The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-04-12
THE MOST IMPORTANT ORDINANCE.

The most important piece of legislation pre-
pared for Kenosha in it's recent history is the
zoAing ordinance. It is a proposed law which
affects every piece of property in the city and
a6lot of the future development of the city is
wrapped up in it.
Tt is certain to be an ordinance which will
have ardent support and bitter criticism and
the important thing is that the support or crit
icism Of the ordinance be based on the right
premises
People who seek to lead discussions of this
ordinance should be certain that they are in
formed as to its provisions just guessing
what this ordinance is going to mean and the
things it is going to do will not aid very ma
terially in solving the important problem of
providing intelligent and legitimate protection
Of property rights in Kenosha.
1t Is important to state in the discussion
with the idea that the city planning commits
sion and the men who have worked on this or
dinance are not trying to "slip anything over"
This is not an ordinance to aid some one to
make a grab of land or to keep some one from
the proper enjoyment of his property. It's a
nejghborly interest based entirely on the gen.
eral public interest and seeking to safeguard
the rights OF the majority Of the people
The ordinance as it is now framed is not the
last word 1t is a tentative ordinance and be-
fore it is sent to the council for action every
property owner in Kenosha will have chance
10 appear before the commission and discuss
any or all Of the sections of the ordinance If
you feel that the preliminary statement that
has been made in regard to the ordinance indi-
Gates that it may infringe on some of your
rights it is greatly to be desired that you have
your objections ready for presentation in an
intelligent manner. Maps showing just what
the ordinance will provide are available at the
office OF the city engineer and it would be an
excellent plan for communities interested to
have look at these maps and make certain
just what zone their property is in.
When this ordinance is enacted into law it is
the desire of the members of the city planning
commission to have behindit a healthy public
sentiment which will insure its enforcement
Like other laws zoning ordinance can not be
enforced unless the people are willing to give
some cooperation for it's enforcement.
The commission is seeking to throw proper
protection about your home and mine and as
sure to you and to the rest of us a proper en-
joyment of property right no matter what
these rights will be.
There is no idea of sacrificing usefulness to
community adornment but it does seek to
bring chance for majority rule in seeking the
uses of property. There will be lot of selfish
people who for an added dollar will be willing
to destroy the usefulness of home districts and
it is against just such people who put little
selfish interest against great general good
that the ordinance is aimed In the very near
future the ordinance will be published and it
should be read with the greatest care by ev-
cry owner of property in Kenosha no matter to
what use that property is being put or for
what use it may be intended by the owner.
It must be remembered that the ordinance is
not one WHICH wil>disturb present uses of
property It is mot in any way retroactive
other than that it protects the property owner
against non-conforming uses of property in
The future