New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-08-10


Of his life accommodating sufficient
money to invest In home for him.
self and family and through ignor-
ance OF building construction he
falls a victim to some inscriptions
contractor that would defy all laws
regulating the proper construction
OF his home and the city fails to
provide that man with the proper
regulations for the construction OF
his home then the city itself has
failed in the duty it owes to its citi-
zens, for after all what could be
more discouraging for man to
know that his life's savings have
heen spent in the construction of a
building that instead OF being a
comfort to him will be a burden
and expense through the methods
OF some incompetent builder.
I'VE are attempting today to give
this man the protection he should
have but are limited OF course like
oil other departments Of the city.
Today We require duplicate plans
and specifications to be filed for
permits which is the first operation
in the obtaining of a permit and the
fact that we do require this has in
many ways offered protection for
the owner In that, regulations Of
building operations is impressed
firmly upon the contractor before
he starts operations and through the
various stages of the building opera
tons the department has a check on
him so that failure on his part to
notify the department Of the pro-
gress OF the work may greatly in
convenience him and prove costly
and finally on the completion of the
building he must obtain a certificate
before occupying the building SO
that today while we would not at
tempt to have you believe we are
100 per cent efficient, we have made
considerable progress In the roper
enforcement of building ordinance
in this city during the past.
Zonins Adopted.
within the last few years coming
of cities has been attempted and In
a great many cities has been adopt
ed.
New Britain saw fit to adopt
coming ordinances in September,
1925, not quite two years ago. After
many public hearings on the matter
and after a great deal Of study and
work on the part OF large commit
tee and finally of the ordinance
committee of the common council.
coming became effective, and with
the exception Of very few instances
has proven success. Like many
other radical changes we experience
ed some little difficulty In the first
few months the law was in effect,
but very little trouble is experienced
today. ] believe it becomes more
convincing each day that zoning
does not prohibit but does regulate
and ultimately work out as pro-
lection Tor all properties whether
they be in a business, industrial or
residence district.
"Ten years from today the bene-
fits of coming to the city or any other
city will have become apparent, and
I venture the opinion today that If
any attempt was made to eliminate
coming by the peoples vote that 1t
would be overwhelming defeated, for
] believe that coming has proved
success In this city in the short time
it has been in effect. Zoning ordi-
nances will prove successful for
many reasons. A person building to-
day wants protection to his property
and he gets 1t through coming. How
does he get it? He gets it first of all
because the district in which he lives
is Zoned. whether it Is for IL or 3
family or business district. If the
district is zoned for one family
house his neighbor must have proper
set back for his building, proper side
yards, proper rear yards, and first
Of all must have sufficient area of
lot to erect his house upon.
Sometimes we hear it said that
some fellow ran build anything he
wants to but assure you that this
is furthermost from truth as any
citizen can appeal from any permit
granted, to the board OF adjustment
and prevent the construction OF any
building. so that the coming law not
only governs through the building
the type building to be
erected but gives the public the
means whereby the construction of
any unlawful building can be pre-
Regulation of City
The speaker briefly touched upon
some ofthe more important regula-
Mons, as follows: Before the cree
ton of any structure used for resi-
dence purposes it is necessary TO
have sufficient lot area as in a one
family district lot must contain
$500 square feet; the side yards OF
each district are regulated as in the
one family district, 80 per cent Of
the lot must be left open and small
in other districts.
Specified rear yards are required for
each district: set back on building
lines are esta blished in residence
districts by coming. Heights of build
ngs are regulated, size OF courts are
regulated. These constitute few
that must be met be-
fore proceeding.
MANY persons owning property