New Britain herald., 1923-07-13
COUNCIL TO DISCUSS /
CITY coming Plan
Subject Will Be Brought Up at
Wednesdays Meeting

| Councilman Arthur G.. Crusberg's
\ city coming proposition. submitted to
i the common council at it's last meet
4 ing and tabled for printing in the
minutes, will come up for action at
Il next Wednesdays session of the COM
mon council when, it is expected, 1t
will be referred to the city plan COM
mission for consideration.
It is proposed to have the COM
mission prepare ordinances to be
submitted at the October meeting OF
tho common council and the city
will be divided into districts, the
rain subdivisions being factory,
business and financial, and residen-
tial.
Will Need Survey Appropriation.
Adoption of a coming idea will ne
cessitate a. complete survey of the
city. This will involve the expendi-
ture of some money, the amount OF
which the second ward councilman
Nuld not state at this time, and 1t
will be necessary to have special
appropriation for that purpose, there
being no money available at this
time.
Chairman Edward F. Hall of the
board of finance and taxation Is in
terested in the movement although
he states he has not gone into 1t
thoroughly enough to express an
opinion as to whether it warrants
survey appropriation, but he stated
last night that he can see consider
able merit In coming. Mayor A. M.
Paonessa and members Of the COM
mon council are also actively inter-
ested as are numerous civic bodies,
all of whom Councilman Crusberg
has been in close touch with in the
preparation of his report to the
council and the gathering of a large
amount of interesting material per-
tanning to coming. He has also been
in touch with Senator Challenger OF
Bridgeport relative to the system
employed In that city and has re-
ceived promises Of data.
AS explained by Councilman Crus-
berg, coming Is the application or
common sense and fairness to the
public regulations governing the use
of private real estate. 1t is an ef-
fort to provide each neighborhood
with the protection and privileges
that are sensible in that particular
district, creating civic pride by ere
nting confidence in the justice and
stability of the protection afforded
1t gives everyone who lives or does
business in community right to
enjoy his rights, yet protects him
from unreasonable injury from his
neighbor.
While coming is very important
part of city planning, the council
man explains 1t should go hand In
hand with planning streets and pro-
viding for parks, Fairgrounds etc.
as alone II offers no universal parla-
cea for municipal ills, but as a part
of a larger program plays an impor-
tant part in bringing quick returns
to the city and its citizens.
"A properly zoned city works for I
economy as there are no "blighted"
districts. A "blighted' district is
one originally planned for a resden-
tial section but into which stores,
Junk yards. factories, etc, have
crept until values begin to deterio-
rate and property owners begin to
sell at losses to unload. The cost OF
these risks is paid for by tenants Of
those who must take the risk. The
Cleveland City plan commission re-
Gently made an announcement that
owing to haphazard city growth
hundreds of perfectly good buildings
go to the dump each year.
Answering the objection some
times raised that coming Is not legal,
Mr.. Crusberg points out that it is
nothing but a reasonable exercise of
the police powers and for the pub
lie health, safety and welfare"
Crusberg's Program.
Councilman Crusberg today out
lined the procedure that he would
urge in coming New Britain, as fol-
lows:
1t would be necessary to secure
passage by the legislature of an en-
abling act to allow the city to go on
with q program.
This, he explains, would not be
difficult as the legislature has previ-
ously looked upon coming in a favor
able light and has passed several
special enabling acts.
The city plan commission. If that
body is agreeable, would then pro-
coed with the work, considering not
only present conditions, but also ten
denotes of growth, probable changes
and improvements, relating to the
system. including |
streets, street railways and other To-
,al passenger transportation, railroad
freight and passenger service and
water borne commerce, If any. 1t re-