The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-09-28
WHAT IS CITY,
Z0NING TOLD
BY IT, s. BOARD
Department of Commerce
Committee Discusses Plan
Bismarck Is Taking Up
FOR CITY'S FUTURE
Purpose as Explained Is To
Gain Economy, Efficiency
and Beauty in City
What is coming?

What is coming?
This is a question frequently ask
cd by persons seeking detailed in
formation, since the city commission
named coming commission for Bis
marck. A coming primer" publish
ed by the advisory committee on
coming, Department Of Commerce,
Washington, explains as follows:
"Zoning is the application of COM
mon sense and fairness to the pub
lie regulations governing the use of
private real estate. 1t is a pain
stalking, honest effort to provide
each district or neighborhood, as
nearly as practicable, with just sucl
protection and just such liberty as'
are sensible in that particular dis
trict. 1t avoids the error Or trying
to apply exactly the same building
regulations to every part of city
or town regardless Of whether it is
/; suburban residence section, or a
factory district, or business and
financial center. 1t fosters civic
spirit by creating confidence in the
justice and stability of the protec-
tion afforded.
"Zoning gives everyone who lives
or does business in community a
chance for the reasonable enjoyment
of his rights. At the same time it
protects him from unreasonable in
jury by neighbors who would seek
private gain at his expense.
"Zoning regulations differ in diff
ferent districts, according to the
determined uses of the land for resi-
dence, business, or manufacturing,
and according to the advisable
heights and ground areas.
"But these differing regulations
are the same for all districts of the
same type. They treat all men alike.
"Why Do We Need ZOning?"
Some one has asked: Does your
city keep it's gas range in the par
Tor and it's piano in the kitchen
That is what many an American city
permits it's household to do for it.
1--WE know what to think of a
household in which an undisciplined
daughter makes fudge in the parlor,
in which her sister leaves soiled
clothes soaking in the bathtub, while
father throws his muddy shoes on
the steps, and little Johnny makes
beautiful mud pies on the front
steps.
"Yet many American cities do the
same sort of thing when they allow
stores to crowd in at random among
private dwellings, and factories and
public garages to come elbowing in
among neat retail stores and we'll
kept apartment houses. Cities do nc
better when they allow office build
ings so tall and bulky and so close
ly crowded that the lower floors not
only become too dark and unsatis-
factory for human use Mt for that
very reason fail to earn fair cash
return to the individual investor.
Give and let live is better
motto for the modern city than the
4 savage one of dog eat dog
ut is this stupid wasteful tumble
which zoning will prevent and grad
ually correct. We must remember
however, that while coming is a very
important part of city planning, il
should go hand in hand with plan
ming streets and providing for parks
and Fairgrounds and other essential
features of well-equipped city
Alone it is no universal panacea for
all municipal ills, but as part of a
larger program it pays the city and
the citizens quicker return than
any other form Of civic improve.
ment.
ZOning Protects Property and Health
Suppose You have just bought
some land in neighborhood OF
homes and built 'cozy little house
There are two vacant lots south OF
you. If your town is Zoned, no one
can put up a large apartment hoIse
on those lots, overshadowing your
home, stealing your sunshine and
spelling the investment of 20 years
saving. Nor is anyone at liberty to
erect noisy, malodorous public
garage to keep you awake nights OF
to drive you to sell out for half of
what you put into your home.
IF a town is zoned, property
values. become more stable, mort
gage companies are more ready to
lend money, and more houses can be
built.
"A zoning law, if enacted in time
prevents an apartment house from
becoming giant airless hive, hous-
ing human beings like crowded bees.
It provides that buildings may not
be SO high and SO close that men and
women must work in rooms never
freshened by sunshine or lighted
from the open sky.
ZOifing Reduces the Cost of Living
"By coming, millions Of waste from
the scrapping of buildings in blight
ed districts may be eliminated.
"A blighted district is district,
originally developed for residence
or industry, in the future Of which
people have lost confidence.
"The causes Of such blight are
! manifold The most, familiar case
is that Of = residential district into
! which there have begun to creep var
ious uses threatening rapid destruc-
ton Of it, value for residences
such new uses as sporadic stores, OF
factories, or junk yards. It Is not
4 hat q few such inappropriats uses
4ealIy spoil the district, but that
/ people having lost confidence, start
B panic like . "run on the bank
-Mundreds IT them hurry up TO Gun
;Sad" their properties 81 . sacrifise
~ any kind u use, no matter how
Questionable 70 their neighbors-
and xha hIfaht Il NM OwalIfnas