnE service.
Every aiding law should ue COW
sidcr"r as "a building service. for the
protection OF th" owners and ocru-
pHuts ~ the buildings and as an aid
Ia hU'ld"rs rather than a. q re-
stric'ior Imposed upou them. i,
should aim u; Ia. minimum expense
Rcuusit'"n, ~f'h 'kafety md -tinirnt!a-
biIiiy ~ Ccu.iTgcii"u. II should bc
sufficiently ilnNihl" 10 allow for In
dtvidEality and selection az design
= and materials. ior economy and for
ada ptahiiity to changing conditions.
3 It SHOULD not hc too definite and De
tailed lest IL lose a part 81 IT, pos
sibiiti's for good and unduly ham
Rgcr private initiative ana enter
prise II should ne a compromise
between tho necessity OF telling the
public what il required Of IL ana
OF having a brief h"Nltie document
for purposes 81 administration
The lack OF ordinances regulating